Human Trafficking...

I am embarrassed to say that I didn't know that Human Trafficking went on in the United States until about 2 years ago. I knew that this was a heinous crime existed in other countries but this is the UNITED STATES! For those of you who don't know how the process works allow me to elaborate. Americans (and other nationalities) use coercive tactics to lure women into trafficking. Of course at the time the women don't know that they are going to become a sex slave. Usually Traffickers will seek out women (and their children) that want access and citizenship to the United States from other countries. The Traffickers convince them that they want to help them and once they are smuggled into the U.S. that they will be free to do as they wish. However, once Traffickers have their victims trust and they are in their control they capture them, get them addicted to drugs and force them into prostitution. Not only do they do this to women but men and children as well, from very young ages. The Traffickers present the women and children to the "customers" and they pick which one they want. Sometimes the victims are sold completely (not just prostituted out) to one person who pays thousands/millions of dollars for the victims. The Traffickers have or used to have (I don't know if they have them anymore) websites set up like ebay and the customers would bid on the victims. A lot of these "customers" are AMERICANS! How can this be? In my country in the year 2009 women and children are being sold into sex slavery! On a website that will remain anonymous (the website in a non government organization) I read, "despite the lifetime channel mini series, Trafficking, rest assured that their are no instances of American girls or boys getting kidnapped for the purpose of commercial sex trade anywhere in the world". Seriously?... the writers of that website believe that? Where are they getting their information from? If that were true, (which there is no way that it is) how can they completely omit the fact that Americans are participating in this sick form of "commercial trade"?! What about the non American women and children that are being sold in the U.S.? To me it is very selfish and misleading that this website would make such a bold statement and present it as fact. If this organization is going to fight against human trafficking they need the REAL facts.


The following statistics are courtesy of the U.S. department of Justice 600,000 - 800,000 men, women and children are trafficked across international borders each year. 70% of which are women and 50% are children! Each year 14,500 - 17,500 are trafficked into the U.S. alone! WITH AN ESTIMATED 200,000 AMERICAN CHILDREN AT RISK FOR HUMAN TRAFFICKING INTO THE SEX INDUSTRY.


For more information on what the Federal Government is doing to prevent human trafficking please visit America.gov . Help Stop Human Trafficking, please report any suspected act of human trafficking to The Trafficking in Persons and Worker Exploitation Task Force Complaint Line at 1-888-428-7581.


To assist in the fight against human trafficking please visit http://www.stophumantraffic.com/ there you will find resources and fundraiser ideas.


This is not a subject to be taken lightly. Educate yourself as to what is going on in your country...