Xapa to the World

Category: Human Trafficking

  • Freedom Sunday 2011 | Not For Sale on Vimeo

    via Freedom Sunday 2011 | Not For Sale on Vimeo.

    This video is fantastic and absolutely sums up the call of the abolitionist from the children of God.

    Be a part of it:   Freedom Sunday, March 13th, 2011

  • Nat’l Human Trafficking Awareness Day

    Today, January 11th, is the National Human Trafficking Awareness Day.  If I had been better prepared, I would have had this post ready to publish first thing in the morning, but I did not, so here it is.

    You can call 1.888.373.7888 any time, day or night, 7 days a week, 52 weeks of the year to report a case of human trafficking.  Human trafficking can take the form of slave labor (including domestic servitude) or forced sex labor and can involve adults and children alike.  The average age of a trafficked child is 12 years old.  Victims of trafficking find themselves there by methods of force, fraud, or coercion.  They might be paying off “debts” with enormous amount of interest.  They may be threatened with violence or abused as well as their families.  They can often be taken across national borders to a country where they don’t speak the language – their paperwork could be forged or missing entirely and they often fear the police as much as their captors.  This fear is usually justified as when the crime is found, they are lumped in with the criminals instead of treated as a victim – many times they are sent back to their own country to live in their shame and risk being trafficked again.

    This modern-day slavery is more heinous and comprehensive than the form of slavery fought over in the Civil War.  It is the fastest growing organized crime and second only to drug-trafficking (which is estimated to be surpassed very soon).  If you think that the United States is exempt from this, you are sorely mistaken.  Cases of human trafficking have been reported in every state.  The US has been found to be a source, transit, and destination country for trafficked individuals.

    I’m going to list quite a few organizations/people/businesses I follow, either on Twitter or Facebook or whatever.  I would really recommend checking them out.  This is something that burns in my heart – as children of God we are called to loose the bonds of those who are held captive.  Educate yourself and then take up the banner – become an abolitionist.

    *and really, these are just a few of the newly blossomed organizations ready to fight human trafficking.  If I’ve left out anyone note-worthy, let me know and I’ll see about adding them!  Thanks!

    Organizations

    Beauty From Ashes

    (Fort Myers, FL)
    website  ·  blog  ·  facebook  ·  twitter: BeautyFrmAshes    

    Cincinnati Union Bethel

    Social service agency: early childhood education; the Anna Louise Inn (housing for women) and Off the Steets (services for prostituted women. (Cincinnati, OH) ***Not only for trafficked individuals, but they deal with it enough to be included***
    website  ·  facebook  ·  twitter: cinunionbethel

    DACS United

    Designers Against Child Slavery
    website  ·  facebook   ·  twitter: dacsunited

    DNA Foundation

    founded by Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher – to eliminate sex slavery worldwide. “Real Men Don’t Buy Girls”
    website  ·  facebook  ·  twitter: dnafoundation

    FAIR Fund

    Preventing human trafficking of youth worldwide (Washington, DC)
    website  ·  twitter: FAIRFund

    Free Generation International

    committed to eradicating human trafficking in Africa (Africa/US)
    website  ·  facebook  ·  twitter: FreeGeneration

    Forsaken Generation

    leading a national movement to end youth homelessness and child sex trafficking in the US. (New York)
    website  ·  blog  ·  facebook  ·  twitter: forsakengen

    Hagar International

    organization restoring exploited women and children’s lives in Cambodia, Vietnam & Afghanistan
    website  ·  blog  ·  facebook  ·  twitter: HagarIntl

    Hookers for Jesus

    Destiny Houses are a SAFE haven for ladies in sex slavery (Las Vegas, NV)
    website  ·  blog  ·  facebook  ·  twitter: hookersforjesus

    International Justice Mission

    Head Quarters (Washington, DC)
    website  ·  facebook  ·  twitter: IJMHQ

    Justice Campaigns
    website  ·  twitter: IJMcampaigns

    International Sanctuary

    website  ·  facebook  ·  twitter: isanctuary

    Love 146

    end child sex slavery and exploitation
    website  ·  blog  ·  facebook  ·  twitter: OfficialLove146

    Rob Morris – President and Co-founder
    website  ·  twitter: ROBLOVE146

    Adam Young – of the Dayton Ohio Love 146 Taskforce
    blog  ·  twitter: youngadamc

    Made By Survivors

    fights human trafficking and slavery with empowerment & education
    website  ·  blogs  ·  facebook  ·  twitter: madebysurvivors

    National Underground Railroad Freedom Center

    Not only are they concerned with Cincy’s history in the fight against slavery, they are seeking to build up modern-day abolitionists (Cincinnati, OH)
    website  ·  blog  ·  facebook  ·  twitter: FreedomCenter

    Not For Sale

    campaign for all justice seekers, united to fight human trafficking
    website  ·  facebook  ·  twitter: Not_For_Sale

    Polaris Project

    a leading non-profit organization committed to combating human trafficking and modern-day slavery. (Washington, DC) **They even have an office in Japan now!**
    website  ·  blog  ·  facebook  ·  twitter: Polaris_Project

    RedLight Children

    website  ·  facebook  ·  twitter: RedLightCC

    Restavek Freedom

    ending child slavery in Haiti
    website  ·  facebook  ·  twitter: RestavekFreedom

    She Shall Go Free

    To break all these sufferings, all these fetters of slavery.
    blog  ·  facebook  ·  twitter: sheshallgofree

    Stop Child Trafficking

    (New York, NY)
    website  ·  facebook  ·  twitter: SCTNow

    Stop Modern Slavery

    Washington, DC
    website  ·  blog  ·  twitter: DCSMS

    Survivors Connect

    website  ·  facebook  ·  twitter: survivorconnect

    Unbound Movement

    A Modern Day Movement to end Modern day Slavery – in all it’s forms! (Cincinnati, OH)
    website  ·  facebook  ·  twitter: unboundmovement

    Vision Abolition

    dedication to prevention, rescue, and restoration (Arizona)
    website  ·  blog  ·  twitter: VisionAbolition

    Shopping

    *Made by Survivors, mentioned above

    Night Light Bangkok

    business as a mission offering employment to women formerly in the sex industry.
    website  ·  blog  ·  facebook  ·  twitter: NightLightBKK

    Nomi Network

    leveraging the marketplace, fashion, and film to eradicate sexual slavery (New York)
    website  ·  facebook  ·  twitter: nominetwork

    Stop Traffick Fashion

    a boutique about restoration and change for survivors of human trafficking. (Cincinnati, OH)
    website  ·  blog  ·  facebook  ·  twitter: stoptrffckfash

    Individuals

    Amanda Kloer

    – writer on Change.org
    twitter: endhumantraffic

  • Covenant House – Donation Opportunity

    Well, with all my Pepsi Refreshing, one of the organizations I’ve been promoting asked if I would be willing to post a donation banner on my blog here.  I am honored to have been asked and gladly said YES!

    The banner is over to the right, just below the “Tabs” and “Subscribe To” widgets.  If you want more info before you give, read below!

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    Covenant House was founded 38 years ago with the mission to help homeless teens and young adults get off the street and into productive lives. Most of the kids Covenant House serves are running from abuse at home or they are thrown out by their parents. Many are kids who were abandoned or abused as young children and have bounced around in the foster care system until they reach 18.  Regardless of the reasons why they are on the street, the fact is that they are and need help. 

    A huge percentage of them have not finished high school, have some emotional problems, and have no idea how to get or keep a job. Basically they are fodder for pimps and drug dealers. Covenant House takes these kids in and kind of re-parents them. They offer shelter and meet immediate needs (like a safe place to sleep and medical care) and then they work with the kids on a long-term plan that involves getting a GED diploma, learning a job skill and getting counseling.

    Kids who stick with the program are offered a transitional housing program where they are coached in life skills, learn to hold a job, pay rent and take care of themselves. They pay rent to Covenant House for their apartments, and after 12-18 months when they graduate from the program, they are given all of their rent back as a start-up stake in life — to allow them to put a deposit on an apartment and set up a household.

    The most interesting thing about Covenant House is that this is not a bureaucratic social services agency, the services are highly personalized for each kid, and they offer the kids parental care and love. Much of the program is about undoing the emotional damage to kids that their parental abandonment has left them with, helping them grow confident and happy with themselves.

    Read this story about one of Covenant House’s “moms”:

    Newark Woman Gives a Mother’s Love to Residents at Covenant House

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    Check them out on:

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