THE DRESSEMBER BLOG

Allison Mack is a charismatic, green-eyed Hollywood actress whose life appears to be glamorous both on and off the television screen. Her stunning physique and renowned fame have allowed her to hide behind a facade that has masked the true nature of her work: recruiting women into the human trafficking industry. As of April 2018, Allison faces a number of sex trafficking charges for her involvement in the organization NXIVM. How could a successful, beloved actress become entangled in an industry that exploits other women?

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“Amy was 12 when her father… began abusing her physically and sexually. When she was 17, Amy began staying with her friend, Lisa, to escape her father’s abuse. Lisa told Amy that she knew an agent who could help her become a model—something Amy had always dreamed of. Instead, the man forced Amy into prostitution and kept all the money she made, locking her in a hotel room for weeks, giving her very little food. He threatened to kill her if she ever left. Amy was finally able to escape and now hopes to train to become a certified nursing assistant so she can help others.”

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Last summer, I can remember sitting in my kitchen and reviewing an application for an editorial internship with Dressember. The opportunity to put words down that could fuel change in the area of trafficking made my heart race in the best ways. Yet the more I thought about applying, the more room I made for fear to join me in the decision-making. In fear’s opinion, I was sorely under-qualified to write about such an important topic and I went to bed that night thinking, “You can’t do this internship. You aren’t an expert on human trafficking. You’re an ordinary person, with ordinary talents.”

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All of us have a unique interest or skill that sets us apart. Whether this skill involves an eccentric artistic sense or a physically rigorous athletic ability, there are countless ways that we can wield our strengths in the fight against human trafficking. The fight to end modern-day slavery is a fight that demands action from everyone -- we all have a part to play in the promotion of basic human dignity. Below is a list of examples of how you can use your individual skills and interests to join the fight! Together, we can use our unique gifts and abilities to make a difference!

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Boys will be boys…a common phrase used to describe toxic behavior that justifies the suppression of women, extreme self-reliance, and suppressing emotions for the sake of, “being a man.” Justin Baldoni - American actor, director, and filmmaker is challenging this idea by asking himself and other men what it means to really, “be a man.”

In a TED Talk titled, “Why I’m Done Trying to be Man Enough,” Justin bravely explores the ideas impressed upon him as a child and how those ideas have impacted his adulthood. Interestingly enough, the roles Justin was being cast as were depictions of the kind of man who perfectly captures what toxic masculinity is; tough, shirtless men with perfectly chiseled jawlines that never cry and always, always dominate in the relationship.

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The truth is that advocating for the freedom and dignity of all can be so overwhelming at times that we feel extremely small under the weight of it. It can feel like we’re trying to stop the ocean by building a barrier out of the sand, and it’s easy to get discouraged when we can’t see the effects of our words and actions. There were countless times during the recent Dressember campaign that I felt like my voice didn’t really matter.

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