Even a little bit of research on the ins and outs of the complex fashion industry leaves my head spinning. It takes some diligence to find out if the apparel we have in our closets was made ethically, which is why we’ve put together a list of five tips to help you determine the ethics of an item as you shop.
Read MoreOn an early morning, one of our advocates got a panicked phone call from a client who was trapped in a motel room in south central Los Angeles. She didn’t know where she was, nor did she know the man who had brought her there. She was scared and asking for help.
Read MoreSome people will choose to sport a tie each day, and many will flaunt a dress. But seldom do you find someone willing to do the extreme, like shaving off their hair.
Read MoreApproximately 24 million people trafficked for labor are in bondage, working in an industry in which they receive little to no pay. In 2016, the International Labour Organization (ILO) estimated that 40.3 million people are enslaved across the world. Accordingly, roughly more than half of all people stuck in modern-day slavery are victims of labor trafficking. Many cases of forced labor exist within the agricultural, domestic work, factories, clubs, and hospitality arenas. Let’s take a look at these industries:
Read MoreForced labor trafficking is when people are employed to perform work against their will, with some sort of threat motivating them to perform. Victims of trafficking are often deceived into working, manipulated with violence, left in poverty due to debts owed, or imprisoned.
Read MoreFor Naseen, the ceremony was a chance to close out the pain of her past and celebrate the new journey she and her friends are beginning. Her smile lit up the room. And where she once struggled to feel joy, today she beams with confidence and hope.
Read Morewe want to highlight the following fashion companies that specifically work on behalf of sex-trafficking survivors, fighting to provide a safe and respectful workplace for them, while also giving them hope for their independent futures and dignified identities.
Read MoreThen her wish sparked an idea, and Lesley embarked on “Skirtvember”–wearing a skirt every day in November to give her practice for Dressember. Before November even started, Lesley matched her skirts with an outfit for each day so the decision was already made each morning.
Read MoreSlavery is ending because people are turning away from traffickers before becoming victims, because people are seeking, finding, and listening to victims, and because people are changing laws, policies, and practices to deter people from becoming traffickers or customers of slaves.
Read MoreAs advocates, we care deeply about the men and women who are trapped, abused and exploited within the sex trafficking industry. This passion is such a wonderful thing, but it can also be blinding. Often, when we try to help people in extreme circumstances such as this, we forget to take any other situational factors into consideration. One of the most important factors we should take into consideration when attempting to help sex trafficking victims is cultural context.
Read MoreWhat makes someone more at-risk of falling victim to sex trafficking than others? Knowing the vulnerabilities of people who are exploited through sex trafficking can drastically lower the number of those who are impacted by this awful epidemic. There are no definite criteria that automatically make someone more at-risk, but there are a few factors that play a part in increasing one’s vulnerability to sex trafficking.
Read MoreChances are, you’ve heard the name Cyntoia Brown in the last year. With the help of celebrity buzz from Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, LeBron James and others, public awareness about an old yet seemingly unjust court case has sparked a social media movement crying for justice for Cyntoia. The 2004 trial that sentenced 16 year old Cyntoia to life in prison has people outraged, and rightly so. Here is everything you need to know about trafficking victim Cyntoia Brown, and what you can do to advocate for her early release.
18-year-old Pavi* has grown from the despair of the sex industry to the joys of a successful young athlete—and today she’s dreaming even bigger for her future.
Read MoreA21 defines sex trafficking as: “forcing, deceiving, or coercing a person to perform a commercial sex act.” According to a report by the United Nations (UN), the majority of victims of sexual exploitation are female. Another UN report revealed that, in a study of trafficking across 52 countries, 72% of the exploitation was sexual.
Read MoreFast fashion describes the rapid movement of inexpensive garments from the runway to the store in order to keep up with trends. It stocks stores with beautiful, on-trend items that are hard to say “no” to because of their low prices. But would we consider thinking twice before buying if we knew how that garment was made? If we were to meet the man or woman who made that article of clothing, talked to them about their salary or working conditions, and put ourselves in their shoes - would the $10 skirt be worth it?
Read More“Intentionality” is an important word in Dr. Rachel Hammond’s vocabulary. “It’s easy to think too much, but if you only think about something, it isn’t going to happen,” she told me when I asked for her best piece of advice.
Read MoreVery soon after arriving in Greece, Nina’s boyfriend forced her into prostitution, threatening her with physical harm, as well as, the well-being of her child if she did not comply.
Read MoreThere are many incredible organizations involved in the global fight against human trafficking and all forms of modern slavery. Recently I had the privilege of attending a presentation by Bradley Myles, CEO of Polaris Project, titled, ‘The Typology of Modern Slavery.’ Myles highlighted 25 different types of human trafficking based on the data collected from their hotline for our Southwest Florida community of service providers - and it was eye opening. It’s important as advocates to constantly be educating ourselves about the different realities of trafficking so we can be more effective at combating them.
Read MorePeople are trapped in the sticky web of trafficking all around us because of the many means that traffickers use to recruit their victims--means that are seemingly harmless on the surface but are the cause of great destruction and heartache when you look deeper.
Read MoreMcMahon/Ryan had a youth come through the center who was an identified victim in a rather involved sex abuse/child pornography case. We will call her Sarah.* Sarah was part of an investigation involving New York State Police and Homeland Security.
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