We are raising our children in a time of change — a time when injustice, abuse of power, and exploitation are coming into the limelight. We can no longer escape the reality of how normalized these atrocities are. Young and old, rich and poor, average and powerful — we have seen that any person can use any ounce of power they have to dehumanize and abuse.
Read MoreHow many young people who are exploited by human trafficking and slavery can relate to the feeling of their whole world being turned upside down? Those who exploit the innocent know how to prey on the vulnerable. Young people in the foster care system are primed to fall victim: no one looking out for them; moving from place to place; and feeling like their value is in the money the government pays to those who are to be caring for them. Their lives can be filled with trauma. They don’t know anything different.
But what if it could be different? How are these young people to protect themselves and overcome the obstacles in their path? Here is the first hand account of one such warrior.
Read MoreKnowTheChain is a project undertaken by Humanity United in partnership with the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, Sustainalytics, Thomson Reuters Foundation, and Verité that acts as a valuable resource “for companies and investors to understand and address forced labor risks within their global supply chains.”
Read MoreEnter Julia Mooney. Wearing a dress for 31 days is nothing to this New Jersey middle school teacher who created a personal project to wear the same dress for 100 days.
Read MoreShe’s standing outside in the hustle of the city. She is wearing a short red dress––thin and tight to her body––and the wind causes the hairs on her arms to rise. Or maybe this is the nerves. There are men who caress her figure with their eyes. She feels dirty for simply standing. She feels stuck in this grime. She feels that she cannot run or scream, because her voice will merely melt into the night. And then a miracle happens: it takes only one second, and one man is asking if she is alright, is telling her that he is a policeman here to bring her to safety. She goes with him, and thus begins her years of recuperation.
But what happens next? Where will she work? How will she fit herself back into society? How can she feel human again?
Read MoreMatr Boomie translates to “Motherland” in Hindi. With that being the name of their organization, they very clearly value their motherland, and show that love by honoring their roots through connecting people in order to make sustainable, unique and ethical items for people all over the world. Matr Boomie is a Fair Trade brand that strives for a more compassionate, kind and connected world through empowering and educating disadvantaged artisans. Not only do they pay fair wages, but they also invest in development projects, healthcare, education, skills training, loan programs and scholarships for women, minorities and people with special needs.
Read MoreWhat do you think makes a person vulnerable to human trafficking? My initial thoughts are situations like monetary stress, previous abuse, homelessness, and personal crises. But there is one large contributor to human trafficking that is often overlooked: Climate change.
Read MoreDoneGood was born out of the idea that this purchasing power could be harnessed and used to create good for people and the planet. Through aggregating data from ethical certifiers like Fair Trade and B Lab, as well as conducting research of their own, DoneGood discovers ethical brands and features them and their products on the DoneGood platforms. Schwarz says their goal is to “create a one-stop shop” where consumers can go to find an ethically-produced version of whatever it is they’re looking for. In the four years since DoneGood started, they’ve partnered with over 300 ethical brands and helped divert over $500,000 of consumer dollars to them.
Read MoreThis concept is often called “stranger danger,” but as I prepare for these conversations with my son, I’m realizing the importance of teaching a more nuanced approach than just avoiding unknown people. After all, some strangers are safe, while, unfortunately, some people our children could come into contact with are not. As I’ve researched and talked to friends, I’ve learned a few tips to help empower our children to keep themselves safe around adults, both known and unknown, who might not have their best interests at heart.
Read MoreSela Designs is a nonprofit jewelry company which donates 100% of its profits back to charity, each piece of jewelry created from ethically sourced materials and made entirely by hand in the United States.
Read MoreThe terms human trafficking and prostitution are often used interchangeably with one another. When we do this, we make inappropriate distinctions between two similar, but very different, realities. While this seems insignificant on the surface, the consequences of using the wrong terminology can be detrimental.
Read MoreIn his talk, Brooks first explains how human trafficking (inclusive of sex trafficking) is an industry - the fastest growing illegal industry, in fact - to which we all contribute, as consumers with demands for the industry supply. He then elaborates on the specific legal approach to the prostitution industry, which enables a person to gain money for performing sex under voluntary terms.
Read MoreElegantees, the marvelous company we know and love for its amazing annual Dressember collection, is drawing men into the fight in a creative way. FPR, which stands for: “Fight, Protect, Restore,” is a new line of men’s tees introduced in 2018 with the purpose of including everyone in the war against human trafficking.
Read MoreWhile prostitution’s claim as the world’s oldest profession has been widely discredited, it could easily assume a replacement title as the occupation that has withstood the most controversy for the longest period of time.
Read MoreWe can start by understanding that sexual assault occurs in all forms of human trafficking, even what may seem to be intimate partnerships. It is also important to understand the complexity of the dynamics between sexual assault and human trafficking. Once we can understand that, we will be able to develop a compassion for the sufferers and not fall into the victim-blaming mindset. It is easy to look at these situations as bystanders and question why the victim does not seek help from authorities or simply walk away. But knowing and understanding that there is so much more at stake than we can understand is what will allow people to feel safe in coming forward and speaking up.
Read MoreWhat started as a single collection of scarves, handmade in Ethiopia by women overcoming prostitution, has evolved into an ethical lifestyle brand carrying everything from leather goods to handmade jewelry, apparel to footwear. Headquartered in Nashville, TN with operations in Ethiopia, Mexico, and Peru, ABLE is rooted in its core mission of ending generational poverty by providing economic opportunity for women.
Read MoreSoon after earning his college degree in anthropology, Timmerman journeyed to meet the people who made his underwear in Bangladesh, his jeans in Cambodia, his t-shirt in Honduras, and his flip-flops in China.
Read MoreWhen beginning to research human trafficking statistics, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the differing numbers that you find. There are many prominent organizations whose websites list the number of trafficking victims in the world, but many of them record largely differing numbers. It’s important to note this difference in numbers, however, as you advocate and fight for the individuals trapped in trafficking.
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