Human Trafficking != Prostitution

I must say that the topic of human trafficking, specifically awareness part of it, has made leaps and bounds in the past 10 years. It has come from bunch of people trying to define & clarify what it is, to something that you see (if you are paying attention) on daily basis on the Internet news. The progress of it reminds me of the advancement on the front of domestic violence... the term was introduced in 1977 and now everybody knows, and most importantly agree, that it is something not justifiable.

One thing that concerns me, however, is that majority of the people who have heard of human trafficking, including law enforcement personnel, equate human trafficking as prostitution cases..... well.... it's not true. There are girls and boys who are traded for sex, but also there are people who are traded for agricultural work, factory work... picking tomatoes, cotton... just as the days of slave trade in the US. Unfortunately most of the people in the US believes that "That type" of slavery is only in foreign countries.

A friend of mine forwarded me the following article from The Columbus Dispatch, which talks about an Ohio nail salon owner who was arrested in human trafficking case.... yes, people are trafficked to work at nail salons as well.... [Article]

People ask me frequently on how they can help when it comes to the crime of human trafficking... and I say the same thing over and over (which usually I get an uninterested response)..."Get to know your neighbor, your office mates, your waiters from the restaurant that you frequent... your sphere of influence, and care for them as they are your friends"... there is a reason why this crime is called the invisible crime, and if you want to help, that is the only way that you will identify the victims... and to eventually, set them free.

URGENT: Christmas Cards needed for children in Compassion projects

I got this note from Dave Wells / Compassion International. Do you think you can help? Can you imagine the smile on the face of the child that your letter will reach?

Hey everyone – this is LATE notice but if you can participate and/or spread the word:

We can collect letters and Christmas cards for children in our projects that have never received a letter! Send them to:

Compassion International
Attn Candy Entingh
12290 Voyager Pkwy
Colorado Springs, CO 80921

BUT…they have to arrive at GMC by November 23^rd, in order for them to get into the system and arrive for each child to receive them BY Christmas.

There are over 1,400 children in HAITI alone who don’t yet have a sponsor! Just write out a card or letter leaving out any attempt to address a particular child by name and let them know you are praying for them and thinking of them this Christmas. Share your faith, share your words of love and encouragement – but be sure to share something! It will take just a couple minutes to write out a quick card.

Let others know and send as many as you can by this weekend!

For God’s children-

doug west
advocate relations - southeast
compassion international (http://www.compassion.com/)

Hilton Hotels responds to child-trafficking scandal

Over 10 years ago I went to a hotel in Thailand with my wife for a vacation. We stayed at a relatively nice hotel..perhaps 4 stars class with beautiful lobby, large room, restaurants, etc. As part of the foreign country adventure, we decided to go to the spa/massage center. We were each assigned a lady and on to a separate room...it didn't take too long until my massage got waaaay too uncomfortable, with various sexual advancement and I had to pretty much pay and run out.

I share this because I want you to know that child trafficking and brothel in hotel is not so uncommon in various countries in Asia. Sometime it's hidden, and sometimes very openly. I guess I was too naive to realize what kind of place I was entering.

This past June (2010), a Hilton Hotel in China got busted and shut down by the police indefinitely for prostitution (see article). After this news, there were public outcry by the anti-Human Trafficking community, and I know many people called and wrote to the hotel headquarter.

A friend of mine forwarded me a wonderful news today (issued 10.31) that Hilton is responding to the Child Trafficking problem by rolling out a new policy world wide.

"Hilton is moving forward with discussions with ECPAT-USA and other organizations about steps to prevent child prostitution and human trafficking, and we continue to engage in and evaluate methods for prevention" - Jennifer Silberman, Hilton’s vice president of corporate responsibility

Now, I do not know what type of policy they are issuing nor how they are going to enforce it... and understand that those are the real issues.... but never-the-less, I am happy to see that something we advocated resulted to an action by a large corporation... Thank you to everyone who responded to the call, and looking forward to the positive results that this new policy would bring.