According to the website humantrafficking.org approximately 16,000 people were trafficked in 2007 in the United States alone, primarily women and children. With the current economic crisis, it can be assumed these numbers increased since then. Much of this trafficking includes foreign children brought in from other countries and children from right here in the US. Some of the most vulnerable include runaways, homeless children and those being groomed by the next-door neighbor.
Often perceived of as a victimless crime, those involved in the sex trade are usually considered willing participants. Until now, when a child was picked up for prostitution she was treated as a criminal rather than as someone who needed to be saved. Luckily this mindset may be changing as Americans learn more about this underground world.
On June 15, 2010, the "10th Annual Trafficking in Persons Report" listed the United States as a Tier One country, which indicates a "state government has recognized the problem of human trafficking, has made efforts to address the issue, and meets the TVPA’s (Torture Victim Protection Act) minimum standards." This means increasing prosecution of those who purchase sex slaves as well as creating programs to help, rather than punish, the victims.
In addition to changes being made at the federal level many local municipalities are fighting back against the realities of modern slavery. Portland, Oregon, for example, is listed by the Department of Justice as one of 12 cities that serve as a hub of child trafficking because of its proximity to major freeways and waterways. Now, however, this dirty little secret of the scenic Pacific Northwest is being drug into the light of day.
Hope for the Future
In December 2010, U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, introduced a bill that will provide more enforcement power against traffickers as well as fund pilot programs to establish shelters for victims, according to Nikole Hanna-Jones’ article “Human trafficking industry thrives in Portland metro area” in the January 9,2010, issue of The Oregonian. These programs will not only serve to prosecute those who buy and sell children but also put into place methods to help the children regain some type of normalcy in their lives.
It's not just Northwest politicians who are trying to make changes in the way people view the victims of the sex trade. In her December 9th, 2010 article, "Beaverton resident collects shoe donations to help victims of human trafficking” in the Oregonian newspaper, Dominique Fong profiles Ateba Crocker and her business Shoe Revolt, which sells donated footwear online to raise money to support shelters for trafficking victims. "They need to know their value," Crocker said of the victims, adding that she wants them to “know that they are worth more than the price of their body”
Shared Hope International
With the motto, “Leading a worldwide effort to eradicate sexual slavery..one life at a time" Shared Hope International, based across the river in Vancouver, Washington, has become a driving force for ending sexual slavery in the United States. Founded by former US Congresswoman Linda Smith, Shared Hope worked with the US Department of State and US department of justice, to discover that “…child sex trafficking is happening and that American children are the product for sale.”
Through their Kids are Not for Sale Campaign, Shared Hope provides education, training and events in communities around the nation to raise awareness of the problem of sexual slavery in the US.
High School Students Educate the Community
Also in Vancouver, three high school students are on a mission to educate their community by holding a series of presentations to discuss the issue of sex trafficking in the area, according to the article “Teens Sound Alarm About Sex Trafficking" by Marissa Harshman in December 30,2010 issue of The Columbian newspaper.
“We realized it was happening to girls our age,” Rachael Alvick said in the article. As a result, Alvic and her two friends Melissa Gipe and Tashawna Gordon decided to hold assemblies to both educate fellow students and the community on the myths and realities of the sex trade.
The sex slavery trade may be alive in the United States, but as word spreads more and more people are joining up to fight against it. For more information on how to get involved in combating this problem visit:
- Oregonians Against Trafficking Humans
- Janus Youth Programs
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Global Health Promise
Kelly Sharp - Kelly Sharp holds a Master's degree in Education and a Bachelor's degree in Communication, and has been involved in training in a variety ...
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