From Across the Borders
There is a tendency in some circles to dismiss trafficking as an immigration problem only, and of course that's ridiculous: firstly, if something dangerous is happening a few blocks away from our home, it's our problem. If slavery is happening a few blocks away from our home, it's definitely our problem.
Secondly, while the victims of trafficking in this country may tend to be foreign nationals, that doesn't mean that Americans can't be trafficked to other countries--while rarer than having foreign slaves trafficked into America (because of the relative wealth of our nation), it does happen.
Thirdly, Americans are paying for it--the Gians come from our communities, and often have no idea of the turmoil and terror and pain that the young girls under them have gone through. Their ignorance doesn't excuse them of responsibility for the rape, even if they had no moral qualms about prostitution itself in the first place.
And fourthly, the slave trade flourishes in corrupt environments and promotes the corruptions of those that are not corrupt. There's a lot of money for bribes in the slave trade, and while bribery in America is less common than it is in the developing world, it is nonetheless far too common for comfort. An ongoing slave trade encourages corruption.
As Americans, those are four obvious problems we should have with slavery today. As Human beings, we can add to that the fact that people are being bought and sold. I don't mean they sign a contract to do a job--I mean they're grabbed from the side of the road, beaten or gang-raped until they submit, taken to a strange place where they often don't even know the languag, and made to smile at men who pay to rape them.
We are the land of the free and the home of the brave--and here is the very opposite of freedom, in our lives, in our homes, in our communities and our cities and our world. It is offensive to the very notion of America, and sad almost beyond believing--but it is here, and we must deal with it.
from The Trafficking Blog. Terry Lee Wright is the author of River of Innocents
Secondly, while the victims of trafficking in this country may tend to be foreign nationals, that doesn't mean that Americans can't be trafficked to other countries--while rarer than having foreign slaves trafficked into America (because of the relative wealth of our nation), it does happen.
Thirdly, Americans are paying for it--the Gians come from our communities, and often have no idea of the turmoil and terror and pain that the young girls under them have gone through. Their ignorance doesn't excuse them of responsibility for the rape, even if they had no moral qualms about prostitution itself in the first place.
And fourthly, the slave trade flourishes in corrupt environments and promotes the corruptions of those that are not corrupt. There's a lot of money for bribes in the slave trade, and while bribery in America is less common than it is in the developing world, it is nonetheless far too common for comfort. An ongoing slave trade encourages corruption.
- If slavery is going on near our home, that's our problem.
- If our daughters are stolen, that's our problem.
- If we're paying to steal someone else's daughters, that's our problem.
- If an activity encourages corruption, that's our problem.
As Americans, those are four obvious problems we should have with slavery today. As Human beings, we can add to that the fact that people are being bought and sold. I don't mean they sign a contract to do a job--I mean they're grabbed from the side of the road, beaten or gang-raped until they submit, taken to a strange place where they often don't even know the languag, and made to smile at men who pay to rape them.
We are the land of the free and the home of the brave--and here is the very opposite of freedom, in our lives, in our homes, in our communities and our cities and our world. It is offensive to the very notion of America, and sad almost beyond believing--but it is here, and we must deal with it.
from The Trafficking Blog. Terry Lee Wright is the author of River of Innocents