Human Trafficking Exposed
Tuesday, July 20, 2010 at 1:36PM 
By Nancy Carmichael
She was extremely thin with long, dark hair and a vacant expression in her large, deep set eyes. When she arrived at World Hope International’s Cambodian assessment center, she was understandably aloof, not fully understanding what was going on, after all, despite the smiling, kind faces and the friendly atmosphere, for all she knew this was just another new brothel she had been trafficked to. She’d most certainly been through this before, and she knew the drill. Sooner or later someone would want her, would take her and use her. So she stood in the corner with her guard up, cautiously taking in this strange new environment where nobody seemed to want anything from her. She did not understand. By the end of the day, however, she realized no one was going to abuse her. The kindness of these strangers had prevailed, and her guard came down. She picked up a jump rope, and for the first time in a very long time, jumped for joy, like any other six year old girl, without a care in the world.
The good news is, there is hope for this little Cambodian girl, and many like her who have been rescued from the perils of human trafficking, thanks to the tireless work of groups like World Hope (the relief arm of the Wesleyan Church). The bad news? Cambodia is just the tip of the iceberg.
While most people are aware, on some level , that human trafficking exists in the world, few realize how prevalent it really is. Or how close to home. Worldwide, over 27 million people are living in slavery, whether in the sex trade or through forced labor. The U.S. State department estimates that up to 900,000 persons are trafficked per year internationally. But did you know that 17,500 of them are trafficked into the United States, many of whom are minors? More grim news: America is now considered the number one destination for child sex trafficking. If that’s not sobering enough, consider this: There are more human beings living in bondage today than in all 300 years of the African slave trade combined. Unthinkable, but true.
But what about Western NY? Surely the unthinkable is not happening right here in our own back yard?
Think again.
Cheektowaga. Depew. West Seneca. Amherst. Kenmore. Tonawanda. Clarence. Niagara Falls. Buffalo. All towns where people have been rescued from enslavement. Our neighbors. Recently.
Right here.
What does human trafficking look like in Western NY? The answer may surprise you. Raids have taken place everywhere from massage and nail salons to acupressure clinics, restaurants and even private homes. Over 88 rescues since March of 2007 from slave labor and the sex trade, according to the International Institute of Buffalo, a non profit support center for immigrants who face exploitation, established in 1918. So who are these 88 people, and where do they come from? In other words, what is the profile of the “average” victim? Not so “average”, as it turns out. They are male as well as female. They come from places like China, Mexico, Thailand, Tanzania, Rwanda, Kenya, Honduras, Guatemala, just to name a few, and of course, from right here in the U.S. They are documented as well as undocumented immigrants. And although the largest group falls in the 18-30 bracket, they range in age from minors to senior citizens. The truth is, there is no “typical” victim when it comes to human trafficking. That’s why the Western NY District of New York Human Trafficking Task Force and Alliance was formed. Under the umbrella of the International Institute of Buffalo, it trains law enforcement and rescue personnel as well as the general public on what signs to look for when it comes to human trafficking, which is, as they put it, hiding in plain sight. It is entirely possible that the average person in the greater Buffalo area may be encountering victims of enslavement and not even know it. That’s why the Task force poses questions for you to ask yourself if you encounter a questionable situation, such as, “Can this person leave this situation if he/she wants to?” “Do they seem to live where they work?” “Can they speak for themselves?” “Do they make eye contact with you?” “Does this person have any identification?” Remember, there is no “typical” victim, but there are some tell tale signs.
In February a team from Eastern Hills Wesleyan Church, led by Women’s Ministry Director Robin Schara, traveled to Cambodia on a learning mission. But why all the way around the world, when the problem is right here? “World Hope’s war against human trafficking in Cambodia is precedent setting”, says Schara, as they are far ahead of the rest of the world in terms of having the knowledge and equipment to combat human slavery. Besides the Assessment Center, which is the first step in the process of rescuing people out of slavery, World Hope also employs pro-active means to stop trafficking before it starts, including schools, small business initatives and community rice banks, just to name a few. The purpose of these programs is to combat poverty, and cut off at the root one of traffickers favorite ploys to ensare would be slaves, which is summed up in the question “Do you want a job?” “They will make false promises of a better job and a better life for their families to get unwitting victims to go with them”, Schara says. Needless to say, by the time they realize the empty promise, it’s too late, and they have been cut off from all connections to the world they knew. World Hope wants to prevent that. One of their initiatives, called the Adelphe’ program, empowers women through education, agricultural loans and access to health services, all important elements in keeping the traffickers at bay. Also, “by helping people over there”, Schara says, “we are cutting off a human supply source to the U.S., so we are really helping ourselves”. Schara emphasizes that their goal as a team on this trip was to arm themselves with information and come home ready to fight. Their mission is two pronged: 1) To take what they learned and educate as many people as possible here in the states, and 2) To challenge those they educate to take action and do something.
One of the fruits of Eastern Hills’ relationship with World Hope has been the formation of Stop Trafficking of Persons (STOP) task force. STOP’s goal is to promote awareness of the human trafficking issue within the community, collaborating with the WNY Task Force to eradicate slavery in Western NY . “Education is our first objective”, Schara says. As such, they have created several initiatives, including developing age appropriate presentations (from grade school through college/adult), training speakers, identifying venues, and continuing to build coalitions within the faith community and beyond.
“Awareness is key”, Schara says, as “once people are aware, they will take a stand; go to their legislators to change laws; make change.” And there are lots of ways everyone can make a difference, from looking for he fair trade label when purchasing products like coffee or cocoa, to educating yourself or your organization through books, movies or presentations put on by STOP (see information at end of article) , by wearing orange (the color of freedom!) , by sponsoring a child or a woman either locally through Hope Refugee Services (a local organization in Buffalo that provides sewing machines, and therefore small business opportunities, for refugees through private grants) or through World Hope International, or by reporting a tip with a local anti trafficker by calling the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline at (888) 373-7888
“It is a staggering problem”, says Schara, “but there is hope through the saving power of Jesus Christ.” It is our job to spread awareness. When people are aware, they will take action.”
So now you are aware. Now what will you do?
To schedule a STOP presentation for your organization, contact Nicole Schara at stop@easternhillschurch.org
Additional resources:
Worldhopeinternational.org
Notforsalecampaign.org
www.iibuff.org (International Institute of Buffalo)
http://hopesewing.wordpress.com
http://www.emancipationnetwork.org
polarisproject.org
love146.org
williamsville.tenthousandvillages.com
Books: Disposable People, by Kevin Bales
End of Slavery, by Kevin Bales
The Slave Next Door, by Kevin Bales
Not For Sale, by David Batstone
Movies:
Taken (2009)
Holly (2007)
Price of Sugar (2007)
Amazing Grace (2007)
Born Into Brothels (2004)
Dying to Leave (2003)
You can also follow STOP on Twitter @StopTaskForce