Monday, July 24, 2006

Crushing the Crime of Human Trafficking

There is a global, pervasive and very insidious network of smuggling predominately women, especially beautiful women, from their home countries to a distant one. Usually the countries of destination are Asian or European; but increasing numbers of African women are also being taken against their will as well. These women are forced to work the sex industry, where they are exposed to every humiliating behavior imaginable. Many sadly are murdered in the end. The vicious, barbaric and inhumane treatment these women receive is as bad as any person confined to a torture camp. If they don't perform as their captors demand, they are beaten; if they don't bring in enough income, they are tortured; and if they cause problems, they are raped mercilessly. The United Nations is working on a clear strategy to end this practice. Women have been found bound, gagged, and stuffed alive into intermodal shipping containers; stowed away under armed guard. They do not usually have passports or any official papers, thereby leaving many imprisoned in the country they end up. If they get pregnant, they risk being killed; and worse, many contract HIV and many other contagious sexually-transmitted diseases. There were articles recently expressing concern that the human trafficking was so visible that the demand for these women surfaced during the 2006 World Cup in Germany. There is not a single country in any continent except Antartica--where human trafficking is not a problem. The abuses are so horrific that this author does not want to list graphic content. Many women are young naive girls seeking work, who get lured in with "get rich quick" schemes, promises for lots of travel, lots of new friends, and are promised they will be "satisfied" and be "well-loved", and the nonsense that this is a "career of a lifetime not to be passed up." All the usual "too-good-to-be-true" statements. Law enforcement agencies are having a difficult struggle breaking up the trafficking rings and bringing the members to justice. We as women must step up and put a stop to this awful sadistic crime! We must keep on Congress and our respective state legislatures to enact and enforce tougher laws against this disgusting behavior. We have to say "NO" and step up--if we don't, then human trafficking will go on and on. Please read up on this growing crime, and please protect yourselves and your friends from being lured in who may be lonely, down on their luck, needing money, and are vulnerable to this kind of predator. It can happen in your community -- yes, even in the United States as well. So, be alert and watch out for this.

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