"All of us wonder how we would have acted in the epic struggles of human history. Would we have stood up and been counted among the courageous and the just?

How would we have responded in 1942 when Nazi soldiers came to our door in pursuit of our Jewish neighbors?

Imagine we lived in rural Tennessee in 1855 and Harriet Tubman came to our door...if Harriet had come calling, would we have stood up and been counted among the just?"(Batstone 17).

Join the Fight!

Human Trafficking is far from being abolished and while it continues to thrive, millions of people are suffering. Everyday abolitionist are fighting directly for those suffering, but still their efforts need reinforcements. "Modern-day abolitionists are not cut from the same mold. The women who embrace the child soldiers of Uganda move in a different universe from those abolitionists in Los Angelos who confront forced labor in garment factories. A Swiss-born entrepreneur launches business enterprises for ex-slaves in Cambodia, while an American born lawyer uses the public justice system to free entire villages in South Asia. Some abolitionists rely on their faith of God, while a dedication to love and justice inspire others. Despite their unique bearings, these abolitionists do share a common sense of their moment in history. They recognize that human freedom stands poised at a crucial crossroads in our time. Powerful forces aim to turn human beings into commodities that can be bought and sold like any other piece of property" (Batstone 16). Relieving their pain, starts with the action of not only abolitionists, government organizations and non-government organizations, but also with the impact of one person. As Siddhartha Kara explains in his book, Sex Trafficking: Inside the Business of Modern Slavery, "one person can listen, one person can learn, one person can draw a line in the sand, and one person can convince another person to act" (Kara 43). Do not underestimate the power that one person holds. With vigilance and passion, one person can go as far as they so desire. 

Kara outlines in his book how one person can impact the fight against human trafficking. His ideas are noteworthy and thus important for me to forward to others. 

Suggesting a four step plan Kara says, "take these four steps today and ask others to take them with you. The beginning of the end of slavery is in your hands" (Kara 44). 

Step 1: Raise awareness- Through researching human trafficking, I did not want to only transmit this information to my classmates during my presentation, but to a wider audience through my website. You too can raise awareness by telling others about the information that you learned through this website. Extend your knowledge and be creative. You can transmit your knowledge through many different means- make a home movie and gather an audience; create a pamphlet and distribute them...

Step 2: Financial support; "However small your donation, support as many as you can. Even if sex trafficking ended today, there would be over one million women and children in need of shelter, health care, counseling, and vocational training" (Kara 43). Many anti-trafficking organizations desperately need help, such as The Nivasa Foundation that I introduced before. Sponsoring a child for $450 may seem overwhelming, but there are other means to fund this money. Convince 14 other people to join your efforts in sponsoring a child, and then together your group of 15 only needs to contribute $30 each to save the future of a child.

Step 3: Community vigilance; Establish your own community vigilance committee

Step 4: Write a letter; Write a letter to your national lawmakers, pressuring them to pay attention to the cruciality of human trafficking. Kara says, "If all one hundred senators in the United States received thousands of letters demanding aggressive action against modern slavery, I have no doubt that the requisite governmental and institutional remedies would soon be adopted" (Kara 44). My class will be doing this during my presentation and all it takes is 5 minutes. Simply be asking the time and efforts of others for 5 minutes, I will then have 20 letters in my hand that I will send.


Edmund Burke said, "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men and women do nothing" (Batstone 18). Do not let this happen! Evil will not persist with your help. Aid is not limited to the suggestions on this page, but there are many more contributions that perhaps fit your domain more appropriately. Whatever you do, it is incredibly appreciated. Help save the 27 million victims and counting. Give back the smile to a victim that was so selfishly stolen away by another. 




 

Work Cited

Batstone, David. Not For Sale. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2007. Print.

Kara, Siddharth. Sex Trafficking: Inside the Business of Modern Slavery. New York: Columbia University Press, 2009. Print.