I was struck recently by how little people know about modern day slavery. I would probably hear stories about sweatshop labour in developing countries and kids making sneakers if I were to ask anybody about it, but sadly the stories get more heartbreaking and can be closer to home than we imagine.
A truly tragic story is told in this article about Dubai. Promising work and good wages to the poor and then robbing them of any way to leave while forcing them into backbreaking and cruel labour is a typical tactic and often times government and law enforcement let it continue. Similar stories exist in the states and a more prominent one involves the tomato workers in Immokalee, Florida. Here is a good overview on the living conditions and the nature of the work being endured by the workers. Too often we see companies exploiting the fear and ignorance of the law of immigrants for their own profit. Here are a few other related stories on human trafficking: 'If you don't see it, you aren't looking', Miss Canada speaks out against human trafficking Georgia gets an opportunity to enforce a new human trafficking law Unfortunately a large case in Hawaii appears to have collapsed... Another article on the Immokalee workers Sadly, many of the trafficking tales involve children and forced prostitution, but some laws are trying to protect the people forced into prostitution from being treated like criminals This is just a small peak into a very frightening and real world. But we can help stop this. When we know what companies are benefiting from slave labour, we can stop buying their goods or visiting their shops. We can speak up to our lawmakers that this is an issue and we want to see it addressed. Police departments have community liaisons; ask them what your local PD is doing to combat human trafficking. Many churches and non-profits offer assistance to people trying to escape slavery, acting like a safe house. Donate and volunteer. Support the groups that already exist to fight this issue. Some examples include the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, the Not For Sale organization, and Amnesty International. If we educate ourselves and act for justice, we can make a difference.
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If you've poked around Starboarder's website, you know that we want to make a difference in this world and we know that many of you feel the same way. We want to use this blog as a way to help bring attention to some of the many instances of injustice that pervade our world.
If we don't know what the problems are, we will never be able to enact any changes. And don't be fooled, together WE can make a difference. We have all been tasked and empowered to love our neigbours. What may seem like a small action to us can have significant meaning and impact for somebody else. It's by embracing the small things we can do individually, as we work together on the big projects, that we will bring meaningful and lasting positive change to this world. |
SB SPEAKSJ Trapp (our resident expert on all things global and social awareness) writes... Archives
December 2011
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