A Hollywood movie called Human Trafficking, starring Mira Sorvino and Donald Sutherland, was made back in 2005. Apparently it premiered in October, although it's not clear from the website if that was Oct 2005 or 2006.
Interesting that it's taken this long to learn of this movie. Given Hollywood's sleazy standards, however, it shouldn't come as much of a surprise that a movie like this wouldn't be widely promoted.
Also interesting is how, once the shock wears off revelations like this, any intial activism seems to comes to an abrupt halt.
Monday, January 29, 2007
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Roman Catholic nuns in Ontario raising awareness of human trafficking
An excellent article was published recently about a few Roman Catholic nuns in Ontario who have taken on the gargantuan task of educating the public about human trafficking for sexual exploitation.
Shock talk probably isn't what you would expect from a nun. But Sister Dorothy Goetz's message about the global sex-slave trade leaves listeners stunned. They're numbed by estimates that 700,000 to two million people a year are traded like livestock....
The shock waves go both ways. Goetz herself is disconcerted that people are so surprised ...
Goetz and fellow members of the School Sisters of Notre Dame are leading workshops to raise awareness of the huge trade in humans.
So far the sisters have visited three Roman Catholic churches in Waterloo Region ... about eight of the sisters and several volunteers formed a committee to raise awareness by speaking at churches.
The sisters open each talk with the Prayer for The End to Human Trafficking. They show a video and then use a PowerPoint presentation ...
Only one male has attended a committee workshop to date. That disappoints Goetz. ... Men have many skills and contacts that could help women fight human trafficking....
Full article here.
Shock talk probably isn't what you would expect from a nun. But Sister Dorothy Goetz's message about the global sex-slave trade leaves listeners stunned. They're numbed by estimates that 700,000 to two million people a year are traded like livestock....
The shock waves go both ways. Goetz herself is disconcerted that people are so surprised ...
Goetz and fellow members of the School Sisters of Notre Dame are leading workshops to raise awareness of the huge trade in humans.
So far the sisters have visited three Roman Catholic churches in Waterloo Region ... about eight of the sisters and several volunteers formed a committee to raise awareness by speaking at churches.
The sisters open each talk with the Prayer for The End to Human Trafficking. They show a video and then use a PowerPoint presentation ...
Only one male has attended a committee workshop to date. That disappoints Goetz. ... Men have many skills and contacts that could help women fight human trafficking....
Full article here.
Some human rights abuses harder to expose than others
It's very commendable of rock stars to help expose human rights abuses around the world.
British rock legend Peter Gabriel has formd an organization called Witness that provides video equipment to human rights activists to record such abuses.
I suspect he may not be aware of the horrific abuses suffered by hundreds of thousands of young women and even children, at the hands of human traffickers pandering to men seeking instant, no-strings-attached sexual gratification.
In which case, someone should send him a copy of The Natashas: Inside the New Global Sex Trade.
Then again, no doubt it would be extremely difficult to film what goes on behind the closed doors and barred windows of brothels and "breaking grounds", much less expose it to public view.
British rock legend Peter Gabriel has formd an organization called Witness that provides video equipment to human rights activists to record such abuses.
I suspect he may not be aware of the horrific abuses suffered by hundreds of thousands of young women and even children, at the hands of human traffickers pandering to men seeking instant, no-strings-attached sexual gratification.
In which case, someone should send him a copy of The Natashas: Inside the New Global Sex Trade.
Then again, no doubt it would be extremely difficult to film what goes on behind the closed doors and barred windows of brothels and "breaking grounds", much less expose it to public view.
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
There but for the grace of God...
An American student at Duke University, who only recently realized she escaped the horrible fate of so many young Ukrainian women, writes ....
I grew up with mummy and daddy who sent me to private school instead of a brothel ... The truth is, a few years ago trafficking in humans barely registered on my radar.
Therefore, I would like to extend my gratitude to all those members of Duke’s international community who, in the past, have branded me a “Russian whore” and told me, with much glee, about what women like me do back in their countries. Without your little jibes, whether uttered in jest or in a calculated attempt at humiliation, I might have never woken up. I would have never seen firsthand the kind of complacency that allows for human beings to be sold like cattle into this special service industry.
... I’ve been shocked out of my shell, reminded of the fact that while I was growing up in a cozy little enclave in Charlotte, North Carolina my compatriots were being beaten into submission by meaty thugs and pawed by drooling clientele.
Read the entire article here. A very worthwhile, if gruesome, read.
I grew up with mummy and daddy who sent me to private school instead of a brothel ... The truth is, a few years ago trafficking in humans barely registered on my radar.
Therefore, I would like to extend my gratitude to all those members of Duke’s international community who, in the past, have branded me a “Russian whore” and told me, with much glee, about what women like me do back in their countries. Without your little jibes, whether uttered in jest or in a calculated attempt at humiliation, I might have never woken up. I would have never seen firsthand the kind of complacency that allows for human beings to be sold like cattle into this special service industry.
... I’ve been shocked out of my shell, reminded of the fact that while I was growing up in a cozy little enclave in Charlotte, North Carolina my compatriots were being beaten into submission by meaty thugs and pawed by drooling clientele.
Read the entire article here. A very worthwhile, if gruesome, read.
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Pop icon video raises awareness of trafficking
Ukraine's female pop icon Ruslana is using her celebrity for for a very good cause.
A big "Brava" to her for putting out this video and raising awareness of the scourge of human trafficking.
The lack of comments at the video site drove home to me that human trafficking, especially for purposes of sexual exploitation, is one of the few remaining "taboo" topics in today's society.
Perhaps that's because it so clearly illustrates the barbarity of contemporary society ... and the reality that despite being more liberal, we are not really as advanced a society as we may like to think.
Cross-posted at the Nash Holos blog.
A big "Brava" to her for putting out this video and raising awareness of the scourge of human trafficking.
The lack of comments at the video site drove home to me that human trafficking, especially for purposes of sexual exploitation, is one of the few remaining "taboo" topics in today's society.
Perhaps that's because it so clearly illustrates the barbarity of contemporary society ... and the reality that despite being more liberal, we are not really as advanced a society as we may like to think.
Cross-posted at the Nash Holos blog.
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
More on Ukraine baby murders
Here is another one of the rare articles on the babies murdered in Ukraine for stem cell "research" and some rather dubious beauty treatments for affluent westerners.
The plastic bag looks as if it contains meat. But then a right leg is taken from it and placed surgically on the morgue table, followed by the left one. Then the torso. The head follows, a gaping cavity where the brain used to be.
But it is only when the gloved hand of the pathologist examines the tiny fingers of a baby aged about 30 weeks that the full horror of what I am witnessing sinks in.
This shocking scene was captured on video at post-mortem examinations carried out on behalf of Ukrainian mothers who claim their babies were stolen from them at birth.
[Some] 300 families ... believe their healthy babies were ... taken at birth to have their organs and stem cells harvested ... [for treatments to, among other things] reverse the effects of ageing. ...
... the Council Of Europe is now carrying out its own investigation ... The wall of silence is crumbling. And it may yet reveal a very ugly side to the global beauty business. ...
Full article here.
The plastic bag looks as if it contains meat. But then a right leg is taken from it and placed surgically on the morgue table, followed by the left one. Then the torso. The head follows, a gaping cavity where the brain used to be.
But it is only when the gloved hand of the pathologist examines the tiny fingers of a baby aged about 30 weeks that the full horror of what I am witnessing sinks in.
This shocking scene was captured on video at post-mortem examinations carried out on behalf of Ukrainian mothers who claim their babies were stolen from them at birth.
[Some] 300 families ... believe their healthy babies were ... taken at birth to have their organs and stem cells harvested ... [for treatments to, among other things] reverse the effects of ageing. ...
... the Council Of Europe is now carrying out its own investigation ... The wall of silence is crumbling. And it may yet reveal a very ugly side to the global beauty business. ...
Full article here.
Monday, December 18, 2006
Whistleblower in baby murder investigations sacked
World Net Daily reports that an investigator looking into stem-cell trafficking in Ukraine has been fired. Very disturbing. But equally disturbing is, I think, the lack of any focus on those who create the demand that drives this "market." Would the affluent west perhaps be a tad too squeamish to look closely into the mirror?
In the midst of growing interest in reports of a gruesome stem-cell and human-organ black market that traffics in newborn babies taken from their mothers, an investigator looking into the matter has been sacked 'for political reasons,' she says, because she was getting too close to the truth. ...
The Council of Europe is scheduled in February to investigate allegations that newborn babies have been killed to provide stem cells and internal organs. ...
Officials will focus on the role, if any, played by Ukranian research centers and maternity hospitals in the international trade in stem cells. An earlier investigation in 2004 was dropped for lack of firm evidence, but the latest charges have caused the case to be reopened.
Full article here. (H/T Kiev Ukraine News Blog)
This Telegraph article corroborates that report, but suggests the babies may have ended up being adopted in the West. Maybe. Or, maybe not.
In the midst of growing interest in reports of a gruesome stem-cell and human-organ black market that traffics in newborn babies taken from their mothers, an investigator looking into the matter has been sacked 'for political reasons,' she says, because she was getting too close to the truth. ...
The Council of Europe is scheduled in February to investigate allegations that newborn babies have been killed to provide stem cells and internal organs. ...
Officials will focus on the role, if any, played by Ukranian research centers and maternity hospitals in the international trade in stem cells. An earlier investigation in 2004 was dropped for lack of firm evidence, but the latest charges have caused the case to be reopened.
Full article here. (H/T Kiev Ukraine News Blog)
This Telegraph article corroborates that report, but suggests the babies may have ended up being adopted in the West. Maybe. Or, maybe not.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Ukraine babies killed for stem cell trade
According to this BBC News Report, new-born babies in Ukraine are being killed to harvest stem-cells for international traffickers.
There is a trade in stem cells from aborted foetuses, amid unproven claims they can help fight many diseases. But now there are claims that stem cells are also being harvested from live babies.
The BBC has spoken to mothers from the city of Kharkiv who say they gave birth to healthy babies, only to have them taken by maternity staff.
In 2003 the authorities agreed to exhume around 30 bodies of foetuses and full-term babies ... [the Council of Europe] describes a general culture of trafficking of children snatched at birth, and a wall of silence from hospital staff upwards over their fate.
There is a trade in stem cells from aborted foetuses, amid unproven claims they can help fight many diseases. But now there are claims that stem cells are also being harvested from live babies.
The BBC has spoken to mothers from the city of Kharkiv who say they gave birth to healthy babies, only to have them taken by maternity staff.
In 2003 the authorities agreed to exhume around 30 bodies of foetuses and full-term babies ... [the Council of Europe] describes a general culture of trafficking of children snatched at birth, and a wall of silence from hospital staff upwards over their fate.
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Journalist Urges More Enforcement of Laws Against Human Trafficking
How long will the powers-that-be, and well as ordinary people, ignore the need for action, as this article illustrates?
Victor Malarek, a well-known investigative journalist, spoke at the U.S. Department of State [recently about] the global problem of trafficking in women, calling it “a disaster of epic proportions.”
Malarek, author of the book The Natashas: Inside the New Global Sex Trade, was introduced by Ambassador John Miller, director of the State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons and senior adviser to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on human trafficking.
Human trafficking, according to Malarek, continues to flourish unabated because laws already on the books in most countries are not being enforced. He acknowledged that the sex trade “won’t go away,” but he said minimizing it should be a top priority of all nations.
... Malarek had especially harsh words for the “deceptive mantra” of those in favor of legalizing prostitution, saying that in countries where prostitution is legal, organized crime has grown more powerful and human trafficking has increased. ...
In countries where women have access to “real jobs that don’t require them to shed their clothes,” Malarek said, local brothel owners rely on traffickers to keep their brothels stocked with prostitutes from other countries such as Russia, Moldova, Romania and Ukraine.
Nor does legalized prostitution control the spread of HIV/AIDS... There is nothing, he said, to protect the women from the men who use them.
“Tolerance is a dangerous game,” Malarek said. “The decriminalization crowd is a pack of wolves in sheep’s clothing.” The only way to tackle the problem, he said, is “to go after the men who demand the women.”
... Malarek emphasized that trafficking is “a huge human rights abuse” and that dignity for women should be a top priority. According to State Department statistics, about 600,000 to 800,000 people -- mostly women and children -- are trafficked across national boundaries each year. This figure does not include the millions trafficked within their own countries. ...
Read entire article here. Some good links to other sources there as well.
Victor Malarek, a well-known investigative journalist, spoke at the U.S. Department of State [recently about] the global problem of trafficking in women, calling it “a disaster of epic proportions.”
Malarek, author of the book The Natashas: Inside the New Global Sex Trade, was introduced by Ambassador John Miller, director of the State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons and senior adviser to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on human trafficking.
Human trafficking, according to Malarek, continues to flourish unabated because laws already on the books in most countries are not being enforced. He acknowledged that the sex trade “won’t go away,” but he said minimizing it should be a top priority of all nations.
... Malarek had especially harsh words for the “deceptive mantra” of those in favor of legalizing prostitution, saying that in countries where prostitution is legal, organized crime has grown more powerful and human trafficking has increased. ...
In countries where women have access to “real jobs that don’t require them to shed their clothes,” Malarek said, local brothel owners rely on traffickers to keep their brothels stocked with prostitutes from other countries such as Russia, Moldova, Romania and Ukraine.
Nor does legalized prostitution control the spread of HIV/AIDS... There is nothing, he said, to protect the women from the men who use them.
“Tolerance is a dangerous game,” Malarek said. “The decriminalization crowd is a pack of wolves in sheep’s clothing.” The only way to tackle the problem, he said, is “to go after the men who demand the women.”
... Malarek emphasized that trafficking is “a huge human rights abuse” and that dignity for women should be a top priority. According to State Department statistics, about 600,000 to 800,000 people -- mostly women and children -- are trafficked across national boundaries each year. This figure does not include the millions trafficked within their own countries. ...
Read entire article here. Some good links to other sources there as well.
Monday, December 04, 2006
Docs target inappropriate advertising - about time!
A doctor's group in the US has made the brilliant observation that advertising influences attitudes in children, and has come out with a call for the government to do something about it.
Inappropriate advertising contributes to many kids' ills, from obesity to anorexia, to drinking booze and having sex too soon, and Congress should crack down on it, the American Academy of Pediatrics says. The influential doctors' group issued a new policy statement in response to what it calls a rising tide of advertising aimed at children.
Rising tide? Have these guys been operating in a vacuum during the last 40 or so years?
... These pervasive ads influence kids to demand poor food choices, and to think drinking is cool, sex is a recreational activity and anorexia is fashionable, the academy says. Interactive digital TV, expected to arrive in a few years, will spread the problem, allowing kids to click on-screen links to Web-based promotions...
Well, duh. But it's pretty naive to expect the U.S. government to take on the big money ad agencies, the big money businesses who shell out big bucks for the ads, and the lawyers paid to look after big-money interests. The backlash against the docs is already starting.
Critics of advertising restrictions say it's a free-speech issue. ...
Of course they do. But still, while demanding change won't bring it about completely, at least it's a start.
Last year, the Institute of Medicine agreed that evidence suggesting that TV ads contribute to childhood obesity is compelling and said industry should market healthy foods to kids. And in September, the Federal Communications Commission said it will study potential links between TV ads and rising rates of obesity in U.S. children. The food industry has started to respond.
This is good news. But how long will it take for an advocacy group to lean on the entertainment industry? Might be a while. As they say in the advertising world, sex sells. It's an even bigger cash cow than food, and there doesn't seem to be much public concern over the escalating encroachment of porn into every aspect of advertising.
Full article here.
Inappropriate advertising contributes to many kids' ills, from obesity to anorexia, to drinking booze and having sex too soon, and Congress should crack down on it, the American Academy of Pediatrics says. The influential doctors' group issued a new policy statement in response to what it calls a rising tide of advertising aimed at children.
Rising tide? Have these guys been operating in a vacuum during the last 40 or so years?
... These pervasive ads influence kids to demand poor food choices, and to think drinking is cool, sex is a recreational activity and anorexia is fashionable, the academy says. Interactive digital TV, expected to arrive in a few years, will spread the problem, allowing kids to click on-screen links to Web-based promotions...
Well, duh. But it's pretty naive to expect the U.S. government to take on the big money ad agencies, the big money businesses who shell out big bucks for the ads, and the lawyers paid to look after big-money interests. The backlash against the docs is already starting.
Critics of advertising restrictions say it's a free-speech issue. ...
Of course they do. But still, while demanding change won't bring it about completely, at least it's a start.
Last year, the Institute of Medicine agreed that evidence suggesting that TV ads contribute to childhood obesity is compelling and said industry should market healthy foods to kids. And in September, the Federal Communications Commission said it will study potential links between TV ads and rising rates of obesity in U.S. children. The food industry has started to respond.
This is good news. But how long will it take for an advocacy group to lean on the entertainment industry? Might be a while. As they say in the advertising world, sex sells. It's an even bigger cash cow than food, and there doesn't seem to be much public concern over the escalating encroachment of porn into every aspect of advertising.
Full article here.
Researcher at Alberta university jailed for child porn
This is the calibre of people in our universities, influencing future generations ...
A British researcher with the University of Lethbridge has been sentenced to 15 months in an English jail ... Robin Phillips pleaded guilty last month to four charges including taking indecent images of children and possessing indecent images of children. Phillips is a British astrophysicist who worked as manager of a research project in Lethbridge.
No doubt this low-life was highly-paid for his "research"... courtesy Canadian taxpayers. And yet said taxpayers quietly fork over their hard-earned dollars, with barely a whimper much less a demand for some sort of accountability. Is that apathy, complacency, or both?
Story here.
A British researcher with the University of Lethbridge has been sentenced to 15 months in an English jail ... Robin Phillips pleaded guilty last month to four charges including taking indecent images of children and possessing indecent images of children. Phillips is a British astrophysicist who worked as manager of a research project in Lethbridge.
No doubt this low-life was highly-paid for his "research"... courtesy Canadian taxpayers. And yet said taxpayers quietly fork over their hard-earned dollars, with barely a whimper much less a demand for some sort of accountability. Is that apathy, complacency, or both?
Story here.
Saturday, October 28, 2006
U.N. official urges Ukraine to strengthen efforts to combat children trafficking
This article quotes a UN official taking Ukraine's government to task.
I remain concerned at the low rate of prosecution and sentencing of traffickers, authors of child pornography and other crimes against children," said Juan Miguel Petit, a U.N. official in charge of the world body's efforts to stop child prostitution, child pornography and other crimes against children.
Petit said that the government should strengthen its efforts to combat the problems.
And isn't that just a classic case of blaming the victim?
Ukraine remains a primary source for men, women and children trafficked to Europe, the Middle East and Russia for sexual exploitation and forced labor, according to international experts. Low salaries and high unemployment force thousands of Ukrainians to seek employment abroad, increasing their vulnerability to exploitation, they say.
Why doesn't the UN insist the EU let Ukraine join so the Ukrainian economy would be able to support its population? Then maybe its women and children wouldn't be so "vulnerable." But no. Instead he calls for an impoverished country to create:
... a separate juvenile justice system, naming a special ombudsman on children's rights and setting up a national commission to protect children rights ...
And the money to pay for that will come from where, exactly?
Why doesn't the UN suggest that "destination' countries foot the bill for developing countries to "strengthen their efforts" in combatting human trafficking? Countries like, say, Britain, Germany, Thailand, Turkey, Israel, Canada, the US, and every other country in the "developed" world where trafficked people end up being exploited. Some of those destination countries are, um, UN members.
Oh, wait. That probably wouldn't go over well. In those countries, pornography is highly profitable ... and the media is doing its best to transform sleaze into a glamour industry and lend it respectability. Can't be annoying the avid consumers creating the demand driving the odious "sex trade" now can we.
Much easier to just create good optics by asking the impossible of those who haven't sufficient resources to even object.
I remain concerned at the low rate of prosecution and sentencing of traffickers, authors of child pornography and other crimes against children," said Juan Miguel Petit, a U.N. official in charge of the world body's efforts to stop child prostitution, child pornography and other crimes against children.
Petit said that the government should strengthen its efforts to combat the problems.
And isn't that just a classic case of blaming the victim?
Ukraine remains a primary source for men, women and children trafficked to Europe, the Middle East and Russia for sexual exploitation and forced labor, according to international experts. Low salaries and high unemployment force thousands of Ukrainians to seek employment abroad, increasing their vulnerability to exploitation, they say.
Why doesn't the UN insist the EU let Ukraine join so the Ukrainian economy would be able to support its population? Then maybe its women and children wouldn't be so "vulnerable." But no. Instead he calls for an impoverished country to create:
... a separate juvenile justice system, naming a special ombudsman on children's rights and setting up a national commission to protect children rights ...
And the money to pay for that will come from where, exactly?
Why doesn't the UN suggest that "destination' countries foot the bill for developing countries to "strengthen their efforts" in combatting human trafficking? Countries like, say, Britain, Germany, Thailand, Turkey, Israel, Canada, the US, and every other country in the "developed" world where trafficked people end up being exploited. Some of those destination countries are, um, UN members.
Oh, wait. That probably wouldn't go over well. In those countries, pornography is highly profitable ... and the media is doing its best to transform sleaze into a glamour industry and lend it respectability. Can't be annoying the avid consumers creating the demand driving the odious "sex trade" now can we.
Much easier to just create good optics by asking the impossible of those who haven't sufficient resources to even object.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Forum to examine New York's response to human trafficking
The Center for Global Affairs at NYU, The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and Vital Voices Global Partnership, in commemoration of the United Nations International Day for the Abolition of Slavery announce:
Human Trafficking: A Global Challenge in Our Own Backyard
What is human trafficking?
The State Department estimates that there are between 600,000-800,000 people trafficked across country borders throughout the world each year.
The UN Office on Drugs and Crime estimates that there are cases of human trafficking originating in 127 countries for exploitation in 137 countries.
This special event will examine the response to human trafficking in the New York region within the global context and feature leaders who call on all of us to act on this worldwide challenge - as diplomats, government officials, educators, businesspeople, and members of our respective communities.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
6pm - 8pm
New York University
Pre-registration will be required as seating is limited. Registration information and event details will be announced in November.
Featured Panelists Include:
NICHOLAS KRISTOF- Pulitzer Prize Winning Columnist, The New York Times (featured speaker and moderator)
RUCHIRA GUPTA- Vital Voices Global Leadership Council Member and Executive Director, Apne Aap Women Worldwide (India)
THE HONORABLE CAROLYN MALONEY- United States Representative, 14th District, New York City
AMBASSADOR JOHN MILLER- Director, Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, United States Department of State
MARILYN CARLSON NELSON- CEO and Chairperson, Carlson Companies
JULIA ORMOND- Actress and UN Office on Drugs and Crime Goodwill Ambassador for the Abolition of Slavery and Human Trafficking
For more information, please e-mail Wenchi Yu Perkins.
Human Trafficking: A Global Challenge in Our Own Backyard
What is human trafficking?
The State Department estimates that there are between 600,000-800,000 people trafficked across country borders throughout the world each year.
The UN Office on Drugs and Crime estimates that there are cases of human trafficking originating in 127 countries for exploitation in 137 countries.
This special event will examine the response to human trafficking in the New York region within the global context and feature leaders who call on all of us to act on this worldwide challenge - as diplomats, government officials, educators, businesspeople, and members of our respective communities.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
6pm - 8pm
New York University
Pre-registration will be required as seating is limited. Registration information and event details will be announced in November.
Featured Panelists Include:
NICHOLAS KRISTOF- Pulitzer Prize Winning Columnist, The New York Times (featured speaker and moderator)
RUCHIRA GUPTA- Vital Voices Global Leadership Council Member and Executive Director, Apne Aap Women Worldwide (India)
THE HONORABLE CAROLYN MALONEY- United States Representative, 14th District, New York City
AMBASSADOR JOHN MILLER- Director, Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, United States Department of State
MARILYN CARLSON NELSON- CEO and Chairperson, Carlson Companies
JULIA ORMOND- Actress and UN Office on Drugs and Crime Goodwill Ambassador for the Abolition of Slavery and Human Trafficking
For more information, please e-mail Wenchi Yu Perkins.
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Upcoming Forum on Human Trafficking
Every year up to 900,000 people are trafficked across international borders
Most are forced into the sex "trade"
80% are women
Stop the Slavery!
A Forum on Human Trafficking
Saturday, November 4, 2006
9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
In the Library at ‘YHO’
145 Evans Avenue (at Islington)
Etobicoke, ON
Keynote speaker:
Joy Smith, MP - Member of Parliament for Kildonan-St. Paul (Manitoba)
Speakers:
Julie Meeks - Human Trafficking Coordinator, RCMP
Irena Soltys - HUHTC Anti-Trafficking Initiative
Orysia Sushko - National President - Ukrainian Canadian Congress
This FREE forum sponsored by:
Ukrainian Canadian Women’s Council, Toronto Branch
Ukrainian Canadian Congress (National)
For more information:
Irena Patten - 416-767-8134
Orysia Sushko - 905-572-9626
Most are forced into the sex "trade"
80% are women
Stop the Slavery!
A Forum on Human Trafficking
Saturday, November 4, 2006
9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
In the Library at ‘YHO’
145 Evans Avenue (at Islington)
Etobicoke, ON
This forum will further expose this terrible crime, and build national support for the Private Members Motion on this issue, to be introduced by Joy Smith, MP for Kildonan-St. Paul
Keynote speaker:
Joy Smith, MP - Member of Parliament for Kildonan-St. Paul (Manitoba)
Speakers:
Julie Meeks - Human Trafficking Coordinator, RCMP
Irena Soltys - HUHTC Anti-Trafficking Initiative
Orysia Sushko - National President - Ukrainian Canadian Congress
This FREE forum sponsored by:
Ukrainian Canadian Women’s Council, Toronto Branch
Ukrainian Canadian Congress (National)
For more information:
Irena Patten - 416-767-8134
Orysia Sushko - 905-572-9626
Industry fights anti-porn law
This Wired News article makes me despair that business will ever redeem itself. Being self-employed, I am of course pro-free enterprise. But I find it disgusting that so many "enterprises" want to be free of social responsibility, as does the detestable and self-serving ACLU.
Salon.com, Nerve.com and other plaintiffs backed by the American Civil Liberties Union are suing over the 1998 Child Online Protection Act. They believe the law could restrict legitimate material they publish online -- exposing them to fines or even jail time.
Of course. Their commercial interests are more important than the well-being of children, especially if they can be exploited. These "good corporate citizens" wouldn't exactly come out and admit that, but if penalties were removed then they would be free to do just that, wouldn't they? And if they position themselves, rather than the children, as victims they just may have a shot at winning their case.
The Justice Department argues that it is easier to stop online pornography at the source than to keep children from viewing it.
Nice to see that someone has some sense, and isn't afraid to say so. But it would be nicer yet if their actions showed that they really meant it.
The law, signed by then-President Clinton, requires adults to use some sort of access code, or perhaps a credit-card number, to view material that may be considered 'harmful to children.' It would impose a $50,000 fine and six-month prison term on commercial Web site operators that publish such content, which is to be defined by 'contemporary community standards.'
It has yet to be enforced, however...
Salon.com, Nerve.com and other plaintiffs backed by the American Civil Liberties Union are suing over the 1998 Child Online Protection Act. They believe the law could restrict legitimate material they publish online -- exposing them to fines or even jail time.
Of course. Their commercial interests are more important than the well-being of children, especially if they can be exploited. These "good corporate citizens" wouldn't exactly come out and admit that, but if penalties were removed then they would be free to do just that, wouldn't they? And if they position themselves, rather than the children, as victims they just may have a shot at winning their case.
The Justice Department argues that it is easier to stop online pornography at the source than to keep children from viewing it.
Nice to see that someone has some sense, and isn't afraid to say so. But it would be nicer yet if their actions showed that they really meant it.
The law, signed by then-President Clinton, requires adults to use some sort of access code, or perhaps a credit-card number, to view material that may be considered 'harmful to children.' It would impose a $50,000 fine and six-month prison term on commercial Web site operators that publish such content, which is to be defined by 'contemporary community standards.'
It has yet to be enforced, however...
BC Premier's reply to message re "Bully" video
Yesterday I got this very nice reply from Premier Campbell (well, ok, the Premier's Office) in response to an email I sent about that stupid "how to be a bully" video game:
Thank you for your letter regarding the video game entitled “Bully.”
I am sharing a copy of your letter with the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, the Honourable John Les. I have asked that Minister Les, and his staff, include your views in any future discussions on the matter of the effects this type of product may have on young British Columbians.
Again, thank you for writing. I appreciate your taking the time to share your thoughts on this very important issue for our society.
So, fine. That's all very nice and everything, but I sort of feel like I've just been patted on the head.
It irks me that the matter ends with "young" British Columbians. Youngsters who become expert schoolyard bullies today will one day enter the adult sphere, and assume positions of authority. Who's to say whether or not they will have "grown out" of the mindsets and attitudes acquired during the course of gaining their expertise?
I would not be one bit surprised if the company that produced this abomination got tax breaks and other "leg-up" programs available to business.
In which case, it would seem that "business is business" is the MO locally and globally when it comes to the commercialization of vice, be it video games, human trafficking, or pornography (euphemistically referred to as "adult content" by its promoters and profiteers).
We can only hope that this issue will go under the Minister's Solicitor-General hat and not just the Public Safety hat. If the government does nothing else, it should at least ensure that our tax dollars are not being spent promoting and supporting "industries" and companies that create and market sleazy and inhumane products and services.
Thank you for your letter regarding the video game entitled “Bully.”
I am sharing a copy of your letter with the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, the Honourable John Les. I have asked that Minister Les, and his staff, include your views in any future discussions on the matter of the effects this type of product may have on young British Columbians.
Again, thank you for writing. I appreciate your taking the time to share your thoughts on this very important issue for our society.
So, fine. That's all very nice and everything, but I sort of feel like I've just been patted on the head.
It irks me that the matter ends with "young" British Columbians. Youngsters who become expert schoolyard bullies today will one day enter the adult sphere, and assume positions of authority. Who's to say whether or not they will have "grown out" of the mindsets and attitudes acquired during the course of gaining their expertise?
I would not be one bit surprised if the company that produced this abomination got tax breaks and other "leg-up" programs available to business.
In which case, it would seem that "business is business" is the MO locally and globally when it comes to the commercialization of vice, be it video games, human trafficking, or pornography (euphemistically referred to as "adult content" by its promoters and profiteers).
We can only hope that this issue will go under the Minister's Solicitor-General hat and not just the Public Safety hat. If the government does nothing else, it should at least ensure that our tax dollars are not being spent promoting and supporting "industries" and companies that create and market sleazy and inhumane products and services.
Monday, October 23, 2006
AIDS epidemic in Ukraine
This Homemakers.com article illustrates the heartbreaking consequences of trafficking in drugs and humans, and the courage of a group of women determined to fight back.
Rampant drug abuse and sex trafficking have made Ukraine the site of Europe's worst AIDS epidemic ...
In 1991, just five years after the catastrophic Chornobyl nuclear explosion, Ukrainians gained independence from oppressive Soviet rule ... It didn't take long for criminal networks to flood the country with illegal drugs, readily available through the porous borders of Central Asian countries that connect the heroin fields of Afghanistan with Ukraine. ... The crime rings also [lured millions of desperate and unemployed women] into the sex trade via bogus job offers and sold [them] into slavery in Turkey, Russia, Germany and other countries.
... today Ukraine is not only battling drug and human trafficking epidemics but also an escalating HIV epidemic. ... A recent United Nations AIDS report predicted that by 2010, six per cent of Ukrainians will have HIV. (In Canada the rate is 0.3 per cent.) ... Ukrainian women account for 40 per cent of those infected, and without access to antiretroviral drugs, these women are at risk of having babies born with HIV, too.
Rampant drug abuse and sex trafficking have made Ukraine the site of Europe's worst AIDS epidemic ...
In 1991, just five years after the catastrophic Chornobyl nuclear explosion, Ukrainians gained independence from oppressive Soviet rule ... It didn't take long for criminal networks to flood the country with illegal drugs, readily available through the porous borders of Central Asian countries that connect the heroin fields of Afghanistan with Ukraine. ... The crime rings also [lured millions of desperate and unemployed women] into the sex trade via bogus job offers and sold [them] into slavery in Turkey, Russia, Germany and other countries.
... today Ukraine is not only battling drug and human trafficking epidemics but also an escalating HIV epidemic. ... A recent United Nations AIDS report predicted that by 2010, six per cent of Ukrainians will have HIV. (In Canada the rate is 0.3 per cent.) ... Ukrainian women account for 40 per cent of those infected, and without access to antiretroviral drugs, these women are at risk of having babies born with HIV, too.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Trafficking Alert newsletter
Vital Voices has introduced a slight change to its newsletter Trafficking Alert.
The October 2006 issue includes a section entitled, “Other Women’s Rights Issues” which contain articles on issues such as violence against women, domestic violence, and HIV/Aids.
Vital Voices has just recently completed a training program on Domestic Violence Prevention and Anti-Trafficking for Russian leaders. This week-long training not only gave the delegates ... an opportunity to learn about US anti-trafficking and domestic violence prevention efforts, it also gave their American colleagues a chance to gain knowledge of the current status of women in Russia and their leaders’ innovative work. This training was also in commemoration of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Vital Voices recently returned from China and the Russian Far East to identify emerging women leaders who strive to make a difference for women and girls in their countries. ... They strive to elevate the visibility of these women’s issues, and most importantly, to change society’s behavior and attitudes towards women and girls in China.
In the Russian Far East, two Vital Voices’ alumnae, inspired after receiving their training in 2005, worked with their state government to organize an Asia Pacific regional forum on human trafficking to bring awareness and build political will in addressing this global scourge.
Around the world, anti-trafficking initiatives are on the rise.
A Printable Version of the Trafficking Alert is available here.
To subscribe to the Trafficking Alert, please go here.
The October 2006 issue includes a section entitled, “Other Women’s Rights Issues” which contain articles on issues such as violence against women, domestic violence, and HIV/Aids.
Vital Voices has just recently completed a training program on Domestic Violence Prevention and Anti-Trafficking for Russian leaders. This week-long training not only gave the delegates ... an opportunity to learn about US anti-trafficking and domestic violence prevention efforts, it also gave their American colleagues a chance to gain knowledge of the current status of women in Russia and their leaders’ innovative work. This training was also in commemoration of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Vital Voices recently returned from China and the Russian Far East to identify emerging women leaders who strive to make a difference for women and girls in their countries. ... They strive to elevate the visibility of these women’s issues, and most importantly, to change society’s behavior and attitudes towards women and girls in China.
In the Russian Far East, two Vital Voices’ alumnae, inspired after receiving their training in 2005, worked with their state government to organize an Asia Pacific regional forum on human trafficking to bring awareness and build political will in addressing this global scourge.
Around the world, anti-trafficking initiatives are on the rise.
A Printable Version of the Trafficking Alert is available here.
To subscribe to the Trafficking Alert, please go here.
Depths of depravity
According to this CBC report, a Vancouver company has produced a "How to be a bully" video game ... which the US parent company is marketing as 'brutally funny."
Ah yes, vice and violence. Those are the great Canadian values such corporate citizens promote. And of course, it's all in good fun, so why not make a buck at it.
After all, they and their customers truly, sincerely and vehemently believe that, as this article puts it, what is dumped into a kid's head hour after hour, day after day, year after year, could not possibly have behavioral consequences. No siree, the defenders of such depravity will tell you that game players are all very sophisticated and every single one of them knows it's "just a game."
So, there you have it. Harmless fun and a nice wholesome activity for the whole family.
OK then, what's next? A "How to be an international rapist and human trafficker" video game, maybe?
Oh right. We don't need a game for that. It's already a big money-maker.
(Cross posted at the Nash Holos blog.)
Ah yes, vice and violence. Those are the great Canadian values such corporate citizens promote. And of course, it's all in good fun, so why not make a buck at it.
After all, they and their customers truly, sincerely and vehemently believe that, as this article puts it, what is dumped into a kid's head hour after hour, day after day, year after year, could not possibly have behavioral consequences. No siree, the defenders of such depravity will tell you that game players are all very sophisticated and every single one of them knows it's "just a game."
So, there you have it. Harmless fun and a nice wholesome activity for the whole family.
OK then, what's next? A "How to be an international rapist and human trafficker" video game, maybe?
Oh right. We don't need a game for that. It's already a big money-maker.
(Cross posted at the Nash Holos blog.)
Monday, October 16, 2006
yahoo removes ads, but does it do right with other sites?
Well, it looks like yahoo has taken all "sponsors" off my broadcaster's site. The E-Poshta list, which has 9000 subscribers, has had a similar experience.
So it's a good thing those disgusting ads are gone from our respective sites. But I can't help but wonder if the nice fellow who cleaned them up and promised to clean yahoo up was over-ruled by higher management who may not want to lose the revenue for those ads.... which in all probability is quite significant.
I suspect that yahoo is just blocking all ads to our sites altogether, figuring the old "out of sight, out of mind" adage applies.
Unfortunately, to a large extent it does. Because to make a bigger issue of it, I'd have to visit some rather unsavoury sites to check up on them, which I absolutely don't want to do. (I don't want a trail of such sites on my computer.)
So all I can do is content myself that there's a chance I've made a point to some of the folks at yahoo. If they are continuing to place those ads, they now know that at the very least, there is a possibility those women in the ads aren't there because they want to be.
And I can only hope that between us, we may have caused a few (otherwise decent) men to give second thought to engaging in "anonymous" sex and thus slowed down, however imperceptibly, the growing demand for porn and prostitutes.
In the end, though, I realize that what I've done and could possibly do to thwart human flesh peddlers and their patrons is so heartbreakingly little.
So it's a good thing those disgusting ads are gone from our respective sites. But I can't help but wonder if the nice fellow who cleaned them up and promised to clean yahoo up was over-ruled by higher management who may not want to lose the revenue for those ads.... which in all probability is quite significant.
I suspect that yahoo is just blocking all ads to our sites altogether, figuring the old "out of sight, out of mind" adage applies.
Unfortunately, to a large extent it does. Because to make a bigger issue of it, I'd have to visit some rather unsavoury sites to check up on them, which I absolutely don't want to do. (I don't want a trail of such sites on my computer.)
So all I can do is content myself that there's a chance I've made a point to some of the folks at yahoo. If they are continuing to place those ads, they now know that at the very least, there is a possibility those women in the ads aren't there because they want to be.
And I can only hope that between us, we may have caused a few (otherwise decent) men to give second thought to engaging in "anonymous" sex and thus slowed down, however imperceptibly, the growing demand for porn and prostitutes.
In the end, though, I realize that what I've done and could possibly do to thwart human flesh peddlers and their patrons is so heartbreakingly little.
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