The following presentation discusses the issue of what sex trafficking is. Who does it effect? Then, the presentation talks about the Internet and how sex trafficking has now moved from the streets to the net. We are focusing on Craigslist because this is one of the main domestic sites used to for all types of trafficking. We will touch on the Craigslist Killer and how the victim trafficked herself sexually. As well, we are focusing on what you can do to prevent and stop sex trafficking on the net.
1. Take Action!!! Location of sex trafficking in the USA. Sex Trafficking Focus: United States Take Action!!! How the Internet is involved with sex trafficking? COR405: Integrative Seminar Professor Johnson Chatham University Created by : Mary Williams
2. Definition of Sex Trafficking “Sex trafficking is a modern-day form of slavery in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such an act is under the age of 18 years. Enactment of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA) made sex trafficking a serious violation of Federal law.” --- Sex Trafficking http://www.acf.hhs.gov/trafficking/about/fact_sex.pdf
3. This does not just occur in the United States. It is a universal problem.
4. “Victims of trafficking are forced into various forms of commercial sexual exploitation including prostitution, pornography, stripping, live-sex shows, mail-order brides, military prostitution and sex tourism. Victims trafficked into prostitution and pornography are usually involved in the most exploitive forms of commercial sex operations. Sex trafficking operations can be found in highly-visible venues such as street prostitution, as well as more underground systems such as closed brothels that operate out of residential homes. Sex trafficking also takes place in a variety of public and private locations such as massage parlors, spas, strip clubs and other fronts for prostitution. Victims may start off dancing or stripping in clubs and then be coerced into situations of prostitution and pornography.“ --- Sex Trafficking http://www.acf.hhs.gov/trafficking/about/fact_sex.pdf
5. INTERNET The Internet is a wonderful tool. We can get mail in a second compared to the postal service. We can communicate with people all around the world. It is easier to stay in touch with family and friends. The list is endless. The Internet has changed us for better…or for worse.
6. Now that we are in the AGE OF COMPUTERS it is even easier to sex trafficked individuals EXAMPLE: CRAIGLIST
7. CHILDREN TRAFFICKED ON CRAIGSLIST Erotic Services Section Sold Children as Young as 4-years Old Craigslist, an Internet company well known for enabling users to conveniently advertise everything from jobs to housing, is a popular marketplace for the sale of human-beings. With its free postings and relative anonymity for its users, Craigslist's "Erotic Services" site has become a vehicle for the trafficking and exploitation of women and children. There have been numerous reportings of children falling prey to traffickers advertising on Craigslist and victims as young as four years old have been sold on the Erotic Services site. Recent Craigslist headlines include a report on January 11, 2007 Cook County, Illinois. Three adults were arrested, two of which were posting advertisements on Craigslist for girls ranging in age from 14 to 16 years old to perform sex acts. ABC 7 Chicago reported that �some of these girls were forced to turn 10, 12 tricks a day resulting in tens of thousands of dollars for the pimps.� In response to the mounting evidence that its site is being used for these insidious purposes, Craigslist has often refused to comment or claimed lack of resources to effectively monitor postings. The Internet, with all of its conveniences, has become a major platform for facilitating human trafficking, prostitution and sexual exploitation of children. Currently, approximately 400,000 women and children are being prostituted in the U.S. annually. Surprisingly only 10-20% of prostitution is street-based. Behind closed doors, hidden by the anonymity of the Internet the exploitation of children is surging. Love146 has launched the Craigslist "Call to Action" campaign. It urges Craigslist, a multi-million dollar company and face of other philanthropic causes, to take responsibility for the role its site is playing in facilitating child trafficking and exploitation. In light of the New Year, Love146 are asking Craigslist to make a New
8. Year’s resolution: to follow in the footsteps of MySpace and Google and implement better preventative policies and monitoring efforts to protect its site from being used as a resource for child traffickers. Love146 works toward the abolition of child sex trafficking and exploitation through aftercare, prevention and advocacy. Love146 trains aftercare workers, multiplies safehomes, aids socioeconomic development programs in high risk communities and provides a voice for these victims of modern-day slavery.Source: Love146Date: 30 Dec 2007 ---Love146 http://www.love146newsroom.org/page.php?page_id=15&story=10006 Importance of this article: Children are exploited. There are many cases similar to this one involving men but mostly women. It is very easy to spot trafficking of all kinds. Just have to look and take action.
9. Craigslist Killer When one looks at this picture no one would think he is a killer. How this relates to the Internet? Met a girl through Craigslist through one of their services. He killed her. The Internet in this case was used to scope out targets for his next victims. He is not the only one who has met somebody online. But, he misused the website and as a result Craigslist is being blamed for the murder. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/09/19/48hours/main5323194.shtml
11. ONE WAY OR ANOTHER…PEOPLE ARE TRAFFICKED FROM EVERY STATE, EVERY DAY
12. Demographics (this is all forms of trafficking) Human, Sex, Labor trafficking for e.g.
13. The Northeast Asian women in Boston’s Chinatown and South End Korean women in massage parlors in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Thai organized crime rings Many of these organizations are mobile, and change locations when there is a threat
14. Metro New York Upper East Side of Manhattan: Mexican run brothels Brooklyn: Russian Neighborhoods
17. DATE 1990 LOCATION Houston, TX CASE Cantina Case NUMBER Several ORIGIN Honduras DESCRIPTION Several Honduran women were exploited in a smuggling operation which guaranteed them safe passage and "jobs" for a fee of $450. The women were trafficked and forced to dance and have sex with men in a cantina. The women escaped when the owner of the club suddenly died. EXAMPLES OF sex TRAFFICKING IN THE USA DATE November 1991 LOCATION Oceanside, CA CASE Love Shack Brothel NUMBER 20 ORIGIN Mexico DESCRIPTION Oceanside police shut down a prostitution ring which catered to 300 migrant farm workers. The women, who were trafficked to the U.S. from Mexico, were placed in makeshift shacks furnished only with mattresses. Instead of making arrests, local officials demolished the shacks and cleaned up the heaps of condoms and beer cans. http://www.uri.edu/artsci/wms/hughes/sex_traff_us.pdf ---SEX TRAFFICKING OF WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES
18. EXAMPLES OF sex TRAFFICKING IN THE USA DATE October1994 LOCATION Chinatown, NYC CASE Bowery St.Brothel NUMBER 50+ ORIGIN Thailand DESCRIPTION A routine inspection by city housing authorities uncovered a brothel in which over 30 women of Thai origin are imprisoned. In a subsequent raid of the premises, INS officials find barred windows, armed guards and squalid conditions. Sixteen people are arrested and convicted of various crimes related to the prostitution ring and brothel. http://www.uri.edu/artsci/wms/hughes/sex_traff_us.pdf ---SEX TRAFFICKING OF WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES
20. Plan of Action Not for Sale - An organization established to end all kinds of trafficking This organization has events and provides awareness to the general public The Not for Sale websites features videos and articles related to trafficking
21. www.HumanTrafficking.org- a website devoted to ending human trafficking This website provides information about trafficking and how it effects millions of individuals. Provides awareness to the general public of how serious this matter is
22. What You Can Do: Both organizations accept donations in any amount Be aware of the problem and let others know how serious it is Report anyone suspicious of trafficking For more information on how to help go to: End Internet Trafficking Coalition http://eitcoalition.org/home.htm
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24. Bibliography Demographics on Trafficking in the United States: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. U.S. Department of Justice, Free the Slaves. 2008-2009. https://rlsh-manual.com/Human_Trafficking.html (accessed December 10, 2009) End Internet Trafficking Coalition. http://eitcoalition.org/home.htm. (accessed December 1, 2009). Hughes, Donna and Raymond, Janice. Sex Trafficking of Women in the United States. March 2001. http://www.uri.edu/artsci/wms/hughes/sex_traff_us.pdf(accessed December 12, 2009) Human Trafficking. 2001. www.humantrafficking.org (accessed November 29, 2009). Love146: Children Trafficked on Craigslist. December 30, 2007. www.love146newsroom.org/page.php?page)id=15&story=10006 (accessed December 1, 2009). Map of the United States. 2006. http://digital-topo-maps.com (accessed December 3, 2009). Not for Sale. 2005. http://www.notforsalecampaign.org/ (accessed December 12, 2009). Not For Sale: The Documentary. February 16, 2007. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wt2LruxPW4. (accessed December 8, 2009). Sex Trafficking. 2005. www.acf.hhs.gov/trafficking/about/face_sex.pdf (accessed November 25, 2009). The Seven Days of Rage: Craigslist Killer. September 19, 2009. www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/09/19/48hours/main5323194.shtml (accessed December 3, 2009).
