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Lindsay Campbell
Dr. Jamison
English 1101
October 6, 2016

Standing up to Sex Trafficking

In doing research on modern slavery and sex trafficking, I have faced very few
challenges. The largest challenge was, not finding much information on how to stop sex
trafficking, but only facts as to how bad this problem is, and how it continues to grow larger each
year. It is great to know that so many organizations and groups are doing what they can to spread
the word of this harsh crime, but at the same time it is disheartening to know that many people
still do not know just how big of a problem this is, or what they can do to bring an end to it.
I have researched countless websites, read many books, and heard firsthand stories over
the last few years. My church, Passion City Church in Atlanta, has started a large antislavery
coalition called END IT Movement. They, along with many others across the country and around
the world, have singlehandedly raised millions of dollars in bringing awareness to the
community, as well as helping those who have been brought out of slavery start a new life
If I could do something to change this, I would create a support group for people
who want to get involved, so that they may understand the severity of the matter, and that we as a
community could step up to fight against these crimes, and bring them down once and for all.

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Coorlim, Leif, and Dana Ford. "Sex Trafficking: The New American Slavery." cnn.com
Cable News Network, n.d. Web. 6 March 2016.
In the beginning of this article, Coorlim and Ford bring to life the story of a 14 year old
girl named Sacharay. She was befriended by a girl at school that she thought she could trust. The
two young girls skipped school together, and one day the other girl introduced Sacharay to an
older man at a barber shop. The attention from the man made her feel like she was worth
something. He was more like a dad to her than someone she slept with, but she gave herself to
him anyway. She soon realizes he is taking advantage of her by selling her to dozens of men each
day. Once she realizes this, she tells him she wants out and he threatens her with a gun.
The writer also gives us hard facts about sex trafficking in our community. They tell us
that Atlanta, Georgia is the core city in the U.S., generating $290 million in revenue annually.
They believe that the reason Atlanta is so popular is because the city is so large, and the airport is
one of the busiest in the world. Sex trafficking and illegal sex rings are growing more and more
prominent each year, and if we dont do something to stop the industry, it will continue to grow.
In reading this we can see that sex trafficking has many different faces. Even those that
we trust will use us only for their benefit. Sex trafficking isnt always a person being kidnapped,
drugged, and held against their will. Many victims of sex trafficking dont even want to receive
help, even when a clean, sober life if promised to them.

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"END IT Movement." Learn about END IT Movement. http://enditmovement.com/ END IT, n.d
Web. 2 Aug. 2014.
END IT Movements website brings light to the cruel industry which is human slavery.
They show us the facts on just how many people are affecting by this each and every single day.
This problem affects people not just in third world countries. This problem affects our
community right here in Atlanta, Georgia.
Atlanta is one of the busiest cities, and it continues to grow. With that being said, Atlanta
is also the home of one of the busiest airports in the Nation. This busy airport is only minutes
away from many of us, and right there in that very airport is the number one place for sex
trafficking to take place. It allows traffickers to send and pick up their slaves and disappear
within a matter of minutes without any trail of evidence.
The purpose of this website is to raise awareness, not just to the people who live in metro
Atlanta, but across the United States, and the 167 other countries being affected by this torturous
crime. END IT has partnered with many large companies, as well as famous icons (such as
Carrie Underwood, Mike Fisher, David Crowder, and Kyle Korver) to shed light to their
followers on the truths of sex trafficking. This message END IT is trying to convey is for
everyone. We need to stand up together for those who have been enslaved, so that they may find
freedom again.

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"Facts on Human Trafficking and Sex Slavery | Soroptimist." Human Trafficking Facts.
http://www.soroptimist.org/trafficking/faq.html Soroptimist, n.d. Web. 8 Aug. 2015.
This website is meant to empower women and to give us facts about modern sex slavery
and trafficking. Men who are trafficked are sent into workplaces, while women and children are
more often sold into prostitution and pornography. "Not all slaves are trafficked, but all
trafficking victims are victims of slavery." This article tells us that you can be forced into slavery
without being trafficked. Trafficking means the person is taken away from what they know to be
familiar, and sent somewhere where they may not know of or understand the language. Being in
slavery means you are in bondage to another human or multiple humans, and that you dont have
the means of getting out.
Human trafficking is a $3.2 billion a year industry, and affects more than 2.5 million
people across the world. Human and sex trafficking is the worlds oldest injustice, and it is
constantly overlooked as abuse and slavery. This type of abuse is not just sexual; it is physical
and mental as well.
Sex trafficking comes in many forms. It takes place in many impoverished countries,
because jobs arent readily available, and women can turn to the sex industry to make money.
Their work may be obvious, such as street prostitution, working in strip clubs, or brothels, and
sometimes even spas. Sometimes women and children are kidnapped and forced against their
will to be trafficked into this slavery. These slaves can even be sold by people they trust, such as
their family or boyfriends with promises of marriage or an education and a better life.
The people who benefit from this illegal crime are pimps and traffickers. Though
trafficking is illegal in nearly every country, it is a lucrative industry. They may even take on

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firearms and smuggling of drugs as a way to make more money. Traffickers sell these women
and children to many different types of men, rich poor, married, unmarried, and every different
race. Women are thought to be items and not people. This makes selling them for mens gain
much easier.
Victims of sex slavery may spend the rest of their lives carrying around the burden and
shame of the things they went through. They may even have to fight PTSD, anxiety, and
insomnia, and often times turn to alcohol and drugs to numb the pain of their past. This is so sad
to me. We dont take into consideration the lives of others. We are merely out for ourselves. We
dont take the time to think what someone else may be going through, or try to understand the
pain they have endured.
As I continue my research, I would like to know what can be done to stop sex trafficking.
Not only is sex trafficking a problem, but many other problems result from it. Issues such as,
breaking down of government authority, straining the public health system, money laundering,
and smuggling of illegal drugs and weapons often arise with the movement of traffickers. How
can we raise awareness in our own community to an issue that is much bigger than we think?

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"Findings- Global Slavery Index 2016." Global Slavery Index. Global Findings,
http://www.globalslaveryindex.org/findings/ n.d. Web. 2 Jan 2015.
The Global Slavery Index is a website that tells us exactly what sex trafficking and
modern slavery is. It gives us countless statistics on just how prevalent sex trafficking is. It is
estimated that 167 countries participate in sex trafficking in one way or another. Sex trafficking
rings not only target women and girls, as young as 12 years of age, but also young men and boys.
Sex trafficking directly affects more than 60,000 people nationwide and over 2.5 million
worldwide
.

There are 5 main counties that support modern slavery. An estimated 58% of people

enslaved live in India, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Uzbekistan. Some are forced to work,
while others are forced to marry, or be sex slaves. Countries with the least amount of slavery and
trafficking are Norway, Denmark, Switzerland, Austria, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. It
is believed that the reason they are so low, is because these countries are wealthier, more stable,
and are willing to stand up against slavery.
Global Slavery Index does a great job of showing us the big picture, and helping us
understand exactly who this affects. Every country has some form of slavery and some are more
proactive than others in trying to combat these issues. It really makes you think, after seeing a
number like 45.8 million that this is no small issue and it needs to be resolved immediately.

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"Free the Slaves." Free the Slaves. N.p., n.d. http://www.freetheslaves.net/buildingawareness/books/ Web. 9 Oct. 2016.
Free the Slaves is more than a website dedicated to building awareness to sex trafficking
and human slavery. They are an organization devoted to spreading the word, raising money, and
making a change. They have raised money for this cause, and have workers in Nepal, India,
Ghana, Haiti, and Congo. They form groups of leaders and manage conferences advocating the
freedom of those people enslaved. They want each and every slave to break free from this
terrible act, so that they may have a better life. There are countless stories from former slaves on
the website, to bring hope to people who have dedicated their lives to helping these innocent
people.
They tell us that slavery brings in $150 billion to traffickers annually. 78% of these slaves
are laborers, 22% are sex slaves, and 26% are children under the age of 18. In 2015, 74
traffickers were arrested, 1,106 slaves were freed, and 327,135 people were reached due to
educating on the matter. There are places on the website where you can watch videos, read
books, and donate to the cause. DC United soccer team is doing their part in helping educate
people on human trafficking and slavery.
What a great way to get the word out. Without organizations like Free the Slaves, not
nearly as many people would be reached or know the pain these people go through in slavery.
Without Free the Slaves, slavery and trafficking would continue to grow instead of depreciate.

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"Out of Darkness." Home Comments. https://outofdarkness.org N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Oct.

2016.
Out of darkness is a website that tells us the truths of sex trafficking. The average age of
young girls that are exposed to trafficking are between the ages of 11-14, and many do not live
more than 7 years in the industry, due to homicide, suicide, STD's, and drug overdose. Sex
slavery leads to more things than just exploitation of women; It leads to drugs, abortions, and
death. In 2006, human trafficking was the second leading crime in the world, only behind drug
trade.
Because the industry generates so much revenue, some large companies are willing to
overlook the horrible acts, and even go as far as helping these traffickers. Some Planned
Parenthood locations has been caught performing abortions on girls that are only 13 years old
and some even younger. They would rather turn their head the other way, than to stand up for
what they know is morally right.
In researching this website, it really put things in perspective for me. Many people are
only out for themselves and to get rich. They would rather let other people get raped, murdered,
overdose, etc. than they would to get a job earning an honest living. What has our society come
to? How can we expose these large companies as well as these horrible people who are inflicting
this slavery on others? How can we make this stop?