An Enslaving Oath

It is a pledge that binds one’s mind, body and soul. It obligates one to obey until the “debt” is paid. This curse has been placed upon those who are trafficked to instill fear. This ritual comes from the traditional West African religion called Juju. The oath consists of mixing the girls pubic hair along with her blood. It is a dark form of juju not to be taken casually, if one disobeys the oath, it is believed that she and her family will be killed.

They are tricked by the allure of a better life in Europe. So they eagerly swear to this oath. However these juju priests who perform the ritual are subjecting the women into slavery. Is it a tradition or a hoax? The people involved in the trafficking of these women do not need muscles to scare the girls. These women are compelled by Juju, not physical violence. When they arrive in Europe their fate reaches them. They are sex slaves, and now told they will not return home until they pay back what they owe for coming to Europe. According to Al Jazeera the price the girls “owe” ranges from 30,000 euro’s to 60,000. They can never afford to pay this back because whatever money they receive is collected from them, and the madam who is in charge of the girls also charges rent, food, and clothing.

They fear the Juju. To fearful to ever flee. They are stuck. But who are we as outsiders to claim whether or not these traditions are true. To judge their beliefs. To say why don’t they escape, the juju is not real, it cannot harm them. It is their belief, and what one believes is just as dangerous as a man with a gun. But the juju priest involvement in the enslaving oath is questionable. They profit from the girls taking this oath, and manipulate their power. Where is the line drawn between tradition and oppression? This practice is very common in Edo a state of Nigeria and now churches that have popped up in the region that are also cashing in on this ritual. This perverted use of the religion has contributed greatly to the Nigerian women who are sex slaves in Europe and other parts of the world.

Photo Credit:http://thespiritualweek.wordpress.com/2011/07/07/nigerian-juju-trafficking-case/

Justice for Killing?

Western civilizations are not aware of the phrase honor killing. In fact most Americans will disagree with putting a word such as honor and connecting it with murder. Nonetheless honor killing is common mostly within the Muslim and Middle Eastern world but also branches out to countries such as India. Honor killing is mainly cause by women being involved with fornication- engaging in sex before marriage.

“Annually their is 5,000 honor killings a year most being in the Muslim world.” (Kristof,82). This number is not accurate however because governments such as the Sudanese punish women who report rapes or seek out for medical treatment. Also a high number of honor killings are disguised as suicides or accidents to keep organizations such as Nation Organization for Women and Women's Advocates, Inc from bringing awareness outside of their country.

In Darfur Janjaweed militias gang raped women within three african tribes followed by cutting off their ears to mark them as rape victims forever. Rape is also used as a way to punish a family’s rival. A student Hawa, was gang raped and beaten by the Janjaweed her friend carried her to a clinic. As two french nurses were aiding her serveral police stormed into the clinic and arrested Hawa. The crime she is charged with is fornication. Her seeking treatment was acknowledging she had been engaging in sex before marriage.

Within the Muslim world and Middle East killing a women for the sake of a families name is most common. Most often the family is doing the killing themselves because their daughter has behaved immodestly or has fallen in love with a man of a lower caste.

Honor killing in India is caused mainly by women marrying outside their religion and a man in a lower cast or seeking divorce. If men marries a lower cast they can at times be recognized as a hero for standing up to their family. Other causes of honor killing include to camouflage murder, greed and want for money, to obtain property and land or to un pay loans. Most honor killings take place in countries in poverty.

Women living in fear with their life in the hands of family or a man. Honor killing violates the most basic rights, the right to life. Religion and Culture can not be excuses to kill women.

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It's a Man's World

China’s one-child policy was originally created to help minimize China’s already dense population. Created in 1979, it limited each family to only raising one son or daughter. Although successful in limiting the population, this policy has triggered an increase in the child sex trafficking industry. With government officials turning a blind eye, and the policy holding strong today, many female children are left without answers and looking for help.

China's long withstanding traditions and cultures have always placed more emphasis on the importance of men. Men are viewed as a key factor in helping care for their elders, and also can carry on the family name. Due to this gender discrimination, many families are choosing to raise males rather than females. Chai ling, founder of the group “All Girls Allowed" explains how this policy affects the families’ gender selection in children by saying “some families are taking this matter into their own hands by selectively aborting, abandoning, and selling their baby girls” And the sex trafficking industry is more than willing to pick up these children.

With families only being allowed one child, and most of them choosing to raise a son, many girl children are being sold as child brides. Although there is still a debate on whether forced child marriages are a form of slavery, one must consider what is asked of a child partaking in a forced marriage. In many cases, child brides are treated like indentured servants, working many hours without pay, raped, and left with no way of escape. These girls are also taken from their schools and families and denied any forms of education beyond their elementary schooling. The gender discrimination alongside the policy, limits women’s roles in society, and leaves them with little chance to prosper.

The One-child policy has also contributed to the sex trafficking industry by launching China’s population into an imbalanced gap between genders. With many families choosing to have one male as their child, the amount of girls there are to be wives is scarce. Ling says “There are approaching 40 million young men inside China who will not find a bride. So as a result of that, sex trafficking against girls and women are becoming a huge problem inside China." Although there are groups to help fight this growing trend, many people are still left ignorant to the effects of this policy on women and children. There is no quick fix to stop this problem, and no magical law that can reverse the damage that is done.But we are taking the first step in researching the industry and gaining information. The more we learn about the causes of the growing sex trafficking industry, the closer we get to abolishing it.

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photo credit: http://www.accschinese.com/accsblog/?tag=chinese-children

Slowly Becoming Human Again

People are learning to no longer make the assumption that slavery in the world ended with Emancipation in the 19th century. This is because this statement couldn't be more false. There are more slaves now than ever. Another error people are making is assuming that slavery ends with the simple act of escaping or being "released." This is as skewed as thinking slavery has been extinct for over a hundred years. Despite everything they have already endured, being freed is just the beginning of a long and arduous road for those released from bondage. One does not consider the aftermath of being liberated from slavery. The turning point from slave to free human being comes long after a slave escapes or is "released.” Unfortunately, without proper rehabilitation the chances are that this liberation will only end in starvation or re-enslavement.

Ex slaves need extensive care and compassion in order to successfully become a functioning part of society. Beyond the intensive psychotherapy they will need to feel like they are safe again, they also need dry ground to fall on. Without assistance such as food or even guidance back into a normal life, these freed people will most likely end up in bondage once more. These workers also need education, recognizing when they are being offered valuable employment or simply being manipulated back into captivity is key in avoiding the same awful situation.

In his book Disposable People: New Slavery in the Global Economy, Kevin Bales gives several anecdotes of slaves that had escaped captivity successfully. Uttar Pradesh is a state in northern India where bondage slavery and debt labor is commonly used. Activist working with vigilance committees there used their financial resources to provide the families of freed bondage slaves with sheep and chickens (along with instructions for their care). “A study two years later found 95 percent of the families had supplied enough earnings to support their families. Laborers need help getting settled and learning how to go through the routine of their new lives.” (Bales, 228) Despite everything they have suffered, these human beings are willing to get back on stable ground and provide for their families.

If free slaves are provided with rehabilitation, reintegration, protection, and prevention of re-victimization, they will be capable of being independent and successful living beings. Each one of these components is crucial to helping someone who was once disposable labor fall back into a stable routine and feel like a valued human life. Unfortunately this is not the case with most. Usually those freed from captivity will not have the resources they need to survive and out of desperation will end up enslaved once more. Unless something is done to help guide these laborers in their journey back to being human they will fall victim to this vicious cycle once more.

Photo Credit: Robin Romano

Lead By Example

The United States wants to be the “power house” of the entire world and with that America must lead by example. That dream isn't completely unreal, but the United States needs to start fixing the problems on our own ground. Child prostitution is alive on the streets of America. It’s a problem that should be addressed immediately by our country, because it will only grow larger if it’s not address soon.

The government has attempted to acknowledge the problem, but things haven’t subsided, as they should. In 2000 the Trafficking Victim Protection Act was passed, but there are still people who find ways around the law. In 2010 there were previsions added to the Act to help American citizens and along with the 10^th anniversary of the Act the United States was finally ranked in the Trafficking in Person Report, or TIPS. This report was made to be guidelines for other countries on how to deal with human trafficking. The ironic part of it is America is the country issuing the report, but was not reported upon till 2010.

One change that would help a great deal of the victims of child prostitution would be to have more educated police officers who know what to do when placed in a situation where children have become victims of sex crimes. The government is very busy all the time dealing with anything and everything, so there have been a handful of organizations that have taken matters into their own hands. A few of them are, Children of the Night, GEMs, Courtney’s House, and many others. Lastly, many victims of child prostitution in the United States have found these organizations and completely turned around their life, one of those amazing people being Carissa Phelps.

There are so many people that could use America’s help who actually live in America, our country needs to take strides to helping those here before we go saving the entire world.

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photography credit:

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Brides for Sale

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In many places all over the world marriage is viewed as a financial transaction. Women are treated as property, and bartered for like livestock, even being used to settle debts. Often times these women are underage and have no choice in their marriages. Women are assigned value based on their age, beauty, education, virginity, among many other things. Poverty is often a driving factor in these financial marriages. According to the New York Times About 1 in 7 girls in the developing world (excluding China) gets married before her 15th birthday” Sometimes girls are married off very young and sent to live with their in-laws and act as a servant, until they reach puberty, when they will consummate the marriage. Girls who find themselves in these marriages often face abuse at the hands of their husbands and in-laws. Often these young girls’ bare children before their bodies are ready, often ending in fatalities. The World Population Foundation says “Pregnancy, and its complications is a leading cause of death for young women aged 15 to 19.”

A few years ago there was a court case about a Triqui Indian man in Greenfield, California, who allegedly sold his 14 year old daughters hand in marriage to her 18 year old suitor for $16,000 and over 100 cases of beer and meat. The Father, Marcelino de Jesus Martinez was charged with human trafficking. The high profile case was significant because it could set a precedent for future cases dealing with bride selling. Paying a bride price is custom in indigenous Mexican communities. Bride selling is said to reduce break ups, due to the added value of the wife “"It is so the man gives value to his wife and so he won't easily leave her for another woman."”

                Even though bride selling is a traditional native custom, it is still a form of human trafficking. Not all traditions are good traditions.  These women are treated as property and are unable to leave their situations. Selling another person is a clear violation of human rights.

Good Intentions

Westerners such as Zana Briski, a photojournalist, traveled to Calcutta, India to view the lives of prostitutes in the Red Light District. While there, she became friendly with the children of the prostitutes, and introduced them to photography as an outlet from the brothels they were raised in. The problem lies with the fact that Ms. Briski may have exploited the children for her own purposes. She had the children photograph their lives and documented it formally. Surely, the parents were under the assumption that when the documentary won a renowned award the children would share in the glory and wealth. Sadly, this was not the case. There is much controversy surrounding the documentary. I strongly encourage you to take a moment to watch a clip from the documentary that I have provided here. In this clip, children were transported to the schools where Ms. Briski had them enrolled. Also, it shows when one child is given the opportunity to showcase his photography. At the end of clip, it gives information on the students that Ms. Briski “helped” the most. From this we can grasp that families are better off without the intervention of Westerners.



As westerners with ideal lives and hardly any struggles, we have the resources as well as the desire to help others we think aren’t as fortunate. However, our desires can shadow our ability to be practical. Many people who are in bad situations don’t want help from outsiders, and those who are trying to help should know their limits. When considering this phenomenon, the topic of prostitution and a child’s involvement in the trade arises. Typically, arguments focusing on prostitution form a negative aura around it, thus depicting it as taboo. In the instances when children are involved, people are more prone to intervene. Sometimes, actions are taken to keep children away from such distasteful activity. If you stop for a moment and think about the lack of resources available to these people, you will come to realize that this is their only hope for survival. Yes, there are organizations willing to help and schools that can educate the people. However, by looking at the bigger picture we see that those are long term assets. Many of these families live day to day on their earnings and some they don’t see the money they make. By taking their children from them, people are taking sources of revenue also. For many, living in the brothels with their children provides a steady income, food to eat, a sense of security, as well as a roof over their heads. By traveling to these countries, or even trying to help from the comforts of our homes, we are dabbling in issues we have little or no knowledge about.