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Human Trafficking, Refugees and Displaced Persons: What Terms to Use

In the last nine months, the press has put some miles on the word “refugee.” They’ve used the word to describe people fleeing the Syrian civil war, people who are internally displaced and the boat people of Myanmar. Many would not hesitate to use th

Backpage.com v. Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart

Back in 2009, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart sued Craigslist, an online classified ads site, and charged that it knowingly promoted prostitution via its Erotic Services section. Dart wanted Craigslist to be held responsible for the sex ads posted on it

Restavek Freedom in Haiti - Rose

“In 2010, you know the earthquake [happened]. And my mom was dead. So, I was in a camp of men and women, and they took care of me. And then I met a woman named Anna. She was with the organization IOM (International Organization for Migration), and sh

Forced Labor in Fishing Boats

“I was born into poverty. I tried to study and go to school. After that, I tried to receive work and earn an income. So, I applied to a Thai company. I didn’t know I was going to be trafficked. For two years, I worked in the Thai company’s boats in B

Anti-Trafficking Education in High Schools

“As an ordinary person, what can I do to combat human trafficking?” This is a question I have been asked before, and my response to people is to get involved by using your gift. If you are a quilter, give those quilts to places that are trying to hel

Want to Volunteer for an Antislavery Organization? Ask These Questions First.

Volunteering time and expertise are great ways to support antislavery and anti-trafficking organizations. However, it’s essential to think through the implications of your participation in a particular organization, program and community. Before taki

Hyatt Removes On-Demand Porn

The attached article from the Los Angeles Times reporting that Hyatt has become the latest hotel company to remove on-demand porn in their rooms represents another welcome indication that businesses are increasingly taking steps to play the role they

How It’s Made: Child Labor, Bonded Labor Brewing Your Cup of Coffee

If you spend $3.00 at a coffee shop every work day, you’d be paying over $700.00 a year for coffee alone. That might be a steep price to pay for your daily dose of caffeine, but is it worth it? More importantly, does the price accurately reflect the

What the Human Trafficking Movement Can Learn from the AIDS Movement Success

The anti-human trafficking world loves its statistics. They sound so dramatic, don’t they? You can hear them passed around at dinner parties, anti-slavery trainings and you might even hear one on a C-SPAN senate hearing. Nothing gets people excited l

A Culture of Judgement

If there’s one constant surrounding modern-day intercultural relations, especially in regard to the global slave trade, it’s an overarching culture of judgment. It is impossible to achieve true social justice when our personal judgments and biases cl