A Short Introduction into Human Trafficking

Going, going…gone? Dinosaurs Gramophones Slaves? Many things have come and gone, such as dinosaurs and gramophones. Can you think of any others? Most people think slavery is a thing of the past, but is it?

The Slave Trade 1562: First English slaving expedition Over 12 million African slaves trafficked over 400 years People forced, deceived, and sold into exploitation The history of humanity is a history of slavery. This intensified from the sixteenth century onwards. The first recorded English slaving expedition was in 1562, although the trans-Atlantic slave trade had already begun by then. In its four hundred year history, it is estimated that over twelve million African slave were trafficked to the Americas. Men, women, and children were forced, deceived, and sold into slavery. Many of them died en route.

Increasing concern in late 18th century The Abolitionists Increasing concern in late 18th century Former slaves e.g. Olaudah Equiano Church leaders e.g. Thomas Clarkson Female reformers e.g.Hannah More Parliamentarians e.g. William Wilberforce This slave trade began to raise increasing concern in the eighteenth century. A huge variety of people began to campaign for the abolition of slavery. These included former slaves such as Olaudah Equiano, who was freed and wrote of his experiences; church leaders such as Thomas Clarkson, who was one of the first abolitionists and did a lot of research in Africa; female reformers such as Hannah More, who campaigned for the freedom of child slaves in British mines; and parliamentarians such as William Wilberforce, who worked tirelessly in parliament to bring about the right legislation. Yet these moves only criminalised slavery – the existence of slaves continues today.

Modern-Day Slavery Debt bondage: trapped in loans and repayments to survive Descent slavery: born into discriminated group Domestic servitude: hidden abuse of workers Forced child labour: arms, drugs, sex, work, begging, religious sacrifices, fraud Modern-day slavery is unfortunately alive and well. There are more slaves now than there were in the trans-Atlantic slave trade, and it now takes many different forms. Debt bondage is when people are trapped in a cycle of taking out loans and making repayments in an effort to escape poverty. Descent slavery is when people are born into a discriminated group, such as the Dalits of India or groups in Niger. Domestic servitude is when people are deceived and abused whilst working for someone else. Forced child labour is when children are coerced into trading and using guns, drugs, sex, forced labour, begging, religious sacrifices, and fraud.

People Trafficking People taken by deception or violence for exploitation Fastest growing form of global organised crime The second largest source of income for organised crime 80% of victims are female and 50% are children Commercial and sexual exploitation Every country either a source, transit, or destination for trafficking People trafficking is the taking of people by deception or violence from their homes for exploitation. People trafficking is the fastest growing means by which people are trapped in slavery. It is the fastest growing form of organised crime, with at least one person being trafficked across international borders every minute. That’s the equivalent of five jumbo jets full every day. It is the largest source of income for organised crime, worth more than seven hundred pounds per second, or over twenty billion pounds a year. That’s more than Microsoft makes, and twice the turnover of Coca Cola. Eighty percent of victims are female and fifty percent are children, thus making the majority of victims teenage girls. They are trafficked for forced labour and sexual exploitation, mainly by organised gangs for profit. Trafficking affects every country in the world, whether it be a source country where victims are trafficked from, a transit country where victims are trafficked through, or a destination country where people are trafficked to. People trafficking is not then and there, but right here, right now.

An Example: STOP THE TRAFFIKOver 800 partners in over 50 countries Businesses Charities Education bodies Community & faith groups STOP THE TRAFFIK is an example of a growing global coalition, with over 800 hundred member organisations working in over fifty countries, campaigning to stop human trafficking through education, advocacy, and fundraising. Coalition members include businesses, charities, schools, universities, community groups, as well as many faith groups. The photo is of a community group from North Wales who meet regularly to discuss local and global issues.  At their April meeting they discussed the issues relating to trafficking.  Various workshops were held during the day to introduce the group to the issue, including creating a poverty trap, discussing individual experiences of young people who have been trafficked and creating a freedom chain.  The group then presented their freedom chain to their local MP Hywel Williams at a charity Coffee Morning.

What can you do ?

Increasing Awareness: Education Respond to the Community of Christ World Conference Resolution 1295 by conducting classes, seminars and dialogue sessions Check out reputable anti-trafficking websites for more information www.stopthetraffik.org http://www.againstourwill.org/videos http://www.ungift./knowledgehub Get friends, organisations congregation to hold awareness raising events, stunts, talks You can increase awareness through education. Get yourself up to speed by checking out reputable websites for more information. Tell others by holding awareness raising events, stunts, talks, and the like.

Increasing Pressure: Advocacy Write to and meet your local and national politicians about people trafficking and STOP THE TRAFFIK You can increase the pressure on authorities by advocating on behalf of all persons trafficked. Every area is affected by people trafficking, so write to and meet your local and national politicians about people trafficking.

Increasing Support: Fundraising Donate directly to reputable ANTI-TRAFFIK campaigns Watch for Community of Christ action plans You can increase support for anti-trafficking projects around the world by fundraising. You can support reputable campaigns, often donating directly on advocate's websites. For example you can also support one of the Global Projects that have been referred to already or others featured on the Stop The Traffik website.

The Chocolate Campaign TRAFFIK FREE GUARANTEES? 40% of chocolate is from West Africa's Cote d’Ivoire Over 12,000 children are trafficked onto plantations Some cocoa industries now guarantee some products are slave-free Call for a TRAFFIK FREE GUARANTEE on the chocolate you eat The Chocolate Campaign is a unique way that you can help STOP slavery and trafficking. Nearly half of the chocolate that we eat in western countries comes from Cote d’Ivoire in West Africa. At least twelve thousand children have been trafficked into slavery on cocoa plantations from countries like Mali. While things are starting to change, the cocoa industry and the chocolate companies STILL cannot guarantee that ALL their products have not been made by these trafficked child slaves. Call for a TRAFFIK FREE GUARANTEE on the chocolate that you eat – see Fair Trade and other associations websites for details on this growing success! Copy right International Labour Rights Fund

Successes Achieved Already Feb 28, 2007-school children demonstrate against Nestle July 2007-BBC produce 2-part series on issue Feb 13, 2008 Salvation Army’s STOP THE TRAFFIK demand slave free chocolate July 28, 2008-Royal Verkade declare all its products now ‘slave-free’ Oct 11, 2008-Cadbury announce its ‘Dairy Milk Chocolate line’ will conform – it does so Oct 2009 Late 2008-MARS relents for Mars Bars only by 2010 – its whole range by 2020 Dec 7, 2009-Nestle finally conforms for Kit Kats by January 2010 and whole range by 2020 Here is the history of how a few began this growing success within the chocolate industry

Now It's Your Turn www.stopthetraffik.org PowerPoint presentation Declaration and petitions Good Chocolate Guide Youth group sessions Posters and flyers Press releases and template Fundraising ideas Trafficking stories and links to others Video downloads Now it’s your turn. There are lots of resources out there. As an example, a visit to this website will show you what you can use to increase awareness, increase pressure, and increase support, so that more and more people can get involved in helping prevent the sale of people. Together we can STOP THE TRAFFIK.