Thursday, September 27, 2012

MWF 9am

19 comments:

Kevin Paz said...

I wasn't really surprised to see that 38% (the highest percentage on the pie graph) of human trafficking is the one with sexual exploitation. It's very primitive if you ask me. The way I see it, certain people in society are always going to look for ways to get what they want, even if it means by force. It all goes back to having control and setting yourself apart from the rest of the people around you. There seems to be a very high correlation between violence, drug-use, trafficking, exploitation, etc, with countries that have poor education systems and are in poverty. When there is no money and little education, there tends to be an any-means-necessary sort of approach to things. The only way to combat these atrocities is to first raise awareness, educate everyone on the matter, and especially unite everyone as a whole to help stop these problems.

The only thing is..when certain places, like the Arabian countries for example, have these laws and/or mentality that certain groups of people are minuscule compared to the rest of the world..how do we intervene? It takes time to change people's mind about "tradition" or something people are not exactly used to, but the outcome is definitely worth it. And on top of that, if we somehow help each other out by showing them that you can't take advantage of the vulnerable, then that is another step forward on having equality and could lead to a better way of life for everyone.

-Kevin Paz

Anonymous said...

Human trafficking is not something new, it has been happening for a long time now. It’s a pandemic that is going around the world. People know it exists, but tend to ignore the fact that it’s everywhere. Movies have come out which emphasize on the situation, however, people tend to not want to believe things like these are happening all around us. But the sad truth is that Asia is not the only one who’s experienced something like this. Kids are being trafficked and sexually exploited every day, same goes for women and men. Most of the children tend to be runaways from foster homes, or come from troublesome homes where they are not treated like a kid should be treated. Sometimes even the own children’s parents will sell their kids for drugs. It is sad to even think about such things, but they are happening and something must be done. The government is trying to put a stop to human trafficking. Places like Kristi’s house have been created. Here girls that are victims of sexual exploitation will be in a safe environment. But is this enough? Of course not, we must, as a society, become more aware of the situation. We must do anything and everything it takes to stop this monstrosity from continuing.

Yagna Viera

Anonymous said...

Selling your child, wife or husband in any situation for money or drugs should not be in the answer. In the case of Asia Graves it truly is sad that it takes this type of story to realize that this sort of thing is occurring often anywhere and everywhere. Human trafficking, prostitution or however you may want to call it is destroying us as a whole. More girls are getting into prostitution and or being forced into servitude but no one is doing anything about it. We see it in our media all the time but don’t stop and think unless it says something like “These events are based on a true story.” If these people were offered help or more places to go for support then they wouldn’t have to sell themselves for money. In my opinion the government should enforce laws and establish penalties to anyone who’s producing this market of exploitation because no one should have to live a life with such pain.

By: Krizia Santana

Teresa Liberatore said...

Approaching the issue at hand, I was reluctant to focus my response entirely around the facts of sexual exploitation exclusively. There are so many other social problems attached to this issue--commonly hand in hand with prostitution, drug trafficking, crime organizations, oppressive patriarchic customs, etc. Naturally, I was reluctant to play devils advocate. I realized that there is no room for judgement, when searching for answers, or a solution. Thus I chose a more inductive method--I looked at the facts, reviewed many propositions, and subjectively sought out information pertinent to exploitation, oppression, general facts about the demography. What kind of people are involved? What is there place in society? Where is the issue most prominent? More importantly, what is the economic state of the region being analyzed? I tried to look for necessary and sufficient conditions to some of the issues. It is easy to get tangled in the domino effect each question has on the other--one question begs another question. It is crucial that the economical state of the environment. Factoring poverty, social strata, moral relativism, necessary and sufficient conditions for crime, the equation is infinite. Researching areas with the lowest rates of these crimes can be a first step in strategizing an effective compare and contrast model. Interestingly enough, the political and economical quandaries attribute to a higher mortality rate.

Anonymous said...

Some years ago, I remember writing an essay entiled "Dark Chocolate" on the exploitation of children in cocoa plaintations throughout Cote d'Ivoire in Africa; and how the product of their slave labor was shipped to the finest chocolatiers around the world. Many were kdnapped from neighborin Mali or were taken fromt ehir parents with lies,or even just bought. This is but a snapsot of the larger problem of human trafficking but it serves to illustrate a very important point: The engines of misery are ignorance and want. Be it a child slave in Africa, a Russian woman brought as a prostiute to Japan or an Indian worker in Saudi Arabia, many people become easy prey for human traffickers because they are desperate to exit the cycle of poverty or they are ignorant of what they are getting into. Thankfully, many governments and corporations are becoming aware of the prevalenc eof this illegal trade and are taking measures to control it. The chocoloate industry, for instance, has introduced new reuations and certification processes around the cocoa that it imports from Africa, while the media has been exposing the horrors of sexual exploitation in human trafficking. Yet, it must be recognized that such measures, as good as they are, do not deal with the root of the problem. As long as there is a demand for slaves, be they sex workers, child soldiers or domestic servants, there will always be uscrupulous people willing to trade in their fellow humans. Powe ove rothers is, after all, the greatest temptetion of humanity. The best way, I believe, to tackle this issue, is to deal with the supply: those poor people who, out of poverty or ignorance, become the victims of human trafficking. Education and the creation of opportnities around the world are the best way to prevent people from habing to enter the trade in the first place. This is not something that any single nation can do alone, every nation must do what it can to end this unjust trade. I know that this entails a sacrifice but if we are to uphold the dignity of man and freedom as our ideals, then we are compelled to make this sacrifice. Such an attitude is possible,even in other cultures, as shown by the case of Baharin abandoning the disenfranchising Kafala system. It is a small stepin the right direction and if it can happen in the Arabian countrues, it can happen anywhere. We must remeber that the trade in humans not only damages the victims, it also damages the consumers-if not at aphysical level, then at least at a moral level. Until slavery is no longer allowed to flourish as it does now, I do not think that we can reference any part of the globe and call it "the free world". We have but one world and we are all connected.

-Marlon I. Morraz

Unknown said...

Just the idea of human trafficking is awful, now living being force to work in mines and farms, women and girls trapped in the sex trade, force to domestic service. I think that this is the most disturbing thing in the world. Human trafficking separates and kills entries families in order to use one or some members of the family for human trafficking especially the kids that are worthed more and this is not right not kid or adult has to be an slave of any kind. In my opinion we need more education more campaigns to educate people, because if everyone has knowledge about human trafficking we can have a better society

Cindy Castro

Ashley Pierre said...

I never knew that human trafficking was still a huge issue but after reading the blog I realize it is a problem that still needs to be addressed. I wish that there can be an easy solution to this but unfortunately, there isn’t any. Not all countries have political systems that are formed the way Untied States political system is formed. We enforce many things that can help the safety of our citizens, but other countries sometimes care less. I don’t have a solution because my explanation is actually Disney filled. Usually, a president can stick their two cents in and help resolve an issue with another leader of a country but that may create a lot of controversy. But they surely do need help from another country that has more structure because not all countries can handle it their selves. People shouldn't have to undergo a very evil act and not have any hope towards freedom. We made it happen when it came to the Kimberley Process (Blood Diamonds). So we have to find ways to create an act that can save many lives from being ruined. It can all start with one idea being spread out to millions of people.

Ashley Pierre

Julien Leon said...

Some people call it slavery, some call it human trafficking. Sadly no matter the name, it’s been happening for hundreds of years only now people choose not to see it. Even though it just a movie, the film Taken starring Liam Neeson portrays a glimpse into what modern day slavery. The fact that over 2.5 million people are trafficked every year around the world is a startling fact and on top of that 80% of them are women and children; hearing that fact should make your skin cringe. Yet the global market for this activity is around $42.5 billion annually so obviously something’s not working correctly. Granted different countries have different opinions and different laws and rules when it comes to everything. Not everyone thinks like the US does. Now even with that fact, I believe this issue, along with others, should be brought up in the UN meetings and should be broadcasted across the globe. We may be Americans and they may be European but the bottom line is that we’re all human so therefore we’re all equal. We all deserve happiness, to an extent and the fact that children are being taken from their homes and thrown into a 3rd world country as soldiers is downright wrong.

Unknown said...

it's a very bad story, but this is right and people have to be aware of it. They could teach their children how to act in certain situations. If the person is homeless, or a child doesn't have parents, then goverment should take care of it. They do everything to stop using drugs, enact different laws against it, but very small amount of people care about human trafficking. people can join in different clubs and help the community to understand what a serious problem are we facing today. press should care less about celebrities' lives and concentrate more on global problems, because nowadays the youth likes to read something about je lo, or some other well-known people rather than investigating what's going on in the world. In my opinion, press has the most power in bringing awareness to the population.

Unknown said...

Human trafficking has been going on for many years and should be put to an end. But in order to help another country we must first help ourselves. Although human trafficking is illegal in America, many young children are suffering in the hands of their own uncles, step fathers or even step mothers and no one ever finds out. I believe people in Asia are so accustomed to this problem that it’s kind of a way of life. Who are the men and women taking advantage of these kids because human trafficking is not a one way street. Asia must first address their own issues before we address them. Children should not be treated as property and things should be done to resolve the issue. As stated “the global market for this activity is estimated at approximately $ 42.5 billion annually”, how did it get this far? Would the problems be solved even if we found a solution? Or is the damage already done?

Ashantis Smith

Ambar Prieto said...

I was not surprised by reading this facts about human trafficking. This has been going on for years and it look like it will never come to an end.Its actually horrifying knowing that thousands of men, women and children are being used and forced to do all this . What is more horrifying is that by just having power and money these people are able to buy victims and have control over them.The Human trafficking doesn't discriminate on the basis of race, age, gender, or religion. Anyone can be a victim. Most of the human trafficking victims in the world are female and under 18. While poverty, lack of education, and belonging to a marginalized group are all factors that increase risk of trafficking, victims of modern day slavery have included children from middleclass families.Products you eat ,wear ,and use everyday may have been made by human trafficking victim . The ugly part is that we had been trying to stop this for years and it seems unstoppable .

Anonymous said...

Sexual-slavery is agaisnt what this country stands for. This country is one nation under God. We trust in God and we know that this is a disgrace to our nation. We as people of fairness and repect to man kind need speak out and let our voice be heard.I believe the social service department around the nation should be allow to educate the youth about these issues and give a solution to their problems. Tell a hungry persons you be ok with given him something to eat is not helping him. One can't help many, but many can help one.Kidnapping is what it is and its a crime and it can be stopped.Let's continue to talk about it , until something is done. By Berlisa Knowles

Anonymous said...

Around the world, human traffickers trick many people into slavery by false promises of good jobs or good education, not only to find themselves forced to work without pay, under the threat of violence. Sometimes slaves are hunted by local police and private security guards if they try to escape, sometimes slaves don’t even understand that they’ve enslaved, despite people working 16 to 17 hours a day with no pay. I also think that every government for every country should put severe laws to control and protect people and every individual that commits this crime should be given the death penalty. Their bodies grow weak and vulnerable to diseases, but they have nothing to compare their experience to. It is also unfortunate that the media ever questions about trafficking. It allows for salacious reporting, blaming foreigners and shady activity. A key point is that on the sidelines that adult prostitutes themselves are not being listened to. They oppose laws against prostitution, but no one wants to listen to the prostitutes themselves. The media and government never ask the prostitutes themselves what would help them in terms of laws.

Amarilis Martinez

Erika Davis said...

Treating humans as just objects and nothin of meaning has been going for centuries. From the time of the Egyptian to the years of african American slavery, humans have had humans under control. You can say its inherently in our nature to have others under control. We love the feeling of power. In the world our primary goal in life is to reach the top and that means a lot of different things to differ people but the common denominator to reach these goals is money. Money can get you anything to want and people will try anything to get the money they need. Not saying human trafficking is a right means to earn money but if its a family tradition or what the person was raised up around they will use that illegal option to earn money instead of get a legit source of income. For example, the average kid growing up in the projects is more likely to steal and rob than to get a job to earn money because that the kind of influence he's been surrounded by. The trafficking epidemic is impossible to stop. The epidemic is too influential.

Erika Davis

Anonymous said...

I think with an issue like human trafficking the first step has to be awareness. To be quite honest, this is not a topic I feel comfortable discussing because I really do not know much about it except that it happens and that it is ignored by the media. Even after reading the articles, I can see that this is a topic that is very deeply underground, and as such it is hard to investigate because of the way that world is closed up. In order to do something about this and not harm the women and children in this situation, first we need to find a way to bring this topic to light in a way that doesn’t exploit the children or the women. Although most times it is best to put a face on heavy topics like this, I think it can cause more harm than good for the others that are unfortunately being trafficked.

My understanding is that the men involved in this are deeply misogynistic and this is one of their ways to express their control over these women. I think that this is one of the reasons that these types of stories are not in the forefront, since it happens in other countries that are not the United States (although it happens here as well,) it’s hard to not overstep one’s boundaries when it comes to dealing with a different culture, no matter how deeply twisted and hateful these individuals’ minds are. The media tends to ignore stories dealing with people of color, especially women, and this why it is still ignored; it’s also not very “glamorous.” This is a story which is hard to swallow and split up into easily digestible pieces for the daily news.

Regarding child soldiers, this again is a topic that is very difficult to comment on, because I don’t know enough to offer a viable solution. I read a book a couple of years ago titled, A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier, and while it gave me some insight on what goes on in the minds of these children, it was still very personal and it is an isolated experience amongst many. The reason I mention it is because for me it had the effect of putting a face on this issue, although it was difficult for me to understand because it was so far removed from my cultural experience. I also feel ignorant toward the conflict itself, so it’s hard for me to opine. What I will say is that we need to extradite the women, children, and few men that are being trafficked and give them an opportunity to reach resources such as education and intense mental health care.

Overall, I feel like this is something that should be covered in the media, no matter how difficult the subject matter, because if we don’t know about it, then we will never be able to take the steps to resolve this issue.

-Marianny De Leon

Anonymous said...

It's sad that human trafficking is still going on in then twenty first century. Reading the charts and the numbers being so high is actually scary. Children in these third world countries are being sold for money because they don't have the education they need. The thought we the people know that they are exploiting and are not doing anything to make a change. We need to educate these people and give a helping hand to the needy. todays society doesn't want the face the fact that this is still going on, instead they focus all their energy on the non important stuff of the media. It's never to late to make the change these people need us to make to help them.

Evelyn Pedroso

Odalis Amaya said...

Throughout the years, human trafficking has becoming one of the biggest pandemics aside from swine flu. I see this issue as a disease that doesn't seem to stop spreading all over the Mideastern coast. I'm happy to say we live in a country like the United States that provides safety to our citizens but other countries aren't so lucky. Unfortunately, many countries couldn't care less about the value of a woman's body. The thought of a woman's body or any body for that matter being used for sexual purposes gives me chills. Not to mention. Moreover, issues such as poverty, lack of education, among others play factors on the result of human trafficking. Another sad fact about this issue is that some of the products we use on a daily basis such as clothes, are made by some of these victims. Can we be put to blame as well? We are the ones wanting to put a stop to this issue yet we're using products made by these victims. I mean, is there no sense of guilt here? We all have to think about these things not just how its a rising issue. On a social networking site, I've seen campaigns about this issue and promoting to buy a shirt to help this cause, I mean does this really bring a solution? For now, all we can really do is raise more awareness than we already have and maybe take more action than just a campaign. We are a great nation, we've conquered many things maybe we can add human trafficking to our list of accomplishments as a country.

Stephanie Blanco said...

People all over the world should become aware that human trafficking does not only occur in certain parts of the world but spreading to all over the world. It is true the media pretty much ignores this issue that may not seem like a big deal to them but it sure is because more and more children and women are being abused, harassed and used by force. The news can talk about many horrible things that can be happening and make it seem even worse when there are other things in need to be published.

Who knows how long human trafficking has been going on but until now it has been come to more of an open topic from what I see. Why may it be happening more in the Mideast than other parts in the world? Maybe because of the culture or most probably it is the class poorness. Not in every country there is a freedom of continuing education with help of the government or scholarships. So, some children start working in this industry thinking it will help them earn enough for it or better than going to school. Others are tricked into it and get tortured and forced into staying there or get killed if they do not do what they are told by those men running the industry of trafficking.
To those poor victims going through this it will cause them pain and low self esteem. I could not imagine how sad their life may be and the torture it may even cause them to commit suicide. Those bombers are formed to attack other countries to try to fight for more money. Money is a huge thing in this world. It seems as though sometimes money is worth more than life itself.
A solution would be to help spread the world and raise awareness to help stop this horrible pandemic


-Stephanie Blanco

Stephanie Blanco said...
This comment has been removed by the author.