Hope in Justice

One of those days...

2012-02-28T11:10:00.001-08:00

It's no secret I love India. It's been a year since I first made my way to Delhi and I have sung its praise faithfully. Today I cursed it not just once but over and over again. I felt what my friends warned be about feeling, utter frustration. Is another year in India going to do anything to actually fight the endless problem of child sex slavery? What's the point? I could be home with my family, friends, and New York eating real pizza and real bagels....instead of fighting the red tape of Delhi and waiting an hour to overpay an auto because the country is on (yet another) strike.

Yes, folks my honeymoon period is o-v-e-r.

There is are endless situations that I am upset eh frustrated about. The usual such as why it's so hard for the police to corporative with NGOs? Why can you rape someone, completely get away with it and it's blamed on the victim? Why can't I effect any change about anything? Why is it so unbelievably hard to have a "success" story in this work? Why can't people say, "please" and "thank you". So many other things but I'll stop there. You get it. This is a global problem and I'm working with a small grassroots organization that only does so much.
I had a rough morning fighting policies in India that to me don't make sense. I felt like I was banging my head against a wall that was never going to move. Sometimes the most frustrating part of living here is simply being an American. This is a completely different country and things work a whole lot differently. I'm not talking about bucket baths. I completely love how I live here but it's the policies, laws, rules, manners... that leave me longing for home and a land I understand. I feel like sometimes India makes it so hard to accomplish anything. There is a simpler way! And for crying out loud why can't you all stand in a line?
Luckily, I do know some pretty amazing people here who were able to not only pull me out of my dark and twisty place but were able to let me realize there is a probably a point to me being here. Yes, India kicked my ass today but tomorrow is a whole new day. Perhaps, the strike will end and autos will again roam the streets. Perhaps I'll begin to understand how things work here. Okay, let's get real probably not but perhaps I will be more flexible with my expectations and be able to handle what this country throws at me. Perhaps I will finally give up the dangerous word "why"....

Oh India... why?

Home sweet home.

2012-02-20T08:03:00.000-08:00

I am home! After many travels finally back in Delhi for the rest of this year. I got back to India on the 10th, spent a week in Kolkata then took the train home to Delhi. The time away gave me such a renewed focus. I mean how could you not come back 110% after sleeping in this:

just chilling in the rainforest

And waking up to this...

And back to this...

I mentioned this campaign in an earlier blog. The Indian Immoral Traffic Prevention Act (India's anti-trafficking law) has been failing to protect girls and women from sex trafficking. It criminalizes and stigmatizes trafficking victims and allows the true perpetrators of crime - traffickers, pimps, johns - to exploit women and children with impunity. Apne Aap has a signature campaign right now to appeal to the President in March to have amendments to this law that would protect the women. We want to have at least 10,000 signatures to present. We have about 6,500... so please I beg of you if you haven't signed this petition please sign. If you can share the link on your Facebook Twitter and any other cool social media that I am unaware us please do.
Here you can copy and paste this: In India alone 3 million women and girls are trapped in sex-trafficking. They are each forced on average to have sex with 10 men every night. That is 30 million rapes EVERY night in India alone.

Sign this petition to criminalize sex-traffickers, we're trying to reach 10k by March. It takes less than 30 seconds of your time:http://www.change.org/petitions/protect-girls-and-women-from-sex-trafficking

Living life to the fullest

2012-02-02T08:38:00.000-08:00

This is your life.
Do what you love, and do it often.
If you don’t like something, change it.
If you don’t like your job, quit.
If you don’t have enough time, stop watching TV.
If you are looking for the love of your life, stop.
They will be waiting for you when you start doing the things you love.
Stop over analyzing, life is simple.
All emotions are beautiful.
When you eat, appreciate every last bite.
Open your mind, arms, and heart to new things and people, we are united in our differences.
Ask the next person you see what their passion is, and share your inspiring dream with them.
Travel often.
Getting lost will help you find yourself.
Some opportunities only come once, seize them.
Life is about the people you meet, and the things you create with them.
So go out and start creating.
Life is short.
Live your dream and share your passion.

More of Nepal

2012-01-18T00:42:00.000-08:00

It is my last day here and it is sunny! I am sitting in a cafe in the tourist ghetto that is Thamel next to a kitten, drinking lemonade and listening to Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zero. I'm working on my plan for this year in Delhi. I have specific things I want to do while at Apne Aap and today I am writing down all my ideas and hoping to set a plan that is tangible and measurable so I can keep myself accountable. Eventually, once I make this plan of mine I hope to share them so I have people to keep me accountable too. But for now I am just thinking, dreaming and planning.

So Nepal right. I visited three NGOs Next Generation Nepal Shakti Samuha and Maiti Nepal.

NGN: Read Little Princes! It is a fantastic book detailing the start of this NGO. It was started by a 29 year old American who went to Nepal for a simple 2 month volunteering trip then couldn't get the children he met (and eventually discovered that they were victims of child trafficking) out of his head. He returned and started NGN which reintegrates children with their parents. They work primarily with the village children of Humla. Humla is a tiny mountainous village in the Northwest corner of Nepal, bordering Tibet. The story is so similar to mine (and not of course) that I found myself having, "I did that" moments. NGN has so many beliefs that I share such as children have the right to be raised by their own parents when its possible. I love that they focus on reconnecting families and have temporary housing for the children while they are working on reunification. There are huge challenges to overcome when reuniting families. The root cause that led these children isn't solved overnight-parents have serious economic challenges here. But, it is very encouraging to see an NGO trying to strengthen the families of these rural communities.

Shakti Samuha: Is the first NGO in Nepal to be run by survivors of trafficking. It has a very similar to Apne Aap as it focuses on empowering the women to want to leave on their own. They provide shelter, legal aid, vocational training and counseling. Their main emphasis is on prevention. They target the very same locations as the traffickers: for example, the slums of Kathmandu and the carpet factories surrounding the capital, and now expanding into more remote rural districts.

Maiti Nepal: this was by far the biggest, nicest shelter I have even seen. I have been in a lot of shelter homes and I literally had to pick up my jaw from the floor when I saw the facilities. Proof of what funding can do. They currently house 600 girls and about 20-30 infants and toddlers in their Kathmandu shelter. They also have three prevention houses and ten transit homes in Nepal/India border towns. I only saw the rehabilitation home in Kathmandu. They have a school and health clinic on sight. It was like a little town, a safe compound among the chaos of Kathmandu. The girls there are put into psycho social trauma, have legal services, and life skills training. I was surprised that most of the girls earn wages by working for Maiti Nepal such as working in the office or helping in the clinic, school , etc. They want to teach the girls trades by having them help run programs onsite. The "income generation program" girls making bags and home decor only has about 15 girls in Kathmandu. Each girl though is given a chance to earn a salary and it is based on the work they do. I had a million more questions for them regarding reintegration that I am still following up on. But, as far as NGOs go this one was impressive in many ways.

I'm out of power on my laptop so that is all for now.

Nepal.

2012-01-11T21:26:00.000-08:00

I am writing this snuggled under 4 blankets on my computer hoping to find wifi soon to actually post. The electricity in Kathmandu is very different than Delhi. So far the longest we have had electricity is 3 hours. The cuts are 11 or more hours followed by a few priceless hours of power. It is much colder than I thought it would be. Delhi is freezing cold right now but I have a heater and for some reason every little change in temperature even one degree you feel so much more drastically here. Being in Kathmandu has made me realize how much Delhi has to offer me. I have electricity (89% of the time, which now I think is a lot) a really fantastic flatmate, Internet, and even a Western toilet I am pretty comfortable. I have struggled with guilt as I see the fields of “mud huts” and hear stories about people here. I don’t think you have to be a martyr by any means to be an effective NGO worker but Nepal has really opened my eyes even more to realize the little things I take for granted.

Oh so I am in Nepal! Just for a few weeks then I will be travelling over to Thailand and Cambodia (through Laos). I originally planned this trip as my “visa run” trip. I had to leave India for a couple months and this was much cheaper than flying home to the USA. I contacted NGOs along the way and planned to visit them. I am visiting NGOs that fight trafficking and who have strong income generation programs (IGP), as that is what we are working to strengthen in Delhi. However, I ended up for family reasons having to go back to the states for a couple weeks so sorry charge cards one day I promise I will have a “real job”. While I was there I changed my visa (no more visa runs!) and now in India to work legally for the next year. My visa run trip was already booked and planned so after some debate with myself I decided to still pursue it.

Child beggar who followed me for about an hour.

I will write in my next blog post about the NGOs I have seen while in Kathmandu. I have too much to say for one post. I am staying with Larissa’s family. They moved from Kashmir about 25 years ago to Kathmandu. I am overwhelmed with how much they have opened up their home to me especially for how expensive it is to house an extra body. Their kindness is overwhelming and from them I have probably learned the most about Nepal. Including some very poorly spoken Nepali phases. I never thought I would hear the day that I thought Hindi was an easier language to comprehend. Nepal is a small mountainous country right above India. The capital (which seems extremely tiny compared to Delhi) is in the Kathmandu Valley. This whole country has as many people as the crazy city of Delhi has. The top of the country is covered with the Himalayan Mountains. Kathmandu is crowded with tourists either dirty hippies or people off to trek the mountain circuits. But Kathmandu is a little part of this country. Nepal is made up of villages that are pretty hard to reach; most have to be reached by long journeys over hard terrain on foot. Much like India you find people fleeing to the busy capital in search of work to provide for the rest of their family back in a secluded village. Nepal was in a bloody decade long civil war from 1996-2006 that claimed over 13,000 lives. The Maoist (Communist party) was fighting against the King to control Nepal. They preyed on these poor villages by using violent tactics. They abducted children and would force them to fight. In fact they would declare laws saying that every family had to surrender at least one child to their army. Children were taken from their families by child traffickers who promised their families they would protect them from Maoist rebels and take them to Kathmandu where they would have shelter, food, and education. The traffickers would then use or sell the children for labour, street begging and girls were sold to brothels in Kolkata, Bombay and onward in India. They would beat them if they talked about their parents being alive because “orphans” would collect more money begging. The war might of ended in 2006 but there are large economic consequences here. On the streets of Kathmandu there are still many child beggars. There are over 10,000 children who are now “orphaned”, missing from their families, stuck in slavery. There is an estimated 7,000 girls sold into sexual slavery a year to India. The laws against trafficking in Nepal are weak. There is a lot of work to be done in this small resilient country. In my next post I will write about several organizations that are working very hard against these child traffickers and making their country better.

Swantantrata (freedom) is a beautiful word.

2011-11-26T11:01:00.000-08:00

I just came back from a really long day. It was a fun long day walking around Old Delhi and re-exploring India with a new Intern.

good day in Delhi= how dirty your feet are

Since we were in the "neighborhood" she wanted to see where the RLA was. There is a very thin line walking through these communities. I don't want to stare, to exploit the women anymore. I try to walk as fast as possible and keep my head towards the ground. In Delhi, there is a market; a huge mechanics/electronics market underneath each brothel and a Hindu temple so you can "legitaly" walk thru the street. Above are "cages" or balconies but they look like cages that the women stand in and then the pimps and women call in the customers. It's row after row... the higher up, the more young and pretty they are and also the more protected. We walked through so quickly but it was enough for me to get angry. At the demand all the young boys staring at shouting at the girls, at the traffickers, at the madams guarding the doors, at the police standing right there and failing to protect and save these young girls. Recently, a partner agency just started working in Delhi. I couldn't be more thrilled that they are here. We need more rescues. We need more attention to this area. We need a message sent to the community that this crime will be punished. Below is the latest events that happened this week:

Eight minor girls were rescued by police and NGO workers on Monday evening from GB Road in Central Delhi. The NGO workers said the girls were brought to the city for prostitution. Police said they will first conduct an ossification test to ascertain their age, before a case is registered.

According to Geet Sethi, who works for the NGO, “We received information around 6.30 pm about girls being kept in a hidden cell at Kotha number 42, GB Road. Based on the information we rescued the girls.”

“As per the information available with us, these girls are from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Mumbai,” Sethi said.

Reportedly, one girl is 17-years-old, the rest are around 12 and 13 years. “The girls were brought to Delhi about ten days ago. We are yet to question them on their living conditions as they are still scared and unable to talk,” said Geet adding that the girls will now be taken for a medical examination.

Meanwhile, Addl DCP (Central) Aslam Khan said, “The eight girls were rescued by ‘Rescue Foundation’. We will conduct an ossification test to ascertain their age. They will presently be sent to the Nirmal Chhaya home care”.

Police said the kotha is owned by one Shakuntala and managed by one Jayshree. Police said the girls will first be questioned and based on their statements, action will be taken against the owner and the manager.

City of Joy

2011-11-22T09:18:00.000-08:00

Irony; a state of affairs or an event that seems deliberately contrary to what one expects aka Kolkata.

Back in the "City of Joy" for a few days to research and work on our expansion plans for our educational programs/IGP into other red light areas. In an effort to save rs. 600 (about $12) I stayed in a cheaper hotel last night. I have slept in some "interesting places in India" including a slum but last night a hotel pushed me over the edge. Perhaps it was the hot water AND the shower I was promised and didn't get. I have good ole' bucket baths in Delhi I am not that high maintenance it's just a treat I was seriously excited about! I arrived alas no shower. Worse my room hadn't been cleaned it looked like fat Indian men had a good time in there. No one could understand me to get it any better. I didn't have clean sheets, a towel, a pillow, there were rats and roaches and all this was rs.1500 for ONE night. I refused to pay this much for what I was getting it was bananas. At 7am this morning I went down to the desk and told them I was checking out and gave them some "feedback". They asked for more money-like the full reservations worth and I politely but firmly said I was only paying for one night. I walked out. They started shouting. Next thing I know the manger pushed me down and shoved me into the street. Shouting in my face... other men gathered around him. They were pushing me and yelling. There was of course a crowd but for the first time no one did anything. I have never been physically attacked by a group of large men in India so I was stunned for a minute. Then I did what I do best and just starting shouting, "police, rape, fire". I then finally got to my phone and called the police mid beating and as soon as the speakerphone went on and I started yelling to the cops that I was a USA citizen being harassed over a bill I paid in full things calmed down pretty fast. As they were walking away (apologizing of course because I still had the silly police on the phone) I spit at them. I picked myself off the street looked at the women all staring at me and laughed."Don't EVER let a man push you around." The women probably had no idea what I was saying, probably thought I was mad pagel but enjoyed the early show. I was ironically laughing.
I then when right to work. I spent my day in three red light areas. Kidderpore (where Apne Aap works), Songachi the largest, and lastly Kalighat the oldest area housing sex workers. I couldn't take a picture and I can't really describe too much detail about my day. But, there was one moment that sums up everything for me. As we were walking out of one of the RLA's there was one of the largest police tanks I have seen yet in India surrounded by police. Behind it was a shady dark alleyway full of madams, adhiyas who are prostitutes who has accepted their life in the brothel and gives 1/2 of their earnings to the maliks (brothel bosses), and lodgers (those who enter prostitution willing and are usually older) sitting on the street staring at me. I knew it was a mix of that group because of age and also by their faces. One woman was so high she could barely keep her eyes open, drugged to deal with the trauma. One woman was so beautiful but had burns up and down her arm probably trafficked as a child but now worked her way through the system and is an adhiya. She probably recruits others, she had beautiful clothing but a stare that was completely empty. Three of them were from Nepal. All of them kept their eyes on me as I walked by and around the massive police tank. When I got to the other side. I stood as looked back. It looked like they were being held in and sadly by the police who were ironically the one who helped me in a silly matter this morning who now were idly standing openly by an illegal brothel doing nothing. I looked up at the place they were sitting in front. It was a massive structure at least 4 stories. There were glimpses of young children up top but the windows were heavily tinted. I have never felt so grateful for my freedom as in that very moment. As we walked further and the women got smaller and I realized how much I am in this for the long haul. A woman in a RLA can live her entire life within a one-kilometer radius of where she sells her body. She could literally work, sleep and die all in the same bed. That alleyway. The beginning of the end of slavery in our hands and I am reaching for it with open arms. Join me.

the day of me

2011-11-19T12:47:00.000-08:00

Yes, that title is as selfish as you get. I have had a pretty rough week not anything due to India but things back in the real world in America have been consuming my thoughts, time, and energy. I also am leaving for yet another trip to Kolkata tomorrow and will spent the next few days working on a project I'm on for Apne Aap in Songachi. For those who aren't familiar with Songachi, it is Kolkata's largest red-light area and has an estimated 10,000 sex workers there. An estimated 1 out of 7 are trafficked children.
I think it's important when you are constantly around trafficking and social justice issues to also pause and take a personal day. I think if you are constantly going with any job you burnout but especially when working in intense issues you need some balance.

Today was that day.... Commence the "day of me"

It started with morning yoga. I just started, it took me almost a year of India but I finally gave in and I am hooked.

I then made a ridiculous breakfast crepe or attempt at a crepe but it was mostly banana and Nutella and drank cup one of tea. Took a nap. Woke from nap and went for a run in the park by my flat.

Literally ran into a family of monkeys

Monkeys and I have a rough history. I find them mean. They steal food, clothing and mess up your laundry. So, to avoid the monkeys I went off the "jogging path" and cut through the woods. I then found myself "lost" in a forest for about an hour. It was magical. It was quiet. It didn't smell too bad. It was the most peaceful run I have ever had.

It might not look beautiful but trust. It was not the city. MAGICAL.

I was jogging along thinking about nothing. I let the whole week melt away and I was completely relaxed until it happened. The crazy smells of Delhi. I was going to be spit right into some odd scene of stares and confusion. I heard laughter of small children then a very intense smell of garbage. My perfect trail ended in a garbage dump that I had to climb through to get into the village on the other side! There were children picking through the garbage and playing. Shouting, "Didi paani didi kripya"I stopped and gave them my water, smiled and walked by the stares. Oh India. It was really a perfect ending to my run.

Bless those precious kids.

The rest of my day was spent drinking several more cups of tea (chai) and reading a new book. It was wonderful to be still and quiet. I encourage everyone to take time out for yourself.

“And the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.” T.S. Eliot

Wandering & Rambling

2011-11-14T03:45:00.000-08:00

I went to the field Saturday to "help" Larissa film an Art Therapy class. I mostly per usual played with the kids. The ones who know me, jump on me (blow their nose on me) cling on to me and then the newer ones who still stare at me with confusion and awe. Probably my horrid Hindi is what has them all confused.

Girls everywhere drawing

Trying to keep them "calm" by teaching funny faces

I went for a wander around Delhi after that. I walked and walked until my shoe broke. So, then I wandered around barefoot for awhile until I found a cobbler. Which oddly made me feel more like a "Delhiite" I was really pensive on Saturday. One of my besties (I am blessed to have about 5 solid best friends) Meghan was run over by a truck. Not a joke literally run over. Ironically, the only thing I wanted to do was wander around crazy Delhi traffic to calm my racing mind. Please if you get a chance please say a prayer for Meg because she needs it. She is an amazing friend, wife mom, law student and beautiful dancer. Basically an around wonderful person who didn't deserve this.

"Someone in India loves you" Couldn't be more true.

Epic Journey.

2011-10-26T02:49:00.000-07:00

I got in last night at 3am. My train back from Bihar was have around 30 hours, a train without a pantry cart. I came home and attacked my kitchen and faintly remembering smashing some roaches. There is nothing better then the feeling of your own bed after a long journey. It's nice that Delhi has become home to me once again.

This trip was at a perfect time and I am so glad I got to go. Larissa (who is a brilliantly talented artist and hates when I talk her up but I am going to because it’s true…) is filming a documentary on Apne Aap’s art programs. She nicely asked me to tag along to “help.” Our first stop was Kolkata.

Getting creative in Kolkata not filming faces

It was wonderful being in Kolkata again. The girls were excited to see me. I was happy to see them and dance again with them. Filming was chaotic but good because we can’t film their faces Larissa was really creative at finding ways to go about filming them without exposing their faces.

I might be going back and forth to Kolkata again soon. Some new projects are in the works and I have been asked to help. I am really excited. There is nothing better than feeling like you are contributing here and I think there is a chance I can very soon. More about that later…

Our second stop: Forbesganj, Bihar

Bihar was such a different side of India. Forbesganj is a main commercial city in Bihar, situated near the Nepalese border. About ten minutes from the main bizarre is a side street of little huts - the "red light district." Apne Aap runs a Community Center amidst these huts, which serves as a day school for young children and a meeting space for the women in prostitution, or those who have come out.
To my great surprise, many women have successfully left prostitution, against overwhelming obstacles, like daily beatings from their husbands, fathers, and brothers for the loss of family income. Moreover, these women have committed to not putting their daughters in prostitution, instead sending them to school. Larissa and I got the chance to spend some time there. There is an intern there who is a dancer and teaches dance classes in the community center for all (even boys) who want to part take. She is incredible. I took the class with the children and Larissa filmed.
Nearby the bizarre, Apne Aap runs a residential school for 50 adolescent girls from families affected by forced prostitution. This school is truly a beacon of hope, and the girls are all so cheery and joyous to be there. The mothers, some still trapped in prostitution, are welcome to visit their children, and have really taken an interest in their girls' education. Although, there is like any shelter home lots of "drama" when it involves families of girls who have been trapped in prostitution. I was so impressed by the staff at Apne Aap in Bihar. There is one Social Worker in particular that truly fights for the girls, and cares for them so much. She was a breath of fresh air to be around in so many ways. She is married and her husband lives in Delhi but she resides in Bihar to fight for these girls. A lovely soul and someone who I am so happy is in our organization.
The shelter home of 50 girls was the best day by far of the trip. Larissa and I hadn't slept due to the train ride the night before. We were running on empty but as soon as we got there and saw how excited they were to do this film our tiredness fell away. I kept the girls who weren't filming occupied in another room so Larissa could get through the many shots quickly. I brought my iphone and speakers and danced with the girls to MANY Bollywood songs starting with, "Munni Badnaam" & "Sheila Ki Jawaani", so many shy girls turned into jumping screaming teenage girls talking about "The Bodyguard" and then the next thing I know they were doing my hair and holding my hand asking me about my "boyfriend" family and showing me their rooms/possessions. They were so excited when I said anything in Hindi and didn't care that I was terrible. They clung to me until we left. It was hard to leave that shelter because it was such a fun day. I have a feeling I might go back at some point of this internship.
It was a long, epic journey but I am so glad to be home. Today is Diwali! I am going to spend it with Larissa & her family which I am SO excited about. An Indian festival with Indian family. Her family is really sweet and it's really nice to be around family especially since I miss mine so much.

Happy Diwali to each and every one of you!

Thought provoking.

2011-10-03T04:45:00.000-07:00

I am working on writing a paper/document for work about our stance against legalizing prostitution in India. Apne Aap is against India legalizing brothels. So, the past week (minus a few days of being sick with "India") I have been reading case study after case study in countries where brothels are legalized and writing about the results. I came across this strong comment today in a forum and thought it was interesting. I am a non-sex worker whose job is to communicate mainly write papers about sex work and yet I found myself agreeing with some of these points... number four. Interested to hear others thoughts?

10 Reasons Why Non-Sex Workers Should Not Write Papers About Sex Work
1. The only people truly qualified to speak to the experiences of sex workers, are sex workers themselves.
2. Basing a theory on myths and stereotypes and then 'proving' that theory using other myths and stereotypes is not a study - it's a creative writing exercise.
3. Sex workers are living, breathing human beings with hearts and every time you describe them as something other than living, breathing human beings, their hearts break.
4. By far the most 'degrading' aspect of sex work is the associated stigma, discrimination and vilification - a direct result of the dis-empowering misinformation propagated by the media and the anti-sex work lobby.
5. It is exceedingly arrogant to assume not only that you understand the intricacies of an industry you don't even work in, but that you have the right to speak for those who do.
6. Contrary to popular belief, sex workers are perfectly capable of putting pen to paper and telling their own stories.
7. By denying sex workers the right to have their voices heard in the political arena, and attempting to limit their sexual and financial independence, anti-sex work feminists make a mockery of the fundamental principles of feminism.
8. You don't see sex workers writing papers on the work practices of marine biologists or the psychological well being of accountants.
9. The portrayal of sex workers as degraded victims is, in itself, a form of degrading victimisation.
10. You risk looking like a fool who wrote a paper on a topic you quite obviously know nothing about.

I will be the first to admit... I am a fool.

Three million homeless in New Delhi alone...

2011-09-26T09:01:00.000-07:00

I sat most of my day in a conference listening to statistics and seeing pictures that quite frankly I have become numb to. I see them everyday. I see the beggars, the half clothed children, the widows, and images that could haunt you if they let you. To survive the chaos of New Delhi in the midst of dirt, poverty and dirty politics you need to be a bit tough and numb to what is around you.

Lately I find myself in a battle within myself not to be bitter against the men who hurt the children being exposed to story after story about sex trafficking. It started when I read a book, "The Johns; Sex for Sale and The Men Who Buy It" by Victor Malarek which was incredibly interesting. I do recommend it. Story after story about the types of abuse that happen didn't get to me much because I hear it all the time. It was the person that was the "customer". It was UN peacekeepers, our servicemen in war zones... people I would know and probably do know. It left me a tad bitter and angry at men. That is the last thing I want to become when working in trafficking. I feel like to truly be restored as a victim you need to understand and truly give mercy... forgiveness to the very people who hurt you. Feel free to disagree. As someone who wants to be in this field for a long time, mercy is something I am going to need to learn as it goes hand in hand with justice. This is getting to be a deeply personal rambling and I am going to blame that on the strong heat today and being stuck in a small room.

The Quality of Mercy

The quality of mercy is not strain'd.

It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven

Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest:

It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes.

'Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes

The throned monarch better than his crown.

His scepter shows the force of temporal power,

The attribute to awe and majesty,

Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;

But mercy is above this sceptered sway;

It is enthroned in the heart of kings;

It is an attribute to God himself;

And earthly power doth then show likest God's

When mercy seasons justice.

William Shakespeare

Kolkata.

2011-09-18T21:56:00.000-07:00

Kolkata is a special place to me. Not only because I have several good friends there but it is so different then Delhi. I enjoyed the break from Delhi quite a lot. I spent my week in Kidderpore near and in the red light district, an area in south Kolkata seeing the different projects that Apne Aap has. I went to three different field offices all within walking district of the "main office" I was in all week. Day one I filled in for an English teacher and observed most of the projects they are doing within the main office. I was really impressed with how well behaved the children are. When I was teaching the class and not knowing any Bengali and very poor Hindi the children listened and respected me very well. They were so eager to learn and be corrected. I was very impressed. Apne Aap has classes for kids who don't have proper access to education from 10-1 every morning, younger children. They have a 6 month job training program for older children which teaching English, and computer training courses and then helps place them in a job. They offer therapy (such as dance therapy classes which I took one which the girls!) to help them process their feeling about the area they live. There is also income generation projects for the women. To support you can purchase some items on here

I went to the red light district and saw the creche (preschool aged children) who are there in the mornings. I was there until lunch. Apne Aap has a kitchen in the centers and feeds the children. They also seem to make it available to them to come anytime if they need to get away if they need to.

So much more to explain and so much more happened and has happened since Kolkata but there is this incredibly loud banging in my flat which is causing my mind to not function properly. Just know that I am in a much better place to do my job (communications about our programs) more effectively now. Maybe not right now :-) but at work yes. This year is definitely looking up and I am exactly where I need to be!

On an Indian Train

2011-09-10T23:04:00.000-07:00

I’m currently on a train to Kolkata. I’m so cold that I can’t sleep so I’m updating my blog or I am writing in word and then will post later. It’s so unusual to be this cold in India but my little sleeper sit in right under the air-con and no matter how I curl up I just can’t get warm. Darn you fancy ac2 seats! I know I should have travelled sleeper car!

Anyway, I am going to Kolkata for the week to see Apne Aap’s field offices in Kiddapore and to possibly help with some of the student groups we are working with our campaign. I am also going to see my friends at Made by Survivors. I’m really looking forward to seeing them. In general it’s nice to get out of Delhi for a bit. It’s extremely nice to be on the train. That might sound strange considering I am freezing and there is a loud Indian snoring next to me but I find the Indian trains somewhat relaxing. You have time to finally read, and think. The chaos of Delhi falls away and you get to see India on fold in beautiful sceanry all around you. The sunset last night was breathtaking, and for a moment the world seemed really tiny.

On a completely different subject it was International Literacy Day on September 8^th. We had events in all of all field offices with the women and children. I went to one of the Delhi sites. It was chaotic but awesome. We separated the women and children and had a reading and video and the importance about education. We had the children break into teams and design posters about the importance on learning and feed them. While, we were waiting for the “events” to start I was talking to the kids/ entertaining them. There were massive amounts of children everywhere. At one point I was dancing to “Munni Badnaam” with them (no music mind you) just the kids singing and us dancing. This one adorable girl I nicknamed, “Bollywood” knows every song and the proper dance. It is fantastic. Well, until she started dancing to Sheila…. Ahhh!! They also attacked my hair and braided it which you can see here:

They all have a special place in my heart. I really love going and seeing them. Get used to hearing and seeing their faces because they will become regulars on here along with my other kids (my students from the spring).

Now on to Kolkata!

What have I been doing over here...

2011-09-06T06:27:00.000-07:00

I'm currently in bed with a cold. Nothing major I think it's from the rains we have been getting. My sinuses can't take it! But, never fear friends I am doing quite well in India.
Apne Aap launched a new year long campaign this week called, "Cool Men Don't Buy Sex". It is one of the main things I have been busy working on since I landed in Delhi. It will be focused on two things, social change within the demand for sex trafficking in India and the legal changes within the ITPA (The Immoral Trafficking Prevention Act of 1956) which is Indian's anti-trafficking law. There are two sections which Apne Aap is focused on; section 5 and section 8. We want to remove section 8 which criminalizes victims of prostitution and enforces section 5 which enforces the punishment of pimps and johns. Our goal is collect at least 10,000 signatures to bring before parliament by next year.

Finally.

2011-08-31T03:13:00.000-07:00

I have spent the last two days with the happiest faces in all of Delhi, my students from the Spring. Which has caused all of my frustrations with Delhi, this past summer, relationships, housing just everything to completely melt away. I realized again why I picked to return back to Delhi.

Yesterday I ran around a bit tracking all of my students down. The boys were helping me track down two of the girls and we walked into a dark room and Yogesh said, "blackout!" I laughed so hard! They remember everything I say. It's really quite amazing. Today the room was completely full that there was literally no where to sit. I couldn't stop smiling. They are incredibility smart and so excited to be there and learn anything I can give them. I just am honored and blessed to have this year to keep up with them. I love them so much. My favorite part is when I leave to grab and auto... literally everyone walks with me so over 20 kids walk with me through this village to grab an auto for me. The boys stay around me and say "bodyguard" and the girls hold my hand or walk right next to me. It is precious. Everyone stares at the tall white girl surrounded by kids, the autos are just bewildered it's just ridiculous and wonderful.

So, finally the past two days I have had time to sort myself out and remember why I am here. Sometimes India moves so fast you just barely have time to breathe. When it does slow down you have these emotions that are quite confusing honestly sometime I really have no idea what I am thinking about. This holiday of Eid came at a perfect time for me to remember why I am here. It forced me to slow down and actually be alone with my thoughts. I am here to keep investing in my students. I am here to learn as much as I can from a grassroots anti-sex trafficking NGO. I am here in Delhi because it's a city that pushes me in ways I hate but ways I need in order to grow into the type of person I really want to become.
So finally I am at peace. Well, until India throws me some more "India. I give it an hour.

Expectations

2011-08-28T02:40:00.000-07:00

Managing expectations when traveling is always challenging. This trip has been a whirlwind since I landed. It feels so different from the last one. Everything I thought would happen hasn't. Today is the first day in two weeks I have been alone with my thoughts. India can really slap you around a bit but at the same time you just can't get enough. I have been battling being utterly frustrated and laughing hysterically the two weeks I have been here. From my housing situation to my internship it's been a bit ridiculous. The thing is no matter what is happening you still are in India. I get so caught up in my thoughts and worries I sometimes forget the big picture. Then I get the big slap in the face. Whether it's a woman crying in the market or a child begging so desperately for food they all show you that bigger picture. That your first world problems are tiny in comparison to the rest of the world. I really am blessed and no matter the little challenges I am so glad to be here.

The biggest challenge so far has been work. I especially have had expectations when it comes to work. So far it hasn't been like I thought it would be and actually quite frustrating at times. It's all for a good cause and I need to get out of my own head. My friend and I are planning on a trip to Kolkata in a few weeks so I thought the best way to end this pensive blog would be a quote from Mother Theresa,

"The miracle is not that we do this work, but that we are happy to do it. "

Apne Aap's field office

Children in the field drawing class

Chalo Dilli

2011-08-16T09:12:00.000-07:00

This is the first time I am getting "jet lag" coming to India. I am struggling to write this but it is way to early to crash and my eyes are too heavy to read so bear with my poorly written entry.

I have only been in Delhi a day so there isn't much to say. Before the plane ride I had the most intense headache of my life. I was not looking forward to getting on a crowded plane for 16 hours and feeling sick. But, I managed to sleep 78% of the flight. I curled up in a little ball in my seat and passed out. I imagine I looked like this:

I did watch the Lincoln Lawyer (only time I was awake on the flight) and despite my feelings against Matthew McConaughey it was pretty decent. Book was better but still worth checking out.

I got into Delhi in time for Independence Day. Happy Independence Day India! Loads of crackers, parades, dog fights, it was all very Indian and strangely very familiar to me. My headache was gone as soon as I landed and it just felt right to be back here.

I got in later in the evening last night and this morning went straight to work. Well, Indian time to work. I was a good 40 minutes late because my auto got really lost and it was pouring today so it got stuck a few times. It was funny because there was an Intern starting today with me as well and the same exact thing happened to her (of course and it will probably happen tomorrow). We walked in at the exact same time like, "you are white and look confused are you new?". It was pretty perfect. My first assignment is working on a research paper (yup another paper) on "Psychosocial Trauma" and the 3L model of Apne Aap. Hard to explain for a blog but I have plenty of work and things keeping me busy. The staff is wonderful. At least the staff I met. Half of them were out because of the rain today. We all eat lunch together. Everyone is just extremely sweet and busy. There is lots going on. Accha hai :)

Lastly, there is a lizard that I can't seem to shake in my flat so I named him Gordon. He is my flatmate until I move. Oh India.

2011-08-07T09:32:00.000-07:00

Appyling for Grants. Here is one of the (many) essays.

2011-07-12T11:49:00.000-07:00

Question: How will this affect you to be a global citizen?

My Answer: Over the past 15 years, “trafficking in persons” or “human trafficking” have been used as umbrella terms for the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. According to UNICEF, as many as two million children are subjected to prostitution in the global commercial sex trade. Sex trafficking has devastating consequences for minors, including long-lasting physical and psychological trauma, disease (including HIV/AIDS), drug addiction, unwanted pregnancy, malnutrition, social ostracism, and possible death. Human trafficking is a global issue that affects every country and especially those who are poor more vulnerable to be exploited.
                  In 2005 the International Labor Organization estimated that Human Trafficking profits $31.6 billion dollars a year. It is tied with drugs as the second largest illegal grossing activity. It may be hard to get exact figures on human trafficking. What will always be common in every country is the victims’ vulnerability. When children are forced to earn wages instead of getting an education they make themselves susceptible to trafficking. At times of hardship, it can start out as illegal migration and ends up as trafficking. Internal displacement due to conflict in some of these countries, poverty and lack of employment opportunities, increase the vulnerabilities to being trafficked. Poverty and lack of economic opportunity is consistently cited as a primary cause of slavery and trafficking in almost every published research study (UN, UNODC, ILO, ECPAT, CARE, Free the Slaves). Addressing poverty, lack of skills and education opportunity among survivors and high risk groups is critical to ending slavery.
                  India is one country you see the poverty firsthand. As of 2010 there were an estimated 81 million people living below the poverty line. India has a literacy rate of under 75%.I saw and learned this first hand when I signed up for a volunteer program and was teaching English for six weeks in Dakshinpuri in New Delhi, India. The first week of my trip I traveled with two of my friends to Kolkata, India. As a Western female I will always remember flying into the busy streets of Kolkata at night. It was a scared excitement that over time went down the more used to India I became. When we got to our hostel I was shocked to see these young boys working at the desk. The whole week I never saw them leave the building. They eat, sleep and live at their work. When I asked about school they looked at me and said no school anymore. For the first time I think I truly got the idea of true poverty. The kind of poverty where you don’t have an option to learn how to read because you have to find your next meal. The kind of poverty that would leave you so desperate to provide and help your family that you could end up trapped in bondage.
                  When I returned to the States I knew my passion with preventing children from being exploited was just beginning.I came across Apne Aap, which is a Non- Government Organization (NGO) that prevents the global problem of sex trafficking by building the capacity of girls, women and children in red-light areas and slums to get access to education, livelihoods other than prostitution, and safe housing by organizing themselves in small co-operatives and it seemed to be a perfect fit for me. In the past eight years:

• They have put 854 children from red-light areas into school.

• They have established 67 small business cooperatives of women survivors of prostitution.

• They have trained 1,909 police officers on victim-friendly investigation in human trafficking cases.

• They are campaigning to change the Indian Anti-trafficking law for the severe punishment of traffickers and buyers and capacity building programs for victims and survivors.

• They are on the Steering Committee for Women and Children for the 11th Five Year Plan of the Planning Commission of Government of India

• They are researching the connection between caste based discrimination and prostitution for the National Commission for Women, India
                  In August I will head back to New Delhi, India to begin an Internship with Apne Aap. The internship will have two components. The first half of my time there will be spent on a research project they are rolling out with the head of monitoring and evaluation. The second half of my time there, after hopefully I have learned some Hindi, I will be doing “field work” working with the girls (either girls who have been rescued or at risk girls) directly. I will be teaching basic English and literacy skills in a classrooms setting.
                 India is a place full of daily challenges for a Westerner. I am excited to go back and learn more about the culture, language, food and customs and take them back to share with my friends and family. Combined with the volunteer work of preventing sex trafficking that will be faced with new experiences and learning I can’t even begin to imagine. I know that the next year will shape me to be a more global citizen. It will open my eyes to see the world in a different light and hopefully learn how to share that with others.

Any feedback for me? It would be amazing if one of this came through because as of now I have no idea how I am going to afford this. Yikes! :-)

Feeling like a foreigner (again).

2011-06-11T12:45:00.000-07:00

I am back home for 2 months before going back to India for a year. For anyone who has been abroad on a volunteer trip, missions trip, working or living I am so sorry because you are forever ruined! You know see the world completely different. On one hand it is obviously marvelous but on the other it changes you and you now feel like this:

Here are my top ten "You know you are home from a foreign country when you do this..."

Your English skills have gone down immensely. You repeat yourself. You talk with hands and actions.
You begin every sentence with, "this one time in ____" (Country you just returned from)
Similar to number 2 you tell "war stories" like the worst food you ate (brains, duck eggs, fish eggs whatever) or the worst train experience, the time you accidentally ate a roach, the time you almost went to the bathroom on a rat...
You go to plug in your adapter still.
You leave in the morning and still pack a bag for the day including, safe drinking water (of course), snack food for kids and dogs, and anti-diarrheals
Food poisoning? Walk in the park! (See number 3 and tell a war story)
Let's chat about driving... how weird are American drivers? What you stopped for a red light? You have to stay in your lane? A seat belt? No, no.
You want what for a slice of pizza?! I will give you a quarter! You immediately go into bargaining mode for everything. Grocery stores are surreal.
The shower doesn't go over a lukewarm drizzle.
You're still throwing that toilet paper in the trash can.

Some of these might be ridiculous but it is hard to return. You feel so different and yet things are pretty much the same. Or worse things have changed. I am at the age where milestones are happening to people I love, weddings, babies, important life events and my life is taking me half way around the world. It is hard to dip in and dip out. But, I know those who support and love me will not only understand but we will find a way to be there for each other through the next year.

A real update.

2011-05-31T11:10:00.000-07:00

I don't know where to begin. It has been awhile since I last blogged and lots happened. I think I will start with current affairs and work backwards.
I am not done with New Delhi. Not even close. Originally, the plan was to go to New Delhi for a few months then Ghana in July after this trip. But, I got very close to my students and I feel like I am not done working with them yet. They are amazing and I want to keep working with them. I just love them.
They more I think about the future I keep going back to Delhi. Which is way I am excited to share with all of you that I am going to be spending the next year as a Monitoring and Evaluation (Research) Intern with Apne Aap starting in August. Apne Aap Women Worldwide has been committed in fighting sex trafficking for the past 8 years. It has reached 10,072 women and girls. Of these, 812 girls are in regular schools, 1,200 women have formed small business cooperatives known as self-help groups, and 3,042 women have submitted a petition to Indian Parliament asking for a change in the anti-trafficking law, ITPA (Immoral Trafficking Prevention Act), to punish buyers and protect women and girls. I am very excited to be working with them researching State and Federal policies to advocate for victims of trafficking.

My students in New Delhi

I am also going to continue to work with my students from the past three months this next year! I am still planning on attending law school Fall 2012 after my internship with Apne Aap.
The position I have been offered by Apne Aap is a volunteer position and I will be responsible for all costs associated with my assignment which including airfare, insurance, visa fees, rent, meals, transportation, etc. This is where you come in! With any amount that you are able to give, you will not only be a huge blessing to my life as I embark on this journey, but also to the lives of countless individuals who will benefit from the work of Apne Aap in India. By supporting me with your prayers and financial gifts, you are directly impacting the lives of so many young girls who are waiting to be rescued.

There are several ways to make a monetary donation to me…

1) Give online using your credit or debit card: The easiest and fastest way to give is to go online to http://www.paypal.com/ . Scroll over the word “Send Money” near the top of the page and click on “Send Money Online”. From there, simply enter my email address (kristin.braddock@gmail.com), your email address, and the amount which you would like to donate. Alternatively, you can also type this link into your web-browser:

Make sure you select the “Personal” tab (as opposed to the “Purchase” tab). If you do not already have a paypal account, you may be asked to set one up. If you do have a paypal account this is a fast and simple way to support me financially!

2) Set up monthly giving: If you would like to set up monthly giving through paypal or by writing a monthly check, just send me your email address and I will be sure to send you an email every month to remind you!

3) Write a check: If you prefer to write a check, please make the check payable to “Kristin Braddock”. Checks should be mailed directly to me at my parent’s address. Email me directly and I can send it to you!

If you would like to learn more about the work Apne Aap does (and what I am now a part of), I would encourage you to visit their website at http://apneaap.org/about-us/what-we-do. You can read a copy of The Red Light Despatch a newspaper written by girls and women in prostitution or sign up to receive updates from field offices. It has been wonderful to share this part of my life with you over the past year and I hope you'll continue to partner with me as I go on yet another adventure to fight for justice. I am so thankful for you!

I know I owe a real update...

2011-05-24T11:08:00.000-07:00

But for now... Ohio male friends please check this out!

Prevent Human Trafficking - Man Summit 2011, Columbus, May 26th - 6:30 PM

Yup. Men only.

We (not me Kristin, but dude running this event) cannot call ourselves men and then permit our own to go on fueling an entire economy of selling women and children for sex and labor. We're here to do something about it.

Come hear Columbus Police Detective Ken Lawson discuss how and why we, as men, need to do our part to end human trafficking.

Emmanual Inah will also speak about his experience rescuing women and children in Africa.

Ken Lawson has 24 years of law enforcement experience. He has led more than 1,300 sexual assault & kidnapping investigations.

Officer Lawson is a premier trainer on the topic of human trafficking, speaking to various groups, colleges and foreign civilian and military officials at the request of US governmental agencies.

Emmanuel Inah has witnessed first hand the horrors of human trafficking. He, along with other brave men, has fought and rescued many women and children. He has devoted his life to ending this crime.

Thursday,May 26
6:30 PM
The Salvation Army
966 E Main St
Columbus, OH

Contact Derek Nicol 614-560-5856 or register online

Come on men, man up.

"When life gives you lemons, make lemonade...

2011-04-21T03:46:00.000-07:00

Then figure out how to sell it for $5.00 a glass" John Woodman. Perfect quote to sum up these past weeks. I recently had my wallet stolen and jokingly I said I was going to stand out on the corner and tell the Indian boys they could take their picture with me if they paid me 20 rupees (JOKE). Honestly, with all the "lemons" coming my way I am still having the time of my life. I am trying to not dwell on the hiccups and live in the now. My friend and I spent last Saturday in Delhi-6 (my favorite part is Old Delhi). It is there in the narrow streets you find yourself lost in you see the "real India". You smell the most intense smells. You see the most broken and beautiful images next to each other. In Old Delhi I go from yelling and fighting over 10 rupees change or yelling at someone for "bumping me aka a slight grope" to overtipping the cycle-rickshaw man who looks like he could be my grandpa. The extremes are real and tug at ever part of your soul. There is no one type of person but many and the chaos is sensational. Literally a block away from a place J and I ate at an estimated 10,000 girls are stuck in forced sexual prostitution. When J and I were walking around we got a tad bit lost finding our way back. I got a little quiet, which if you know me is a rare occasion. I knew as soon as I looked up and saw the caged windows exactly what street we were on. Even though it was the middle of the day you just know. My heart felt the darkness. Please pray for those girls in Old Delhi and all the children who are stuck in bondage who have lost hope. They need to know there is hope and a future for them.
I have recently lost hope in trusting (some) people. Nothing to do with trafficking (yet) one day I am sure being exposed to all the trauma will catch up to me but this is good ole fashioned people being people. One of the lemons of the this week that I know will turn into lemonade. I just hate going through this part. If I learned anything from last year it is that what I want to do and what actually happens in life don't line up.
I spent all last year thinking for sure I was going to spend this year working for an NGO and last minute that didn't happen. At the time it was extremely painful. Now, it is probably the best thing that ever happened to me because more doors have opened up for me (career wise) not working out for this particular NGO. I have learned that the present moment is a fraction of our life. I have no idea where my life is taking me and isn't that exciting part? Easy to say hard to do. As I am experiencing this lesson yet again. But, as I learned last year and will experience again life has something else planned... bigger and better then even I could imagine.

getting lost in Delhi-6

Real Men don't buy Children...

2011-04-16T09:03:00.000-07:00

They rescue them. There has been a lot of negative response to the "Hollywood celebrities" doing YouTubes ads for DNA Foundation. One of the problems with child prostitution and Trafficking, whether in the United States or in India, is that it's demanded by culture. That's one of the reasons I support the "Real men don't buy Girls" campaign by Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore. Okay so it is cheesy, however any attention that is standing up to that demand is a step in the right direction. Yes, we do need different legal approaches, and that is where my passion is but we also need a change in culture. I hope you agree and take a stand in changing our culture.

When I think of a real man, I can't help but think of the investigators I "work" with here in India. When he talks to me about his job he gets so emotional because of how much he cares about the children he is saving and making India better. Everyday he risks his life by going undercover and finding enough evidence for the local law enforcement to take action. Most recently, they had a raid go horribly wrong and he got beaten up very badly. When he told me what happened he said, "You aren't doing this job right if you don't get beaten up" (with a laugh). I was confused because he almost looked happy for getting sent to the hospital. He explained that he works with the intent to save these children no matter what. That means if it means risking his life; because he knows how much money he is taking away from the owners to save these children from a life of slavery then so be it. He will take that risk. That is a real man. A real man (or woman) takes a stand of making their country a better place to live no matter the cost. I want to bottle up his passion for India and take it home with me to the States and share it. I want to make my Country a better place to live. My hope is that whatever country you are in you too are striving to make it better.

Anna Hazare

2011-04-10T08:28:00.000-07:00

For everyone outside of India, especially the New Delhi area there is a movement currently happening here against corruption. It's beautiful to see how many people have rallied and truly cared about their county and want to see it change. You can't change the country without setting up strong laws and holding people accountable for crime. Anna Hazare, is a 73 year old man who believes in the power of justice. An activist who wrote a letter to Parliament declaring a "fast til his death" if the Jan Lokpal Bill an anti-corruption bill does not get passed. He started his fast April 5th at Jantar Mantar and yesterday morning the fast was called off because Parliament agreed to pass the Bill. Today he said that he would return back to his fast if parliament did not pass the Bill by Monsoon season (August 15th). He has been stated that it is not a blackmail, he has faith in Parliament that they will pass this Bill because it is the right act. He wants to assure this happens quickly.
I went by Jantar Mantar yesterday morning because I woke up freakishly early and it was truly amazing to see history unfolding. There were so many people of all types. There was so much passion and hope. You could feel the winds of change as the protest was coming to an end!
What is the Jan Lokpal Bill exactly? It is a draft anti-corruption bill that would create a Jan Lokpal, an independent body like the Election Commission, which would have the power to prosecute politicians and bureaucrats without government permission. There was a Lokpal Bill (an anti-corruption bill that has been drafted and not passed for 42 years) This bill is different. The main points are:

A central government anti-corruption institution called "Lokpal", supported by state institutions called "Lokayukta" will be set up.
They will be completely independent of the governments. No minister will be able to influence their investigations.
Members will be appointed by judges, "honest" Indian Administrative Service officers which do not have any case or bad records against them, private citizens, and constitutional authorities through a transparent process.
Investigations in each case will have to be completed in one year. Trials should be completed in the following year, meaning the total process will take place within two years. (So, the right to a speedy trial)
Any loss that a corrupt person caused to the government will be recovered at the time of conviction.
Help to common citizen: If any work of any citizen is not done in given time in any government office, Lokpal will impose financial penalty on guilty officers, which will be given as compensation to the complainant.
Any complaint against any officer of Lokpal shall be investigated and, if found to be guilty will result in the officer being dismissed within two months.
The existing anti-corruption agencies will be rolled into one; Lokpal will have complete powers and authority to independently investigate and prosecute any officer, judge or politician.
The agency will also provide protection to whistle blowers who alert it of potential corruption cases.

The Jan Lokpal Bill has been criticized for not being strong enough or being a correct solution. But, corruption is a major problem in India. It is estimated that 15% of people have had to pay a bribe to a government official to get something accomplished. As a Western here it is hard to imagine. I brought a small reading passage on the police to one of my classes last week. The first sentence was, The police are here to protect you." One of the students stood up yelled, "LIAR... (Hindi....) they (more Hindi...) bribes!!" He was very upset.

People all over India, not just Delhi are getting involved in this movement, protest against corruption. I read there are thousands in Mumbai wearing yellow to show support. It is a long road to fix this major concern of corruption and bribery in India but I am so hopeful to see people care for their country and strive to make it better. India is a wonderful place.

Anna Hazare at Jantar Mantar fast

The man with no legs

2011-03-31T09:58:00.000-07:00

Every morning I have a long (ish) commute through India traffic. Every morning I see the same images. I see the same pigs, goats, cows, dogs and people. The same beggars come up to me everyday. At one long light in particular I sit at for awhile because all the bikes, scooters and misc cross and it takes awhile. Little girls doing flips and other tricks for money come up to the car. Women holding babies with burns on them. Little adorable boys begging. There is a man with no legs who always comes up and pounds on the side of my car asking for money.
I am afraid I am becoming cold to all the images I have seen in the world. The poverty, the beggars, and the man with no legs; all of them don't seem to affect me the way I feel they should. My friend was recently here for a quick visit before flying back to the States and when we were in an auto and the beggar kids came up she immediately smiled at them and gave them something. I didn't. I said, "Nahin... maaf kiijiiye" and looked away so more didn't come over because I didn't have eye contact. I feel like I should give them something, not money but something. But, what? I don't ever have food on me when I see them. If there is one particularly child or person (like the man with no legs) that I see regularly if I give once, the next day they expect it and I am not sure how to handle that. Do I just expect to give everyday to the man with no legs? If I give to him then all of the beggars at this corner will come over and then what should I do, give to them too?

I have become cold. I turn my head and look away and I never thought I would be that person.

So, tomorrow what do to about the man with no legs?

The best animals this side of the world

2011-03-30T03:50:00.000-07:00

That's right animals. This post has nothing to do with "justice" unless you get me started about animal rights. Then I could go on and on. Animals are defensive-less creatures; please don't abuse them!
I have come to "adopt" several pets already in my colony neighborhood here in New Delhi. The first is the sweetest dog, (mom don't worry I still love Lilly) Oscar. He followed me home from the Metro late one night when I was out by myself. Any guy that said, "Hello!" "USA" or "Friend!" otherwise known as creepy Indian come ons Oscar growled at them and the men left me along. Amazing! I put peanut butter on a cracker and he would eat around the peanut butter to just eat the cracker. He doesn't like dog food or cheese. Just crackers :-) So cute.

Look at that cute smile.

He comes every night and cries at our door to be pet and get some hugs. He just wants to come inside which is hard because I have flatmates and technically he is a street dog. So, I sit outside with him and just pet him until he is quiet. I have been worried about leaving him because he is getting attached (me too!) and he is coming around more often then just night. Like, this morning he was at our door. Which was so wonderful because I wasn't having the greatest morning so he cheered me up! Because dogs are the best. I talked to my neighbor this morning in my broken "Hinglish" and he said he would be happy to watch over him when I leave. So, when Oscar comes over to my door my neighbor said he would feed him, give him water and most importantly pet him. He said, "my dog soon, right?" YES! I hope he follows through with it :-) Unless, anyone out there wants a really sweet dog to adopt? He would make a great one!

Oscar.

I also have three cats that sit on our back deck, which of course I bought cat food for. Olive, Roger and Garfield. Olive and Roger are both super tiny and adorable while Garfield is the fattest cat I have ever seen (that includes Rory) and has one ear. He is also kind of mean. No, he is mean. I still like him though, he is funny to watch. I have a thing for fat cats. I have always had pets so I am very happy to have my "pets" here in India as well. I hope whoever reads this tiny blog respects and loves animals because they deserve kindness.

Olive

Nerd alert.

2011-03-25T11:27:00.000-07:00

It's Friday night and I am doing research. I am such a dork. I am so excited about the assignment I got today from the "agency" I am working with on the side here in India. They asked me to write a report for them on USA vs India laws, statistics, practices, etc. before the TIP report comes out so they can submit it. It is a huge project. This agency is way more advanced then majority of the agencies in the States so they want to compare the data. Why is the USA just now on the TIP report? Why is it a tier one when we barely have laws too? It is going to be amazing experience for me. I can't begin to describe how awesome this organization is; 20 years and over 70,000 children rescued from slavery. Plus, nicest people I have ever met.

Life is good.

Oh and India is in Semi-Finals for Cricket World Cup so it's all good over on this side on the globe :-)

Hope.

2011-03-19T00:07:00.000-07:00

Oh India. Where do I even begin? So, I am working at Fight for the Future on the website you can see some pictures of me with my students. I have two classes. The first is a little more basic and the second is more advanced. They all are from the local underprivileged community who wouldn't have access to IT skills training, learning English and other various education. They are all excited to be there and especially the girls so eager to learn. It's really beautiful. I love them all already. An important aspect of prevention is education: not only making sure people are aware of the existence, as well as the nature of human trafficking. But educating the children that live in communities that are at risk for bonded labor or other various forms of trafficking.
Education transforms not only the children, but also their families, in the short time I have been with them I have seen them grow in confidence. It allows them to strive for more for their life. They are worth so much it great to see them striving for more for their lives.
I have also in my free time met with some agencies that work with trafficking from rescue to restore and going to spend some more time with one in particular. I want to learn as much as I can from this agency. They have rescued so many children and the criminal lawyer's prosecution success is just incredible.

Old Delhi

India is a land of contrast, beauty, mystery, and it captures me more and more everyday. With every broken image I see hope. I feel like it's not just India, it's the world. Trafficking, poverty, crime, pain, and brokenness are found in every community. I might see more here because of the population but the same problems are found right in my backyard in the States.
Thank you to everyone who is supporting me. I have so many stories of hope to share with you and everyday am learning and growing. So, thank you.

Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it.

Mahatma Gandhi

Lunch in a Brothel.

2011-03-11T02:00:00.000-08:00

Psalm 23 says God prepares a table in front of out enemies. He prepared an Indian feast in front of my enemy and I just got done eating it. I just got back from a great tour of Freeset and the see the work they are doing in Sonagachi.

Sonagachi in the largest red light district in Kolkata with at least 10,000 prostitutes make a living, some are from remote villages or districts. Some are trafficked from other countries like Bangladesh and Nepal because of where Kolkata is located. Clients often insist on sex without condoms. Out of fear of being abused or loosing a baby & ignorance, these girls are forced into extremely unsafe flesh trade. Many come from extreme distant villages and hardly know what HIV/Aids is before they are sold to the pimps who hold their freedom from them with threats or “debt”. And, as they are moved around the country they can unwittingly spread the disease. In eastern India, Kolkata has emerged as a hub for the trafficking of girls, who also arrive from Nepal, Bangladesh and Burma. From Kolkata they are often sold again to brothels in Mumbai.

So, I was in Sonagaci today and going back in a few hours to visit Sari Bari. We went down the street to go eat lunch at a “safe place”. The thing is when you work in trafficking. You see signs everywhere. Trafficking is everywhere: every city, country, state the red flags are the same. We are eating lunch and there are tables like the ones we are eating at but we curtains “for privacy”. I notice a man sleeping in the back with a red light turned on. A couple enters and the go sit down and one of these private booths. The “waiter” comes and takes their order. He brings a cup but it is empty. He doesn’t come back. As soon as they entered and I saw her expression I turned to my friend and we both knew. He was holding her wrist not her hand. Her face was blank. The hollow expression I have seen on so many beautiful women. We waited around till they left. The man stuck his hand out and shouted something in Bengali and the waiter came over took money and the man walked out. A few seconds later the girl walked out, wiping her mouth. The cup came out later it wasn’t empty anymore. My whole body, heart mind just ached as my eyes met with hers. I wanted to tell her she could be free. My friends and I pretended to still be talking as friends as we prayed. And then I paid my enemy, the pimp exploiting the girls who so desperately need to rescued. One day they will be free.

You're Beautiful.

2011-03-09T10:22:00.000-08:00

This song is an anthem for survivors of trafficking.

Yesterday, I was with an amazing foundation that does the whole process of rescue to restore. The day was incredible. I spent the day taking to the director, who is a criminal lawyer. He is a very smart man and very good at fighting this battle against trafficking. All I will say is that it left me with encouragement. I am not going to share much about the meeting because I want to protect them. The two things I think I can share is that I felt like I walked away thinking trafficking is trafficking everywhere whether that be the States, India, Thailand etc... it is the same ugly business.

So focused. So beautiful.

To beat them you have to think like the trafficker. I am going to be a lawyer that knows the law like the back of my hand so I can always be one step above them.

Today (and tomorrow I will also) spent the day with Made By Survivors It was an amazing day. The girls are very talented. I have never seen silver jewelry, so beautifully designed and detailed made start to finish like I did today. It was really incredible.

Metalworking Silver

Freedom for All.

Quiet to Honk!

2011-03-05T19:09:00.000-08:00

I have spent the last few days in peaceful, clean Chandigarh with one of my best friends. It was a nice way to start this journey. Very calm. I'm back in New Delhi for a few days before going to Kolkata to visit some wonderful organizations (Freeset) Last night there was a party going on in the room next to mine (or just REALLY loud Indians) Followed by the honking and dog barking on the streets all I could think is, "ahh now I am in India..." so here I am. Awake earlier then expected.

The best part of Chandigarh was Nek Chand's Rock Garden. Nek Chand has no former training or education. Basically, In his spare time, Chand began collecting materials from demolition sites around the city. He recycled these materials into his own vision of the divine kingdom Sukrani, choosing a gorge in a forest near Sukhna Lake for his work. The gorge had been designated as a land conservancy so nothing could be built on. Chand’s work was illegal, but he was able to hide it for eighteen years before it was discovered by the authorities in 1975. By this time, it had grown into a 12-acre complex of interlinked courtyards, each filled with hundreds of pottery-covered sculptures of dancers, musicians, and animals.

His work was in serious danger of being demolished, but he was able to get public opinion on his side, and in 1976 the park was inaugurated as a public space. Nek Chand was given a salary, a title, and a workforce of 50 laborers so that he could concentrate full-time on his work. It even appeared on an Indian stamp in 1983. The Rock Garden is still made out of ALL recycled materials; and with the government’s help, Chand was able to set up collection centers around the city for waste, especially rags and broken ceramics.

Clearly designed for my Mom.

Beauty.To think this was all once trash.

Awake my soul & other random thoughts...

2011-02-17T15:19:00.000-08:00

Just a warning... this post is going to be very random.

As it almost time for me to leave. I am finalizing last minute details and today my friend (who I am going to Kolkata with week two of India to visit Freeset) called me to ask what I was doing for Holi. Side note- Holi is an AMAZING festival of colors in India. I will post more on what Holi is later. I am so excited about it! She wanted to see if I would come join her in Andhra Pradesh to visit a wonderful ministry that reaches out to street kids, the oppressed, widows and so many others called Harvest India. I am very excited about this possibility and I hope it works out! Please look at this video to see more of Harvest India:

JEFF GOKEE / HARVEST INDIA DOCUMENTARY from chris loope on Vimeo.

Next, I was or still am on a sub committee for End Slavery Cincinnati and this report is a bit lengthy. But, if you are reading this blog, live in Ohio and care about prevention against human trafficking in our state it is a good read. It is our sub committee's report to the State Attorney's office addressing what demands for human trafficking are made in Ohio. Also, how law enforcement, the prosecutor's office and communities programs are addressing the issues.

Third, I have been listening to Mumford & Sons a lot. "Sign No More" is replacing "Brothers" from The Black Keys which has played over and over since Thanksgiving. I am switching it up with some Bollywood tunes every now and then but mostly "Awake my Soul" is on repeat_a lot. If you aren't listening to Mumford... seriously check them out.

Last, I have been "working" at Legal Aid. I love it and so grateful for the experience. I have had a lot of discouraging people this year. Take a look at the blogging world there are many unhappy, unemployed law grads out there, discouraging lawyers. It is so amazing to work with lawyers who love what they do. One of the managing attorneys who has been there for 20 years told me on my first day, "Kristin, I started working at legal aid because I was passionate about Justice and I wanted to make a difference.... I realized very soon I wasn't going to save the world. It wasn't about a macro view but a micro view. It isn't about big high profiled cases but that one client and helping that one client out of abuse or keep her child and at the end of the day if I did that then I did make a difference."

I shared this because this wise advice is not only going to apply to my law career but also to my trip to India. I am excited to share it with you all soon!

Where Do Things Stand on National Human Trafficking Awareness Day?

2011-01-11T07:39:00.000-08:00

From the Freedom Blog on January 11th, 2011 by Paul Bernish

Today, January 11, 2011, is national human trafficking awareness day, and by anyone’s guesstimate, there is little doubt that awareness about contemporary form of slavery is widespread and growing. Compared to even a year ago, much progress has been made in the U.S. and elsewhere to elevate the public’s familiarity with the issue.

The Freedom Center certainly has been a significant factor in this effort. Our exhibition on modern-day slavery and trafficking, Invisible: Slavery Today, opened in October as the first permanent museum installation on these subjects anywhere in the world. It has drawn good crowds and enthusiastic endorsements from His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, as well as movie celebrity and anti-trafficking activists Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore.

Across the country, there are more media reports about trafficking arrests and convictions, which is a reflection of growing law enforcement attention to the issue. Police training is accelerating in cities and states, and new laws are being passed to increase penalties for traffickers. Ohio reflects the growing focus on the issue. The Ohio General Assembly passed in December a new statute making human trafficking a 2nd degree felony. The law passed virtually unanimously following several years of inaction, which shows that legislators are paying attention to the issue. A statewide commission to examine the extent of trafficking in the Buckeye state was created two years ago by Democat Attorney General Richard Cordray. There is strong likelihood that the commission will continue under his Republican successor, Mike DeWine.

In the meantime, businesses, especially those with large, labor intensive operations, are starting to assess their vulnerability to worker exploitation. Several companies, including The Body Shop, Manpower, and Lexis-Nexis, have become prominently engaged in combating exploitation.

But a realistic assessment must concede that while awareness is surely growing, there is scant evidence that trafficking is declining around the world. In fact, it may be increasing, as vexing economic disparities force thousands — if not millions — of desperate people seeking work to fall victim to trafficking gangs. Nor is there any evidence to suggest that the demand for sex, which is fueling both the multi-billion dollar pornography industry, as well as prostitution and child sex trafficking, is doing anything but growing worldwide.

Which leads to the question: is awareness truly helping to decrease the crime of trafficking and exploitation?

It’s difficult to say. In large part, trafficking remains a hidden, elusive (‘invisible”) phenomenon, and reliable data is scant. For example, if you accept the widely repeated number that there are 27 million people enslaved in the world, then you’d have to be dismayed with the paltry number of trafficking convictions in 2009 — less than 5,000 globally. It’s also accepted, especially in the back-and-forth chatter on Twitter and Facebook, that trafficking is a mushrooming, $32 billion industry that is growing even faster than the global illegal drug trade.

If true, those are sobering reminders that abolishing modern-day slavery is going to be a tough, years (if not decades-long) battle.

Accepting that it’s going to be a long-term struggle is really the first step in raising awareness of trafficking and exploitation. It very definitely will not go away without much more attention by law enforcement not just in Ohio, but also in Moldova and Brazil. More resources — i.e., money — will be required to do battle with traffickers, who are in the business in the first place because they can make a lot of money exploiting the work or service of vulnerable individuals. Better methods must be devised to reach and warn vulnerable populations, such as teenage girls, about the dangers of trafficking. Nations are going to have to crack down on corruption, which some experts believe is a major factor in the expansion of trafficking. Every nation in the world has a law outlawing slavery; it’s time, isn’t it, for governments to seriously begin enforcing the rule of law.

In other words, and self-evidently, we can’t wish away the crime of slavery with platitudes and public service announcements. It really is going to take time, effort, money and commitment.

Here’s a good place to start. The United States’ primary anti-trafficking law, the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), needs both Congressional re-authorization, and more program dollars. The Obama Administration and the new GOP-controlled House hopefully will work in bipartisan fashion to not only maintain TVPA, but strengthen it with higher levels of funding. You can let your voice be heard on this critical matter by e-signing a petition directed to House Speaker John Boehner and Senate President Harry Reid, asking them to lend their support and leadership on anti-trafficking. You can sign the petition here.

Perhaps the strategy for 2011 is as simple as this: moving from awareness to action.

Where did all the good people go?

2011-01-10T06:47:00.000-08:00

The recent shootings in Tucson, Arizona have left me asking this question, where did all the good people go? I'm watching the news this morning and even though I have seen this same this story over and over since Saturday it still rips at my heart. I just don't understand.

One "good person" a true hero of this tragedy is Patricia Maisch, who was waiting in line at Safeway to have her photo taken with Congresswoman Giffords when the suspect Jared Loughner opened fire and shot 20 people. Patrica Maisch along with Bill Badger, Roger Sulzgeber and Joseph Zimudie risked their lives when they grabbed the bottom of the suspect's weapon and prevented him from reloading. This act of bravery is outstanding. I wish more people had this amazing courage!

At 11am ET today President Obama is asking everyone to stop and honor the victims with a moment of silence. My thoughts and prayers go out to the families and loved ones of the victims.

Fight Gaby Fight!

Human Trafficking Prevention Day 1-11-11

2011-01-08T10:34:00.000-08:00

Did you know that January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month? January 11, 2011 is National Slavery and Human Trafficking awareness day. How can you participate?

Well, I have some suggestions! Just in case you were looking for some...

If you are local to the Cincinnati Tri-State area there are two great events happening. The first is The Power of 1 event on January 11th at 4pm at the Underground. There will be speakers, music, booths, and a raffle. The featured speakers are Rob Morris; the co-founder and President of Love146, Laura Lederer; founder of Global Centurion, and Peter Everett; US Director of Destiny Rescue. Also, there are two special guest authors on hand to meet, Theresa Flores and Amber Robinson. It's only $8 and definitely worth checking out!

The second is the Human Trafficking Conference on January 14th at Chase Law School on the NKU Campus. There will be a variety of tracks to choose from or create your own from Human Trafficking for Beginners, Domestic Trafficking, and International Trafficking. Registration forms can be found below and faxed, scanned, or mailed to C/o Mary R-Women's Crisis Center. Also, CEUs will be offered for this training.

If you aren't able to attend either one of these events there are other ways to participate in January to raise awareness. Here are my ideas:

1. Memorize the number. If you see any activity that looks like it could be linked to Human Trafficking, call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTR) anytime at 888.3737.888 and report what you have seen/observed.

2. Educate yourself. Knowledge is half the battle, and there are numerous websites, books and documentaries with helpful information. Make a goal to read or watch one this month!

3. There are countless organizations that are working to eradicate Human Trafficking, find one or several in your area and support them financially or by volunteering. Make January your time to start! Some notable organizations are: Call and Response, Love 146, Live 2 Free, Made by Survivors, Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force, Rescue & Restore, and Free the Slaves. There are many, many more...

So, how are you planing on participating this month?

Good job Ohio!

2010-12-22T19:41:00.000-08:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DATE: Thursday, December 23, 2010

(COLUMBUS, OHIO) - Governor Ted Strickland signed Senate Bill 235 into law today. The new law, which was sponsored by State Senator Teresa Fedor (D - Toledo) and Sen. Tim Grendell (R - Chesterland), makes human trafficking a stand-alone felony offense, and makes compelling a minor under the age of 16 to prostitution a first-degree felony. Kidnapping for the purpose of involuntarily servitude is now a first-degree felony offense as well.

S.B. 235 passed the Ohio Senate by a vote of 32-0 on December 1, 2010 and passed the Ohio House 96-0 this past week. Ohio now joins 44 other states with felony trafficking offenses.

Human trafficking is an issue that has come to national attention in recent years with high-profile cases discovered in Ohio. Currently, Toledo ranks 4^th in the nation for active investigations, arrests, and rescues of children who are forced into prostitution. In addition to creating a human trafficking offense, the law also creates an offense for falsifying or destroying government identification documents for the purpose of trafficking or involuntary servitude.

How is selling a child not a felony in my state?

2010-12-01T08:59:00.000-08:00

Selling a child is not stand alone felony in Ohio. Human Trafficking is not a stand alone felony in Ohio. How is this still possible Ohio? How is it that yesterday in the news there was a woman who said she had been held in a closet for over a week, raped, beaten and told she was going to be sold as a slave. Only to escape to have her perp fall through the cracks of our weak state laws. What message does that send? Ohio is getting national new coverage about our "growing sex trade" problem. That's what message I am seeing.

Watch CBS News Videos Online

" Traffickers know they can come here, traffic these girls and not stand any punishment for it."

- Kari Kester, Union Bethel

1,000 minors are trafficked in Ohio each year, and hundreds of immigrants are exploited in sweatshops. One federal investigator has called Toledo the number one teen prostitution location in the United States. The victims are almost exclusively American-born girls. Senate Bill 235, jointly proposed by Senator Teresa Fedor (D-Toledo) and Senator Tim Grendell (R-Chesterland), has the potential to change this.

We can't let Ohio continue to grow in human trafficking. Please help support this bill. Tell President Bill Harris 614-466-8086 and the Ohio Senate we need SB 235 to pass. Please take a few moments and call President Harris today.

Senate Bill 235 passed out of the Criminal Justice Committee yesterday and is on its way to the Rules Committee for a vote Senate session is currently scheduled for today Wednesday, December 1; Tuesday, December 7; Wednesday, December 8; and Thursday, December 9.

Senator Fedor encourages advocates of Senate Bill 235 to show their support by attending Ohio Senate session. Session convenes at about 1:30 PM on scheduled session dates. Should session convene on Thursday, December 9, it would begin at about 11:00 AM.

Please don't let this very important bill die. Your voice matters please call President Harris today!

JFK to PNS

2010-11-23T19:03:00.000-08:00

November started off a bit rough for me. I am happy it is on it's way out and that I ended it on a good note. The last two weeks I was in NYC and Pensacola, FL which seems random. But, I was in New York to see family and FL to see a dear friend.

I'll start with NYC because it is the best city in the world.

The city is like poetry; it compresses all life, all races and breeds, into a small island and adds music and the accompaniment of internal engines.

- E. B. White

I think it was the best timing for me to take a trip there. It made me feel like myself again and reminded me what I am working towards. The combination of good food, good friends and family was great for my soul. Here are some of my favorite highlights from my favorite city:

View from Dad's office.

Madison Sq Park-Veterans Day Memorial-this year Veterans Day means something to me.
Please pray for our troops safety.

Took me forever to get this picture to look ok...

Body Shop is amazing! So encouraging to see these posters all over the city!

Pensacola, Florida... never had been before but it was so much fun! The weather was warm and it was nice to be with my friend.

Beautiful.

I started running again in Florida again and it feels amazing. First race back on Thursday-Turkey Trot!

If there wasn't such a need there wouldn't be so much business now would there?

2010-10-26T08:47:00.000-07:00

A wicked man lures young girls into his candy shop where he puts them into a machine and turns them into candy to sell to men who are looking for something “fresh.” A boy across the street sees this evil being done and tries to stop it, calling out for people to help do something, but will anyone help stop the candy shop?

That’s a disturbing story that deals with a disturbing subject: child sex trafficking. The Candy Shop ~ A Fairytale About the Sexual Exploitation of Children, produced by Whitestone Motion Pictures, will be released next month to spread awareness about child sex trafficking.

I'm not from Atlanta. However, I have gone to Atlanta several times this year. Two of my best friends from college live there currently so I find myself making the trip there often. I really love that city. I find Atlanta to be a "clean" city. I feel safe there. The people are lovely. But, I was shocked to see these statistics. When I hear Atlanta- sex trafficking is not what comes to mind.

Up to 500 underaged girls a month are trafficked for sex in the city of Atlanta.
It’s the number one city in the country for child sex trafficking…
The 10th in the world.

I applaud Whitestone motion Pictures for taking on this project. Because, those numbers are horrifying. Brandon McCormick, director and producer of The Candy Shop, says this about child sex trafficking: “Once you know about it, you can’t unknow about it. You can’t go home and not be affected by it.” It's my hope that people do watch this film and are afffected by it.

Visit Stop the Candy Shop and Whitestone’s website for more information and updates about the film, and see how they are partnering with Street Grace, an organization working to put an end to child sex trafficking in Atlanta and the rest of the United States.

Check out the trailer:

The Candy Shop Trailer from Brandon McCormick on Vimeo.

2010-10-22T08:15:00.000-07:00

"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of him" (1 John 5:14-15).

Monday September 20th- National Call in day for the Child Protection Compact Act!

2010-09-14T06:46:00.000-07:00

You can help to pass this urgent legislation! Senators have a great deal to do before Congress adjourns – so they need to hear from constituents who care about ending child trafficking if they are going to make the CPCA a priority.
On September 20, will you take a few minutes to help pass this desperately needed legislation?
It’s easy – just:

1 Find out who your Senators are and how to contact them (Find your state in the upper right corner and look for the “Contact” section on your Senators’ websites.)

2 Check to see if either of your Senators has already committed to co-sponsor the CPCA.

3 Make the call – use these sample scripts as a guide:
For Senators who are not already co-sponsors of the CPCA:
“Hi, my name is [NAME] and I’m calling from [City, State]. [Optional: Can I speak to the legislative aide who handles human trafficking issues?] I’m calling to ask Senator [NAME] to co-sponsor S. 3184, the Child Protection Compact Act. This bill would help to eradicate child trafficking, an issue I really care about. At a minimum, I’m hoping the Senator will commit to voting to pass the bill when it reaches the Senate floor. Would you please pass my message on to the Senator? Thank you!”

For Senators who are already co-sponsors of the CPCA:
“Hi, my name is [NAME] and I’m calling from [City, State]. I’m calling to thank Senator [NAME] for his/her co-sponsorship of the Child Protection Compact Act. This bill would help to eradicate child trafficking, an issue I really care about. I appreciate the Senator’s leadership on the issue, and I’m hoping the Senator will vote to pass the bill when it reaches the Senate floor. Would you please pass my message on to the Senator? Thank you!”

From my experience I have seen that Senators do respond when they hear from their constituents. Please take part Monday, September 20th.

For more info look at: IJM's website

Make the call on September 20th

The wall

2010-07-15T10:56:00.001-07:00

I ran my first marathon in 2007 in Detroit. Around mile 21 I will always remember the way my body just stopped. My mind freaked. My legs felt like lead, heavier with every step. I thought all my hard work; all those months of training were wasted. The hours spent missing time with family and friends to train and beating my body for this one day. What if I couldn’t even finish? All those blisters and all those runs ending with ice on my sore legs to not even finish. I couldn’t go any further and I wanted to quit. I looked around for encouragement and I didn’t see anything. There were runners who looked like they were going similar pains as me. The course was bare with no one to cheer us on. It was lonely and depressing. This pain I felt is called "hitting the wall," but it's actually according to Marathonpal.com, “It is a bodily form of sedition. In some form or another, it becomes a collapse of the entire system: body and form, brains and soul. “

My soul was the only thing that didn’t quit during mile 21. As cheesy as it sounds I felt that God gave me a renewed strength because I kept going and I broke through the pain and the “wall”. I made it to the finish and ran through the pain. I remember the last few miles of that marathon being an out of body experience. I knew as much as I felt like I was alone, I wasn’t. I had a God that reminded me I trained for this and I was going to finish the course and He was going to give me the strength.

Why do I tell this story? I have been running again (been out with an injury last year). As I attempt to beat my body back into shape I get frustrated. I can’t run as long or as fast as I did last year. But, I am reminded that it isn’t a sprint- it’s a marathon I am running. It’s about the training, the journey. Not the immediate results so when the immediate run is frustrating I need to remember that all the work is going to pay off eventually.

Running reminds me of the battle against injustice. It’s frustrating at times. It takes time for investigators and law enforcement to get the victims out of the situation. The victims have to work with the social workers to build up the courage to speak the truth and prosecute against their perpetrators. Court cases take a long time, years before there is a verdict. There still is the long process of healing for the victim. It’s a long race with so many walls. The people that run in this race feel the pain in their whole entire system: body and form, brains and soul. Will there ever be a finish line? I am hopeful in the promise of Isaiah 40: 28-31:

“But those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary”

The Global Forum on Human Trafficking 2010

2010-07-14T11:34:00.000-07:00

There is a Global Forum on Human Trafficking happening October 14-15, 2010 in Yorba Linda, California. Here is a recap (not written by me) below:

October 23, 2009 Posted by Allison Trowbridge at Not for Sale Campaign

The Global Forum on Human Trafficking Shatters Expectations & Advances the Movement

The first annual Global Forum on Human Trafficking (GFHT) occurred on October 8-9, 2009 in Carlsbad, California. Seeing the need for a major event that would catalyze and engage a greater abolitionist movement, the Not For Sale Campaign created the GFHT to connect intellectual, political, social, religious, and business leaders. Largely seen as a resounding success by presenters, speakers, organizations, and the host the GFHT allowed for an open and fluid dialogue structure allowing participants to interact with one another and strategies to address human trafficking.

Thank you to everyone who came, engaged, and contributed to make the first Global Forum on Human Trafficking, Oct. 8 & 9 in Carlsbad, CA a resounding success! The gathering exceeded all expectations, as speakers and attendees from across the globe gathered to advance the movement to end modern-day slavery.

The Forum was truly global, bringing together leaders from Uganda, Australia, Thailand, South Africa, Canada, Ghana, Peru, Cambodia… all committed to the fight against human trafficking, both at home and abroad. Thirty leading experts convened in nine panel discussions, all seeking solutions-based approaches to address the issue in their specific fields.

Keynotes were presented by Lou de Baca, Ambassador-at-Large to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, Bama Athreya, Executive Director, International Labor Rights Forum, and David Arkless, President of Global

Corporate & Gov’t Affairs, Manpower, Inc. At the end of his presentation, Arkless made the “Carlsbad Declaration,” another tremendous stride forward in corporate engagement to combat modern-day slavery! Also making appearances via video message were Canadian Member of Parliament, Joy Smith, CEO World Vision Australia, Tim Costello, and U.S. Representatives Chris Smith and Jackie Speier.

Thousands tuned in LIVE to the event via USTREAM. Click HERE to watch the fascinating breakout discussion on slave labor in supply chains, “A Conversation with David Batstone & David Arkless,” if you missed it!

THE ABOLITION CONCERT

The phenomenal keynotes and panel discussions were welcomed in by an exclusive acoustic performance by world-renowned artists at the Abolition Concert: Jon Foreman of Switchfoot, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Brant Christopher, and Bradley Corrigan of Dispatch. International photographer U Roberto Romano provided stunning visuals from around the globe, illustrating the issues that the forum sought to address.

The Abolition Concert honored lifetime Abolitionist Lucy Borja for her heroic work rescuing children in Lima, Peru, and raised funds for a music program to rehabilitate survivors of human trafficking at her project.

THANK YOU!

The Global Forum on Human Trafficking was enabled by the incredible support of its sponsors: Humanity United, the Glue Network, Global Exchange, Giving Children Hope, christianaudio, and the University of San Diego Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies.

Finally, an enormous thank you to our phenomenal hosts at North Coast Calvary Chapel who aided in every logistic to make the Global Forum possible, and consistently amazed us with their support and commitment to this cause.

COULDN’T JOIN US?!

Stay tuned for recordings of Global Forum sessions… soon to come! And be sure to check out the first posted session, “A Conversation with David Batstone & David Arkless,” posted to USTREAM.

2010-07-12T12:21:00.000-07:00

This is an article I stole from Marie Claire. Bravo to them!

Every 34 minutes in India a woman is raped, but for the handful of cases that ever make it to court, only 5% are ever prosecuted.

This month a shocking new documentary, directed by Michael Lawson, sheds light on the exploitation and oppression faced by India’s Dalit women due to their gender, class and position at the bottom of the cruel caste system-a centuries-old hierarchy of social class in to which individuals are born.

Filmed in the towns and villages of Hyderabad, Bengalaru, Belgaum and Mumbai, Anjali Guptara, presenter of the documentary, takes us in to the homes and communities of these women, outlining the issues they face on a daily basis due to India’s ancient yet regimental caste system, which decides their fate before they have even been born.

Through interviews and astonishing footage, Anjali unearths the hidden lives of the Dalit women subject to brutal domestic violence, dowry crime, rape, sex selective abortion, female infanticide, bonded labour, temple prostitution and human trafficking.

She explains, ‘One of the main problems with the issues that we cover is that people think they are historical problems, perhaps even legends and myths.’ The film explores issues of sexual violence with stories of rape by men of higher caste, of police turning a blind eye and the legacy of depression and suicide that follows.

Kishwar Desai, a campaigner for women’s rights in India and author of Witness the Night said, ‘There is a complicity of corruption between the police, judicial system, politicians, media and the uncivil society.’

Presenter Anjali with just a handful of the millions of young girls doomed by their class, caste and gender

Perhaps most disturbing are the scenes of temple prostitution, officially outlawed in 1988, where girls as young as four are sold to priests by desperate parents for financial exchange. By the time these girls are twelve they are used as prostitutes.

Lawson, the film’s producer, director, composer and cameraman added, ‘For growing, economically successful India, in public the Dalits are an embarrassment. In private, the exploitation continues as it has for centuries.’

In the world’s largest democracy, this treatment of women is a contradiction in its highest form. By uncovering the truth, Pipe Village Trust, a small UK film making human rights charity, gives these Dalit women of India a voice, but insists that it is how viewers choose to respond that will determine how long the terrible suffering continues.

The DVD is now available to buy online from the Pipe Village Trust website.

How does this make you feel as a woman? Do you think it is our responsibility to fight for women's rights in India?

I do.

10 Things you can do to Stop Human-Trafficking

2010-07-07T13:24:00.000-07:00

Most people read the statistics 27 million people stuck in modern day slavery and can't help but want to do something. But what? Here are some ideas:

Throw a party...seriously. Educate your friends about human trafficking by inviting others watch a film on human trafficking and discuss it. A film, either a documentary or fictional story (such as Taken), is a great way to introduce people to the issue because it helps them connect to the victims. IJM has a video resource on their website as well :http://www.ijm.org/video/viewcategory
Host a fundraiser for a local anti-trafficking nonprofit. While donating individually to the causes you support is never a bad thing, there are many ways to take a small amount of money and turn it into a much larger amount for bigger impact. Help fund the most effective project to reduce slavery and care for its victims like:
www.ijm.org
www.gracehavenhouse.org
www.sharedhope.org In Ohio we are lucky to have many organizations to support: Transitions Global is one please support at : http://www.transitionsglobal.org/
This might be "common sense" but don't use the commercial sex which includes prostitution, escort services, strip clubs, pornography and using words like "pimp n ho". Sex trafficking victims can be found in all of the above mentioned areas of the commercial sex industry. It is the fastest growing criminal industry in the world because we are continually in demand for sex. Stop the demand.
Support new or better state and local anti-trafficking laws. Ohio this is for you! We are one of out 5 states that does not have a stand alone felony for human-trafficking. We have two bills that are up until December 2010 that can change that. So, please if you live in the state of Ohio please call your local representative. They do respond to you! To find out (very simple) how to do this click here
Buy fair trade. By buying fair trade goods, you support companies and products which ensure a living wage for the producers and humane working conditions. Learn more about what buying fair trade means. Go to www.chainstorereaction.com and find out what your favorite brand is doing about the issue.
Purchase items from human-trafficking survivors. There are great organizations globally and locally that sell items that are made by and benefit survivors check out: ISanctuary & Stop Traffick Fashion
Talk about it! Tell others. Expose the truth about modern-day slavery. Make sure everyone knows the 27 million dirtiest secrets. Make it your tweets, status, and wolfs!
Tourism.Visit the Trafficking in Persons Report from the State Department . Find out which countries are the worst offenders. Write a letter to their travel bureau and tell them you won’t visit until they address the issue.
Report anything fishy. Report any human-trafficking tips to the toll-free 24-7 human trafficking line at 1-888-3737-888 Here are some "red flags" to keep an eye out for:

You strike up a conversation with someone who doesn't appear to be a local but isn't aware she's in Cincinnati, or another person jumps in to answer for her.
You see the security guard in front of a building watching and controlling the people going out, not in.
A nail salon that has more male customers than female and/or very late business hours.
Waitstaff and bus people at a restaurant speak little or no English and/or are discouraged from taking to customers by one or two people who appear to inspire fear or do nothing but watch the help.
A person can't provide a valid ID when trying to write or cash a check.

10. Pray. “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you.” Psalm 89:14. never understand it my friends.

2010-07-06T11:43:00.000-07:00

People often ask me if my tattoo on my wrist means anything. In my current job, I am a recruiter for a marketing agency. I shake hands with new faces everyday and everyday those people ask, “Is there a story behind that?” I am so glad when they ask because I am always excited to share with them the meaning behind it.
Isaiah 1:17 calls us to “Seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan and plead for the widow.” This verse became very real to me my short time in India in February of this year. Over the past several years, my church Crossroads has been partnering with other organizations to combat sex trafficking. Our main partner is International Justice Mission (www.ijm.org) in Mumbai, India. The Indian Ministry of Home Affairs estimates that 90 percent of India's sex trafficking is internal. And in Mumbai, the third largest city in the world, in just one of its red light districts, there are an estimated 60,000 sex workers who get the equivalent of $1.50 for sex, $2 on a good night, and less than a dollar on a bad night. I went to Mumbai with small team of volunteers and showed love to these girls through teaching photography classes, painting murals and clean-up projects.
On our first day we had a wonderful day to explore the busy metropolitan city of Mumbai. One of the places we got to explore was the caves of Elephanta Island. Our tour guide said a statement that struck me. She said, “When an Indian husband dies before the wife it is the woman’s fault, it was bad superstition that brought him to an early death. Because of this the widows are typically cast out of society and the only job that suits a widow is a job of a prostitute.” This was my first encounter with a society that has a caste system. Until this statement, I never fully understood God’s calling to plead for the widow. It was in that moment looking at those caves that I started to realize the reality that Christianity without the pursuit of justice is like faith without deeds; it is dead.
The next week would be spent in a government for major girls. The home was full of 70 widows, women who had been cast out of society, and the looked at as the forgotten women of India, Bangladesh and Nepal. I found myself face to face with God’s call for us to plead for us to seek justice for those women.
I thought I would see just utter despair in the women in the homes. But, in my short time with them I saw something surprising, hope. They would hold my hand, call me “Didi” and tell me they loved me within an hour of meeting me. There was one woman, who I’ll call Preethi; she clung to me throughout the whole week. She played with my hair, held my hand, and took my photo many times. She cried every time it was time for us to leave the home and jumped for joy the next morning when we came back. Her eyes were heavy with pain and sadness. On the last day we gave the women henna. Preethi ran to me grabbed my arms and feet and was so excited to draw beautiful designs on my arms, hands, shoulder and feet. As she drew the henna on me she blessed me by telling me about her family. I never asked anything about her background. She started talking and I was honored that she felt comfortable enough to share her story with me. I had to grab 3 different people to translate but God found a way to break through the language and allowed me to understand her.
Preethi is from Kolkata (Calcutta). She is married with two children, who she loves very much and is so sad to be away from. She was very excited one day to be offered a job in the city that was going to provide money for her family. That job she was offered got her into a brothel in Mumbai, she has no idea how long she has been gone from her children. She eyes swelled with tears and she pushed them away as she spoke of her longing to have a job and to go home all while drawing a beautiful design on my wrist. When she finished drawing the henna on my arms she was so worried that I wouldn’t like it. She desperately sought my approval. I assured her over and over again as best I good that I loved her henna. She was embarrassed and smiled. When we left the government home for the final time she grabbed my hand and asked me to not forget her.
I wanted to explain to her to her and all the beautiful women in the home that they are not forgotten. For we have a God that knows our every tear, “Record my lament; list my tears on your scroll - are they not in your record? For you have delivered my soul from death and my feet from stumbling...” (Psalm 56:8, 13). How could I let Preethi know she was not a forgotten woman but that she had a powerful God on her side, desperately fighting for her, who knew her perfectly? He would never forget her.
Preethi’s story is sadly such a common one. According to UNICEF human trafficking is the fastest growing criminal industry in the world, tied with the illegal arms industry as the second largest, after the drug-trade. The total market value of illicit human trafficking is estimated to be in excess of $32 billion. Hearing Preethi’s story and seeing the pain of modern day slavery first hand I felt the reality of God’s calling for us to seek justice. In order for us to break the cycle of modern day slavery we must hold the perpetrators responsible. In meeting with the IJM staff in India, I saw hope in their approach to justice that includes victim relief, perpetrator accountability, structural transformation, and victim aftercare. I went home full of passion to give a voice to those victims of slavery, to Preethi. One small way was getting part of her henna tattooed on my wrist. It is a beautiful and meaningful way to tell others about the reality of human trafficking. It’s a daily reminder of God’s calling to me to, “Seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan and plead for the widow.”

2010-07-05T15:08:00.000-07:00

Being that it was just Independence weekend, I was just reminded that I am blessed to live in a free country. It was also a time to reflect and remember that there are 27 million people today still stuck in the bondage on modern day slavery. Which is why I am so excited when I heard about IJM's new campaign 5 Weeks for Freedom.

5 Weeks for Freedom is a major awareness and advocacy campaign to support International Justice Mission’s work and give a voice to victims of modern-day slavery and other forms of injustice. A team of ordinary people is giving up 5 weeks to cycle 1800 miles of the Underground Railroad – a route that reminds us that change happens when ordinary people do what they can to stop injustice, that the evil of slavery has been defeated once, and that, together, we can do it again. You can find out more about the campaign at 5weeksforfreedom.org

Throughout their journey there will be several events at cities along the route - including Cincinnati! The details of the events are below. These would definitely be a great way to get involved and tell your friends about human trafficking.
Wednesday July 21, 2010
Cincinnati, OH – Freedom Night with the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds’ Great American Ball Park 7:10pm
The tour riders will be featured throughout the game, from the opening pitch to cycling the bases, so get ready to cheer them on as we empower the entire stadium to join the movement.
Thursday July 22, 2010
Cincinnati, OH – Rally
National Underground Railroad Freedom Center 4pm
A special sneak preview of the Freedom Center’s upcoming “In-vis-i-ble” exhibit, including leaders of today’s anti-slavery movement, End Slavery Cincinnati, IJM and Freedom Center staff.

Ohio's current law against Human Trafficking

2010-06-28T19:07:00.000-07:00

Human Trafficking as defined by the Trafficking in Persons Report is threat or use of force, coercion, abduction, fraud, deception, abuse of power or vulnerability, or giving payments or benefits to a person in control of the victim. The act leads to exploiting the prostitution of others, sexual exploitation, forced labor and slavery or similar practices. When most people hear the words “Human- Trafficking” they think of poor countries. But, the truth is it happens in our backyards, in the United States. It is the fastest growing criminal activity in the world. It is estimated by the government that there are 14,500-17,500 domestic cases a year.

Right now Ohio is 1 in 5 states in the United States where Human Trafficking is NOT A STATE FELONY. But good news the law is ready to be changed: http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/bills

We need everyone in Ohio to call their senator and ask them to support this bill!

Your voice matters! Please call or email your senator!

Please ask them to support Senate Bill 235 to make human trafficking a stand-alone felony in the state of Ohio:

Hamilton County Senator’s include:
Senator Eric Kearney (District 9):
Email: SD09@maild.sen.state.oh.us

Senator Bill Seitz (District 8):
Email: SD08@senate.state.oh.us

Butler County Senator (District 4):
Senator Gary Cates
Email: SD04@senate.state.oh.us

To find out which Senator represents your neighborhood:
Here's a map of Ohio's districts --> http://www.ohiosenate.gov/map.html
You can also type in a zip code and it will tell you in which district it lies here --> http://www.ohiosenate.gov/

What are your thoughts about our current law?