Traffick 101

Happy Monday!

When I was first introduced to the term human trafficking, it was almost obvious to everyone that it was something that needed to be fixed, but I had a hard time explaining in detail what it was. So today, a complete definition. This definition comes from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

Without a definition, you may be told there isn't a universal definition, but there is. Trafficking is also easily confused with migrant smuggling or kidnapping but its very different.

'Trafficking in persons' shall mean the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring 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. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs."

To be continued ...

SOURCES:

http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/human-trafficking/what-is-human-trafficking.html?ref=menuside#What_is_Human_Trafficking

Do it better than Lady Gaga III

Alright, we're back. Last month Lady Gaga said that celibacy was the way to go for her fans. After all shes been celibate for the past year so why not, right?

Regardless of what Gaga is saying, here are you next two tips.

Second tip, 'find someone who has done it, or someone you can do it with'. This is more of a possibility than you might think. Use someone whose succeeded to ask them questions about their decision and how they got through the tough parts. And if you can only find someone thats willing to support you the whole way through, but hasn't done it, then thats cool too. Use them as an accountability partner. Check in every week or so and describe how things have been going. My only suggestion with this is to make sure your accountability partner is the same sex as you.

The next step goes with number two. 'Get around people who are going to encourage you'. Stay away from people who think this sort of thing is a bad idea. And just like Gaga, have the confidence to stick to your guns when you are approached with opposition.

Just make sure you do it better than Lady Gaga. Check out 'Do it better than Lady Gaga IV'.

SOURCES:

http://macaidsfund.org/

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/04/12/pro.abstinence.celebs.tf/

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-1264165/Lady-Gaga-gets-lippy-The-pop-star-teams-Mac-raise-Aids-awareness.html

http://www.wikihow.com/Live-a-Life-of-Celibacy

HOW TO: How Kids Minimize the Risk of Internet Predators

Most of us have seen the show 'To Catch a Predator' with Chris Hansen. I'm a big fan, so in this post I'm going to talk about what kids can do to minimize the risk of being targeted by Internet predators. This is a part of a series of posts, made to educate parents and kids about online predators.

Most people think that if the parents would just raise their kids right, then this online predator stuff would never happen. I agree to a point, but you gotta factor in the kid's ability to choose.

In the last HOW TO post, I talked about that. Everyone knows its important to educate parents, but today I'm going to give kids enough info to make the right decisions when responsible adults aren't around. My goal is to help take away the curiosity factor that plays a big role in most of the decisions that people make.

So lets get started. First things first, never download images from an unknown source. They could be sexual images, something you want stay away from as long as possible.

And if it does happen, let an adult know immediately. That goes for images that are sexual or anything that happens online that makes you feel uncomfortable or frightened.

You always have the freedom to stop any e-mail communication, instant messaging conversations, or chats if anyone starts to ask questions that are too personal or suggests something sexual.

Right up there with foreign passwords, you should choose a gender-neutral nickname. Get out of the habit of giving away personally identifiable information (phone #, address, email, age and gender) online; not to mention a series of photos of you in different phases of life.

I once had a friend on Facebook with thousands of photos of herself and just about as many friends. She was an aspiring model with a great personality. She attracted a lot of people, but since no one is that close to so many people, she become an easy target. Learn how to use social networking sites responsibly. Just make sure you have fun with ... be a little silly with the nicknames and try being elusive with the photos. If its too different, you might not stick with it.

Use email filters.

With that said, don't be afraid to hold someone else accountable. Make a family agreement about Internet use. Write it down and post it by the computer to remind the whole house to protect their privacy on the Internet.

Keep in mind that this is only 'how children can minimize the risk of being a victim', there's more. Next,  'what do you do if you or a child you know is being targeted'.

In the meantime, enjoy a clip from Chris Hansen's 'To Catch a Predator'.



SOURCES:

http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/resources/special_initiatives/wa_resources/wa_shared/backgrounders/online_predators.cfm

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/25111043#25111043

http://www.microsoft.com/protect/default.aspx

Will Corrective Rape Be The Cure?

SOURCES:

http://gayrights.change.org/blog/view/five_hours_of_trying_to_rape_a_lesbian_straight

http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/world/africa/corrective+rape+in+south+africa+/3027797

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/mar/12/eudy-simelane-corrective-rape-south-africa

Do it better than Lady Gaga II

Last week in the post about Mac's Viva Glam campaign, Lady Gaga suggested her fans become celibate to protect themselves from the Aids virus. The campaign supports global HIV and aids projects.


As promised, I'm picking up were she left off, giving you the 'how to' on celibacy. Yes, its cool if this isn't your choice right now. And yes, these tips work! Today ... tip 1.

The first thing you want to do is 'make the decision'. Make sure this is something you really want to do. It can be great if you are doing it for the right reasons, but considered another waste of time if you don't start with the right attitude and fail early.

Do like Gaga. Be the first in your peer group to raise your hand and stand out. Even if your past is a little messy, Gaga says its still cool. But if I were you, I'd do it better than Lady Gaga.

The next tip ... May 1st. Stay with me on this. It gets good.

SOURCES:

http://macaidsfund.org/

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/04/12/pro.abstinence.celebs.tf/

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-1264165/Lady-Gaga-gets-lippy-The-pop-star-teams-Mac-raise-Aids-awareness.html

http://www.wikihow.com/Live-a-Life-of-Celibacy

No Volunteers For This Job

I came across a Facebook post a couple months which included a guy inquiring about teen prostitution. "... How someone could allow themselves to be pimped anyway", he says. So I took him by the hand and guided him to the right information and kept him informed on the whats, whys and hows of sexual exploitation, because there just isn't one answer.

After today you can say you know a little more yourself. The first thing you've got to know is no one volunteers to be exploited. Regardless of popular opinion, opportunists prey on young, weak and naive victims.

In the process, women and girls that are pimped or trafficked can go down many roads that all lead to degradation and humiliation for another person's gain. There are sometimes visible indicators of this typeof behavior in and around business establishments. These indicators include:

HOW TO: Parents Combating Internet Predators

Most of us have seen the show 'To Catch a Predator' with Chris Hansen. I'm a big fan, but what this post is going to talk about is how parents can help their kids fight Internet predators.

First lets start with the thought process behind approaching kids about this sort of topic. Lets say all your attempts to guide the child away from certain situations has failed, keep in mind that it will never be the kid's fault. So, no restrictions here, just guidelines to follow and take with them after they leave the nest.

You want to talk to your kids about sexual predators and the potential online dangers that are out there. Curiosity will work against you in most cases if this is something you try to avoid.

Online privileges aren't a bad thing but know that children and chat rooms should never go together. There is too much at risk. If this is something you still want to do, then when the maturity level is right and the trust factor is there, let them know its okay to use the well-monitored chat rooms for kids. Even teens should be encouraged to use monitored chat rooms.

When kids are young, limit them to only the family email address instead of having their own accounts. As they get older, you can ask your ISP to set up a separate email address, but the kid's mail should still reside in your account.

Keep the computer with Internet access in a common area of the house, never in a private area in the house or the child's bedroom. It's a lot harder for predators to establish a relationship with your child when the computer screen is easily visible to parents and the rest of the household.

Instruct your children to never leave the public area of a chat room. Many chat rooms offer private areas where users can have one-on-one conversations.

If your children participate in chat rooms, make it your business to know what chat rooms they visit and who they talk to. Monitor the chat areas yourself to see what kind of conversations are going on.

Teach your kids to never repsond to instant messaging, emails, tweets, blog posts or Facebook entries from strangers without you knowing about.

When it comes to places outside your area of supervision, like the public library, school, or friend's house, find out what computer safeguards they use.

Remember, kids aren't the blame in any case. The offender always bears complete responsibility for their actions.

Keep in mind that this is only 'how you can minimize the risk of a child being a victim', but theres more to come. Next I'm going to talk about 'how kids themselves can stay alert and steer clear from predators'.

In the meantime, enjoy a clip from Chris Hansen's 'To Catch a Predator'.

SOURCE:

http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/resources/special_initiatives/wa_resources/wa_shared/backgrounders/online_predators.cfm

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/25110858#25110858

Dont be oblivious

STOP THE TRAFFIK is a growing global movement of individuals, communities and organisations fighting to PREVENT the sale of people, PROTECT the trafficked and PROSECUTE the traffickers.

Prostitution Facts

Does research prove that pornography is behind this (sex trafficking) because so many people think that pornography is harmless?

The Department of Justice and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children both recognize that pornography is an element that adds to the serious problem of sex trafficking. Many traffickers are found with filming equipment and cameras to create and sell pornography. Increasingly, pornographers are seeking younger and younger girls and boys for their films and pictures; thus, they have to go where the children are unprotected and vulnerable to capture.

If porn fuels demand, what, if anything, is being done to curb Internet porn?

The Department of Justice has expressed its intent to prosecute major pornographic Internet companies that violate decency laws; their reports indicate a significant increase in prosecutions. One company, Extreme Associates, is currently being prosecuted and other investigations are underway. For more on this topic, including CWA’s concerns over enforcement and ways for citizens to encourage enforcement, see DOJ Busts Internet Web Site for Obscenity and Porn Industry Moans for Good Reason.



This question was answered during a Concerned Women of America convention with Janice Shaw Crouse, Ph.D

SOURCES:

http://www.nsvrc.org/saam

http://prostitutionresearch.com/

http://www.beverlylahayeinstitute.org/articledisplay.asp?id=7014&department=BLI&categoryid=reports

Rural America's Own Sex Tourism

"This stuff is just truly bizarre," said Whatcom County Sheriff Bill Elfo. "These were mice that had their tails cut off, they were smothered in Vaseline and they had string tied around them."

Just when you think you got enough figured out to write a blog and draw supporters ... you here something like this. It's a video about a guy named Douglas Spink who was arrested earlier this month in Washington. The video says it all but I'll give you some hints: beastiality, sex tourism and one man's philosophy on animal care.




SOURCES:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5i96FAxxN0kduc0-ekqA2iJTdYwWgD9F4EBMO0
http://gawker.com/5519468/bestiality-farm-with-mice-in-vaseline-was-americas-own-sex-tourism

Bye, Bye bigbabykenny.com

"It is one thing to talk about the benefits and liabilities of sex tourism,” Foubert added. “It is quite another to promote it and help facilitate it. Professor Ng is helping to promote and facilitate it. That crosses the line."-John Foubert of Oklahoma State University

bigbabykenny.com has officially been removed.

Last week in a post about books and websites I talked about this very site and how it was being used to educate men on sex tourism in Thailand. I admit it was a good site and the professor who started it had some vaild points about why he was doing what he was doing, but that still doesn't give it any merit.

I hope people get involved more often when it comes to stopping sex crimes against people who can't fight for themselves. If you don't know what I'm talking about check out the article and join a group in you city to make some things different. I know I am.

SOURCE:

http://sundial.csun.edu/2010/04/csun-professor-removes-thailand-sex-tourism-content-from-website-after-community-indignation/

Do it better than Lady Gaga

Gaga says, "and I can’t believe I’m saying this – don’t have sex. I’m single right now and I’ve chosen to be single because I don’t have the time to get to know anybody. So it’s OK not to have sex, it’s OK to get to know people. I’m celibate, celibacy’s fine."

While two of the most unique girls, Lady Gaga and Cindi Lauper, are promoting safe sex and no sex with Mac's Viva Glam campaign, its safe to say that choosing to be different may save your life. The campaign supports global HIV and aids projects.

Its obvious Lady Gaga is okay with being different than her peers, but in an interview in Britain earlier this month she makes a good point about having the confidence to be different, and most importantly, 'sticking to your guns'. Some cool advice for a pop star like Gaga, but lets pick up where she left off. Click below to read more.

 

"We were asked
  really sort of snidely if we think that promoting make-up to young people – like ten years old – is a bit much. It’s exactly
 that kind of mentality that I want to challenge."

Book vs. Websites, what works best?

I read an article this morning about a guy who created a website that gives men information on how to hook up with a woman from Thailand for sex. The man's name is Kenneth Ng and he happens to be a professor at California State University at Northridge.

Kenneth used to be a blogger attached to a site that was run by a bar in Bangkok. Well Kenneth posted a comment giving advice on how to pick up girls praying to the Muariti Shrine, and that it was a good idea because Buddha works in mysterious ways.

Now regardless of how true or funny the comment was, the bar took his blog down. Then came the website, bigbabykenny.com/.

An obvious issue with the site, professor at a univeristy or not, is "should this guy be allowed to advise men about sex tourism on his site".

Kenneth's final quote of the article is, “The job of the university is to expose students to the world – not just a politically correct view of the world and not just the good parts of the world,” he said. “If a student reads that [site], I personally think it’s good for them. They learn about something out there; maybe they disapprove of it and they don’t think it’s good.”

His website and other websites like this seem to want to make others aware and not hide whats true. Whats really out there. Interesting approach, but what are the real pros and cons to it. And is there some sort of hidden agenda that could do anyone any good?

I have also come in contact with a book that I think goes well with the story. I've mentioned it before, it was written in 1912 by a Chicago doctor named Carle C. Quale. The name of the book is Thrilling stories of white slavery.

The book is just what is says, stories about white slavery or forced prostitution or sex trafficking or what ever you can call it these days. The stories come across as being real and even emotional. The author trys to hit home with a crime that most don't believe still existed back then. I just chuckled because that was 100 yrs ago.

One thing that Carle tries to do is compel you to act against this crime, but to also educate others that you love. One Quale quote is, "Will your conscience as Chrisian men and women permit you to stand idle and let the unfortunate victims cry in vain for help?"

Another is, "Virtue does not mean ignorance; for ignorance is the very thing that creates the White Slavery."

Now, we've seen some material that we may or may not have known was out there. You can probably call it educational material to a degree, but I'm guessing most people will pay attention to content when they go through this stuff. I don't think the problem is content so much as its how we use each one of these resources to our benefit.

Assuming everyone knows right from left, can you take each piece of material and use it to benefit your child's upbringing? Lets make it any child for that matter. And by your child's upbringing, I mean can you point out those vital pros and cons that exist in each and allow them to make a quality decision based on the information(not content) provided? If not, then I suggest you stay away whichever my become a distraction to you to try to pull this off. Maybe book sets you off, but the websites just aren't your thing, then don't force it, but don't lose an opportunity to see things for what they really are either.

From what I can see, both websites have 'perspective' about travel to asia and about it's prostitutes, but they also show how these individuals view sex and relationships and even life. Some good, but most I believe can't be duplicated without problems.

And the book? If it was good enough for back then can it still give insight to the same topic with today's audience? I think so. With that I also think that to much of anything can take away from it. But I think the real problem will be denial. If people deny that this could exist in America or in their town, its gonna be too easy to say, "it won't happen to me". These people probably won't read the 89 page book, so forget about suggesting it to someone they love. But can this help with making a quality based decision when it comes to strangers, sex and relationships? You bet!

My questions to you are, "are you willing to use these websites to educate your children about whats out there when it comes to sex? Could you suggest the book as a must read for children before they leave craddle? And if you couldn't do one of these or either, then why?

SOURCES:

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2010/04/22/sex

http://books.google.com/books?id=7mwEAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://bigbabykenny.com/

http://chinakaifang.blogspot.com/