One pair at a time

Soles4Souls - a charity that distributes shoe donations to the world's most desperate - has launched a new division. But this time, instead of collecting and giving away shoes, it's clothes. Clothes4Souls.

The US$434,000 solution

Someone at the University of Central Florida might have the right idea. Teaching middle schoolers about abstinence with a video game sounds ingenious. If it works. With the average age around 13 for girls and boys entering the sex trade, there's room for change. But is this even close?

100X worse than terrorism

Whats worse than 911? Since 2001 America's Homeland Security has been a hot topic. And calling the world's response paranoia is probably an understatement. But even with the extra security, there was still something we missed.

Rapist held accountable, 200 yrs

This weekend I came across two articles. One was about an investigative reporter criticizing Virginia's laws on human trafficking. The reporter, and others, say they need newer, tougher laws.

Operation FLICKer

Using the office computer for personal use is old news. Atleast as old as 2002. Thats when an investigation, code name Operation Flicker, started exposing government workers that were buying and/or subscribing to child porn sites.

Positive identification

Taryn Simon says that positive identification doesn't always work. With photos she points out how positive identification has incarcerated many innocent people. After being chosen in a line up or photo comparison, the accused would spend the next decade in prison.

Questioning photographs

Questioning the status quo is something thats necessary. Questioning sexual exploitation and human trafficking (or parts of it) drive me to publish week after week. Taryn Simon's photographs do the same.

Taryn Simon photographs secret sites | Video on TED.com

Justice in Guatemala

For two years Cristofer was sexually abused by his father. Now he's four and his father won't be out of prison until Christofer is an adult.

To know about human trafficking...

Isn't enough anymore.

The power of journalism

Last week Ambassador Luis CdeBaca, head of the U.S. Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons was one of two officials on a first-ever United Nations panel discussion about how the news media is exposing and explaining modern slavery and human trafficking -- and how to do it better.

Redeemable

Something happened when outreach pastor Brad Pellish of Phoenix heard International Justice Mission (IJM) founder Gary Haugen speak. While getting an email about child rape and watching a documentary called Branded (not about tattoos), all within ten days, he was forced to rethink his entire ministry. The church couldn't make a huge financial impact then. So Pellish started with his local vice squad officers.

Corrupted young minds

Children starting or becoming involved in prostitution at such an early age, leave themselves little hope of having a normal life. The easily corrupted young minds of Thailand children usually result in most becoming career prostitutes. Western cultures expect this from Thailand, but how much different is it in America?

Rape suspect released by mistake [update]

Ernest Clark, charged
with first-degree rape,
but released by
mistake

34 year old, Ernest Clark was serving a four year prison sentence earlier this year when evidence from a cold case investigation linked him to a first degree rape charge, and 10 other related assaults. Instead of holding him in custody once his prison term was up, Baltimore County Sheriff's dupties released him. Why - they lost his paperwork.