This is a picture from the movie "Trade" (http://www.tradethemovie.com/trailer.html) that I watched yesterday, a film that exposes the disturbing dark world of human trafficking marked by degradation and sexual exploitation for profit. It is by far one of the most disturbing movies I have seen thus far. While it is a very sad movie, it also reflects the amazing strength and resilience human beings are capable of, despite such heinous acts against them. The story specifically shows a compassionate relationship between a twentysomething Polish woman and a 13 year old Mexican girl that have been kidnapped and forced to migrate with their captors to the highest bidder (or 'john').
It was extremely difficult to watch, but I recommend this movie as far as it being an educational expose' of the gross violation of human rights that still go on today. After the movie, I watched some 'extras' as writers, directors, and producers spoke about what inspired them to create the film. Interestingly, "Trade" was based upon a NY times article written by Peter Landesman in January 2004. Curiously, I Googled the article and read it earlier this morning. It is a 12 page article and takes awhile to read, but it's worth the time if you get a chance to check it out: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B04EEDA1439F936A15752C0A9629C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=1. Scary stuff.
I found another article (http://www.slate.com/id/2174606/) that challenges the Peter Landesman article on the pervasiveness of the problem (critics argue the sex slavery trade is overexaggerated). Considering I don't have much knowledge and/or done any research on this issue that extends beyond the aforementioned articles, I'm not sure if it's a widespread concern or not. Even so, do numbers really matter when this is an issue AT ALL (whether it's 100, 1,000, or 1 million....regardless, women and children are still being degraded and exploited internationally!) in this world?
What, if anything, can we do about it though? Do we leave it strictly up to ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement), law enforcement agencies, and other government sectors to ameliorate the problem? What if it's not enough? After all, survivors of sex trafficking have stated that they couldn't trust any kind of authority figures to help them out of their entrapment, sometimes due to those very people contributing to the perpetual cycle of exploitation. Sometimes the victims just felt they wouldn't be believed and/or feared abusive retribution from their captors if they attempted escape/help.
The ways humans treat one another many times just makes me deeply melancholy.....
5 comments:
Every person in my factory has a story of getting here to the US. Some are funny, some very ugly. My family was lucky enough to already be living in Texas before it became a state of the US.
Like what? Can you share any examples or would they not want you to disclose that kind of info?
Were any of them brought against their will (via sex trade) though? I surely hope not; it's so awful!
Here's Sebastian's response he sent me in an email:
"Most women come over here on their backs, if you know what I mean. Its an easy way top pay for a way over. The lazier women stick with it, the rest try and forget it and choose to work their ass off for some American who usually doesn't appreciate it."
"I had maids when I grew up. My father told my brother and I all these women are use to working on their backs. So I had better not get 'involved' with one because its not right."
"But not all these people are innocent. Most of my employees have been in prison. I have guys that have killed people, ex gang members, and child molesters.
You know a lot of women are tricked into coming over. Then they get put into prostitution. They keep them in hotels when they aren't 'at work.' And when they are working it's outside under bushes. Men pay to have sex with these women(usually kids) out in the desert bushes. Its just sick!"
You had maids?! I didn't know that. So knowing what you know (and have seen/experienced), would you say it makes you more sympathetic or less sympathetic to the issue of illegal immigration?
Or am I opening a whole other can of worms for discussion here? ;)
Sebastian's response (again, from an email...he must be feeling lazy about posting on here, hahaha):
"Immigrants are needed to build a nation. Without them we have no labor base. Second & third generations are too spoiled to fill that much needed labor. I know I am. I'm not going to hunch over a field or machine for nine hours a day. I am less sympathetic towards those who are third generation and do not raise themselves up. They need to learn a trade or going to college. People who sit there and complain and say that America poo poos on the working class just don't get it."
"Is there even really a working class in America anymore? Isn't it just upper/middle and poor? No the immigrants are the working class if you ask me. The foreiners. And people don't realize this IS America. They are what America is all about."
"And those imiigrants who don't stay and become citizens sure as hell put a lot of money into out taxes and our social security. I have people who live in Mexicao but have work permits for the US. They still have social security and fed taxes taken out of their weekly checks. What ever I went on a tangent here."
"HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!!!!"
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