Causecast

by ERICA LIEPMANN, Causecast Editor

Although slavery has been recorded on earth through much of our written history, some seem to believe slavery is an extinct practice in the twenty-first century. To the contrary, it’s not extinct, or even waning. It’s bigger than ever – it’s a multi-billion dollar international industry. All over the globe each year, thousands of people (primarily children) are taken from their homes and forced into various types of slave labor, including agricultural labor, prostitution, soldiering and more.

Ending human trafficking and slavery is so daunting a task, it might be difficult to figure out where to begin. Here are some suggestions:

Step One: Educate Yourself

Human trafficking takes on many different forms, sometimes using new methods to disguise itself. The best way to begin to fight against human trafficking is to educate yourself about the problem’s complexities. No matter how much you know, there’s always more to be learned. After all, you can’t fix a problem if you don’t understand it and you can’t spread the word if you can’t explain it. There are tons of books and films out there about human trafficking and modern slavery, that are great resources for increasing your knowledge. Make sure to get a variety of perspectives: after all, human trafficking happens in ALL countries.

Check out Aaron Cohen’s new book, Slave Hunter, in which he chronicles his journeys all over the world attempting to uncover human trafficking rings, putting the perpetrators behind bars and freeing their victims.

You could also take a look at Journalist David Batstone’s book Not for Sale, which brings together a variety of perspectives from modern abolitionists and survivors of human trafficking.

Step Two: Spread the Word

Once you’ve got a grasp on the topic, pass along what you know! There are tons of ways to do this.

For this, it’s best to pick a specific issue. While it’s really important to understand about all the different types of human trafficking, it’s easier to make a tangible difference when you focus on one specific aspect of the problem at a time.

Plan an event with your family and friends – you could host a Vision Dinner Party. Or how How about putting something together for National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, on January 11. You could host a film screening at your school, church or in your neighborhood.

Here are some documentary suggestions:

Born into Brothels
This Academy award-winning documentary film follows the stories of several child prostitutes in India’s Red Light district.

Invisible Children
When three young filmmakers set out in Uganda, they had no idea they would discover children being forced to be soldiers, thereby catalyzing an international movement to fight this instance of human trafficking and slavery.

CALL+RESPONSE
A self-proclaimed “rockumentary”, this film brings together an all-star cast of cultural leaders and musicians, working together toward change.

If you don’t have a lot of time or you’re having trouble getting people to turn out for a full length documentary screening, why not try a short film? Set up a laptop at your school’s lunch hour and screen this short film on loop.

Step Three: Dollah Dollah Bills, Ya’ll

Of course, money is always an integral part of campaigning for any cause, and human trafficking is no exception. When you host a video screening, why not collect donations and send them along to the anti-trafficking organization of your choice?

You can also donate directly to the Abolish Slavery Coalition online on Causecast and help fund Aaron Cohen’s ongoing project to free slaves.

Step Four: Time to Act

Giving money is great, but it’s only a part of the solution. Check out the Polaris Project Action Center for some hands-on ways you can help.

For example, Polaris is pushing Congress to allocate federal funding for human trafficking victims. Call your senators and representatives to let them know how you feel about this issue.

Step Five: Keep It Up!

Remember, technology is your friend. Even the most dedicated of us can’t always keep up with our causes 24/7. So sometimes, it’s a good idea to bring the cause to you.

Sign up for an email newsletter! Almost every anti-trafficking organization has one. They’re a great way to keep up with what your favorite organization is up to, and how you can help. Don’t flood your inbox with too many to read, just pick one or two that you can really be dedicated to. If you’re especially tech-savy, how about following some anti-trafficking activists and organizations on twitter?

Here are some cool tweeple to follow:

Aaron Cohen
Polaris Project
Invisible Children
Not for Sale

Photo by Laertes, flickr.