Escape, a guest post by Author April McGowan

Escape

by April McGowan

When you’re young, everything emotional feels overwhelming. What to wear, who to hang out with, homework, parental pressure, peer pressure. It’s big. For some young people, though, they also have to wade through neglect, and sexual and physical abuse. And for some of those, the allure of living on their own, getting away from it all, is too high and they run away. They escape—but where they end up is even more a prison than they’ve ever experienced before.

Every day, approximately 1.3 million runaway, thrown away, and homeless youth live on the streets of America. Children, both boys and girls, are solicited for sex, on average, within seventy-two hours of being on the street. Some of those are drawn into formal prostitution—from which escape means beatings and sometimes death. There’s a lot of money in sex trafficking—and pimps don’t want to lose their investment.

When I wrote my novel, Jasmine, I was trying to imagine what life for a young woman who’d survived that life might be like—the things she’d have to overcome, and what she might be doing if she’d escaped. In my novel, Jasmine takes up the plight of the runaway, the homeless young women, and tries to save them from their situations—from themselves. She yearns to give them a hope for the future.

My novel is a work of fiction. But if you’ve never thought about the statistics and lifestyle of those kids on the street, you’ve probably hoped for someone like Jasmine. The good news is, those people DO exist. And they can help. They are the hands and feet of Christ, reaching out to the broken, giving them a safe place to live and setting their feet on the path of complete restoration.

Please donate to the Portland Rescue Mission’s Shepherd’s Door at http://www.portlandrescuemission.org/lp/2013lp/jasmine/   (designate women and children’s recovery) and at Door To Grace http://www.doortograce.org/. Both of these incredible ministries aid in rescuing, healing and restoring.

Author April McGowen

April McGowan loves to read and write inspirational fiction. Her novel, Jasmine, releases digitally in June and to paperback in September. She and her husband, two children, and her ‘mews’, Spookers, live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. April is a member of Oregon Christian Writers and American Christian Fiction Writers. When she’s not writing, homeschooling her two children, or playing board games, you might find her at her drum kit, imagining she’s on a world tour. Hey, it could happen. Follow her blog at http://aprilmcgowan.com

Partnering With Price of Life: Employing Music and Arts in the Fight against Human Trafficking

Partnering with Price of Life: Employing Music and Arts in the Fight Against Human Trafficking

From the Price of Life IndieGoGo campaign:

Imagine you’re a college student.

You hear about human trafficking - 27 million people enslaved in this day and age – and it breaks your heart. You want to do something about it but what can you do, you’re just an ordinary student?

But your campus club or church also wants to make a difference. You work together to plan awareness events. You’re inspired by art and music about seeking justice. You connect with other campuses across your city getting involved. And suddenly you think hey, maybe I’m just one student, but I can do something.
You get your friends, your family, your clubs, your church excited, and all these people cobble together their small offerings and together you engage over 10,000 students at campuses across New York City about human trafficking and raise over $150,000 to support organizations fighting it.

Even though you’re “just college students.”

And suddenly Restore NYC, the only housing for international survivors of sex trafficking in the Northeast US, can offer safe haven to more recovering women. Suddenly Nomi Network can fund a new project, teaching job skills to survivors and at-risk women. Suddenly World Vision and its Cambodia network can provide 1000 kids with school uniforms, making them instantly less vulnerable to being trafficked.

All because a couple (thousand) ordinary people did just a little something.

Pretty cool image, right?

And just like “just students” can do a big something when they work together, so can we, even though we’re “just artists,” “just moms,” “just computer nerds.” It doesn’t matter who you are: you have something valuable to make a difference.

Putting it all together and starting to make that difference: that’s our vision.

Who Are We?

We are a team of students, artists, and ordinary people from across the US, using what we have to fight human trafficking. We’re a small part of a big campaign called the Price of Life Invitational, spearheaded by InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, along with World Vision and a diverse coalition of other organizations. The Price of Life is calling students to end one of the world’s greatest injustices, human trafficking.

We believe faith calls and empowers us to fight injustice, and we believe in building barrier-breaking partnerships toward seeking justice. We believe ending modern slavery requires teamwork & creativity. We believe students can make an impact. We believe in the power of the arts.

What Are We Doing?

The Price of Life involves programming in every field – business plan competition, events about law and health care, interactive art exhibits etc. Read more here.

We’re musicians, so we’re making music.

Our music compilation is a soundtrack for the modern abolitionist journey, music to expose darkness and inspire change. It features a variety of artists who believe in using their gifts to create beauty and truth.

Artists like rock singer-songwriter Janie Chu, who helped an Atlanta coalition create a PSA aimed at ending demand for child trafficking.

Artists like Andy Mineo, who helped CCNY students get over 100 members of the Price of Life team on their campus:

Artists like Jonny Rodgers, who wrote the music for an anti-trafficking commercial for earthquake-devastated Haiti.

In fall 2013, when Price of Life takes on New York City, we’ll sell the album to thousands of college students in NYC, and through the national networks of Price of Life organizations like InterVarsity and World Vision. We aim to raise $50,000 to support organizations fighting human trafficking: Restore NYC, Nomi Network, and World Vision.

 

Who is Contributing Music?

Here are some of our partners – most contributing new music you can only hear on Exposing Darkness. Click through to their music pages & check out their sounds – you won’t be disappointed.

Andy Mineo

Janie Chu

Jonny Rodgers

May 1, today, is the IndieGoGo campaign day for the musician Jonny Rodgers. Here’s a sample of his music to listen to while you visit the link below and donate to this cause.

<p><a href=”http://vimeo.com/59635438″>Jonny Rodgers – Everything Is Yours</a> from <a href=”http://vimeo.com/user4493127″>Jonny Rodgers</a> on <a href=”http://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a&gt;.</p>

Here’s the link to the campaign where you can donate any amount over $1:

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/exposing-darkness-artists-bringing-trafficking-to-light

What We Need

We only need to raise $5000 because almost everything is donated: Music. Some studio time. Art and design.

The $5000 you invest in our project will pay for mixing and mastering, to provide the highest quality sound; marketing, to get the word out further; additional studio time; so artists contributing songs don’t have to pay recording expenses out of pocket.

Our campaign is hosted by Water Mirror Records, Inc., the record company behind singer-songwriter and abolitionist Janie Chu. Janie is the leader of this project and has rallied fellow musicians to the cause. Her company will collect Indiegogo funds and cover album costs.

What You Get

We know you’re giving because you believe in standing against human trafficking and making beauty from brokenness — not to get a prize. But we’re grateful for your participation, so we’ve worked hard to come up with some concrete ways to show it.

CAVEAT: One thing you won’t see much of: giving away the music itself. We’re giving you just about everything but the music, so next fall the music YOU make possible can support the cause we all care about.

Special bonus: We’ve got a variety of promotional supporters “owning” a day of the campaign, spreading the word as social media partners. You guys are awesome and get a special thanks. Want to add your name to this prestigious list? Sign up to help us support the campaign! 

Gratitude Gifts

Your gift helps prevent, rescue, and restore people trapped in modern slavery. Here are some ways we would like to say thank you. See descriptions to the right for more info.

Undying Devotion:
Let us thank you publicly for your stand for beauty in the face of darkness.

• All backers will be noted in a special section in the Price of Life website’ Abolitionist Hall of Fame.
• $15+ backers will be thanked in album liner notes.
• $25+ backers will be thanked in daily round-up shout outs on Facebook.
• $50+ backers may offer a dedication of up to 140 characters describing their motivation for fighting human trafficking.

Party for Freedom:
Connect with other art-loving activists & be the first to hear the abolitionist soundtrack!

• $10+ backers get first dibs on buying the album & free tickets to the CD release party (fall 2013), featuring performances by album artists, inspiring stories from people fighting trafficking on the ground, tasty eats, and more.
• $15+ backers also get free tickets to our preview concert (summer 2013) where select album artists will perform new works and old favorites.

Details TBA; we regret that we cannot provide alternate options for those unable to attend.

Get Inspired

• $15+ backers receive a free download of Dear John, a powerful song standing against trafficking demand, by the woman leading the Exposing Darkness team, artist-abolitionist Janie Chu.
• $25+ backers get a free digital download of Janie Chu’s entire album (on which Dear Johnappears), The Human Condition + an early digital download of select songs from the album.
• $50+ backers also get an MP3 of justice poet and spoken word artist Jonathan Walton performing works related to human trafficking.

Other Ways You Can Help

Can’t give money? That’s ok! You may not cash but you have a voice. We appreciate you spreading the news to your networks. Here’s how you can help:

• Sign up to be a social media partner and help us promote this campaign now.
• When the music is ready, we’ll seek your help promoting the album!
• Don’t forget to share this campaign with Indiegogo’s easy sharing tools.
• Join the Price of Life mailing list for monthly udpates on the broader campaign through Superbowl 2014.
• The fight against human trafficking needs all of us! Share your time and talent & make an impact through Price of Life.

No matter who you are or what you have to give, there’s a way you can be part of the movement to end human trafficking. Get connected with Price of Life here.

Why Ireland Needs the Criminalisation of Demand

Reblogged from surviving-prostitution:

Prostitution - the purchase of another human being for sex, is not and never has been the purchase of sex, because neither I nor any of the other women stand on the street or in the brothels with our genitalia and our mouths and throats in neatly wrapped packages which you could borrow and return to us in 20mins. No, I had go with them, you had to talk to me first, my mind was present the whole time.

Read more… 1,065 more words

Every nation needs to criminalize the demand, but I'm surprised Ireland hasn't done so yet.

The Eagle and the Burning Bush, A Bird’s Eye View of the Passover Story, Part 4

This is one of my very favorite passages of scripture, Exodus 3. Here, God reveals Himself as the LORD, and shares with Moses His heart for His people, Israel. It also shows how He feels about slavery. My daughter usually has a LOT of questions about this chapter, and I let her ask away. I wrote this adaptation for homeschool because she LOVES birds. While I read the story, I let her color a picture of a golden eagle.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

A Bird’s Eye View of the Passover Story Part 4

The Eagle and the Burning Bush

As she soared through the sky, Deborah the Golden Eagle spied bush on fire on the mountains below. A gray-haired shepherd suddenly turned aside from his flock to gaze at this burning bush. Deborah eyed a wandering lamb in the flock. It would be easy prey while the shepherd looked at this fire. Then something within her said ‘stop’. The warning to stop was so strong. Maybe it was an angel that spoke it.

Deborah calmed her appetite and glided toward a tree near the bush. She landed on a thick branch and tucked her seven foot wing span behind her. She sat quietly and watched.

This was strange: the bush was on fire but none of the leaves or branches burned up. No wonder the shepherd turned aside to look at this!

Then a voice spoke from the bush. “Moses! Moses!”

The shepherd timidly spoke out, “Here I am.”

“Take off your sandals, for the place on which you stand is holy ground.”

Moses the shepherd obeyed quickly.

The voice spoke again saying, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey… And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”

But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.”

Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?”

God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”

God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’

“This is my name forever,
the name you shall call me
from generation to generation.

“Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—appeared to me and said: I have watched over you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt. And I have promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt into the land … flowing with milk and honey.’

“The elders of Israel will listen to you. Then you and the elders are to go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God.’ But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand compels him. So I will stretch out my hand and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders that I will perform among them. After that, he will let you go…”

Deborah curled her talons around the tree branch and waited with bated breath. Her Maker, the Lord, was speaking. What would He say next? And how would He free His people, the Hebrews, from slavery?

Is It Possible to End Slavery?

I’ve been wondering this for several months now, as I’ve put out books about modern slavery, worked to raise awareness, and supported organizations that work to stop this horrendous crime against humanity. Can we really expect to end all slavery?

As I’ve pondered this, I’ve come to the conclusion that I will work toward total abolition, whether or not it’s possible. I might not be able to help everyone, but if I help one or two who would otherwise have been subjected to slavery, or help restore someone who had been trapped by webs of deception, my work would be worth it. Who knows how many people that one person may help?

What good does raising awareness do?

It does lots of good, and here is why.

When people learn about what happens to modern slaves, many react with righteous anger and often with a visceral response. Such a strong response will cause people to have a paradigm shift, a new path of thinking, and they’ll remember. When they see a girl with too little clothing on a cold night, they won’t rush to blame her as willing participant. When they see a deeply discounted product that looks like its worth far more than what is charged, they may consider the small hands that were forced to make it. It’s a small beginning, but it’s a beginning.

If every person affected took a small step toward doing the right thing, such as befriending or mentoring a foster child, or buying fair trade, or listening to the cry for help beyond the scowl of bitterness, abolition may be within reach. We may not see the total end to slavery before Jesus comes, but that shouldn’t stop us from working toward it.

Have you ever wondered what God really feels about slavery?

The Lord also has a visceral reaction to it. Consider this from Isaiah 42:

Isaiah 42:13 The Lord will march out like a champion,
like a warrior he will stir up his zeal;
with a shout he will raise the battle cry
and will triumph over his enemies.
¹⁴ “For a long time I have kept silent,
I have been quiet and held myself back.
But now, like a woman in childbirth,
I cry out, I gasp and pant.

¹⁵ I will lay waste the mountains and hills
and dry up all their vegetation;
I will turn rivers into islands
and dry up the pools.
¹⁶ I will lead the blind by ways they have not known,
along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;
I will turn the darkness into light before them
    and make the rough places smooth.
These are the things I will do;
 I will not forsake them.“

But be assured of this: there is joy beyond the weeping. It is possible to see people restored from this level of hurt and pain. People are working toward this right now.

Exodus Cry

IJM

Love146

Agape International Missions

Destiny Rescue

 

Novels I’ve written to raise awareness about modern slavery:

 

 

The Next Big Thing

This is so fun!

In a few seconds I’m going to share with you my Next Big Thing, but first thanks to Staci Stallings, who’s one of my writer friends on Facebook, for tagging me in the Next Big Thing blog hop!  This is the Next Big Thing blog hop in which you get to hop back and forth through the posts to find new and exciting authors and books.  Some authors will share upcoming books, some will share already released books, others will give you a peek into their current work in progress!  So hop around and enjoy all of the excitement!

The Next Big Thing:

What is the title of your book?

My book is called The Elite of the Weak. It’s the first book in the Revelation Special Ops (RSO) series.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

The idea for my book came through the 2008 OneThing conference, a conference that IHOPKC (International House of Prayer, Kansas City) does every year. They challenged everyone to read the whole book of Revelation every week for 1 year. I did this for a year and a half, because the Lord was showing me so much.

What genre does your book fall under?

My book is a YA Supernatural Thriller. There are spies, gadgets, international intrigues and miraculous incidences.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

Hm…I don’t watch many movies anymore, so I had to do some serious research for this answer. Here’s what I came up with:

Imogen Poots

• Hadassah Michelman (main character): Imogen Poots, but she’d have to dye her hair a very dark brown for the role.
• Asher Michelman (Hadassah’s dad): John Rhys Davies (a.k.a. Gimli the Dwarf)
• Eva Michelman (Hadassah’s mom): Catherine Zeta Jones, since I think she’s the only one who could lay the smack down like Eva can.
• Matthew Cho (Hadassah’s friend): John Cho (I had to look this one up for sure)

John Cho

• Aaron Cooper (RSO founder): Derek Luke

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Hadassah, a teen who is heartbroken about the realities of modern slavery, uses the spy skills she learned from her mom to fight human trafficking with a Christian organization called Revelation Special Ops.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

My book is indie-published. There were many who helped me get there, so I shy away from the term self-published at this point. I had the help of critique partners, editors, an amazing cover designer and a very patient, very loving husband who knew everything I didn’t about explosives and guns.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

It took me a month to write the first draft of The Elite of the Weak, and a year to polish it up.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

There are some similarities with the Left Behind series, because of the End Times theme, but I’m writing with a completely different paradigm, doctrine and story.

I found an author recently who is also writing about the international problem of human trafficking. You can learn about Kimberly Rae’s books here.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?

The work of several organizations inspired The Elite of the Weak. First, there was Love146, an organization that was founded by some people who are very dear to me. They work to raise awareness about the issues of human trafficking and they build safe homes to restore those whose childhood and dignity were stolen. Through Love146, I learned about Gary Haugen and his organization called International Justice Mission (IJM). They go into some of the brothels and rescue the girls, as well as bring justice against the perpetrators. Then I learned about Exodus Cry, which is a prayer movement with abolition as its goal. They also have built safe houses in several places across the globe. You can find out about each one of these organizations, and more, on my LINKS page.

Many have asked me why I decided to write a story about human trafficking with an End Times theme, and here’s the reason: I long for total abolition. I earnestly pray for it. With every spare moment and dime I work to spread the word and support organizations that work on the ground. But in this age there will never be total abolition. Human beings have been exploiting one another since the fall and will continue to do so until Jesus returns. If I was going to write true hope into the story, I had to include the ultimate justice and abolition: the return of Jesus.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

You’ll visit exotic places, you’ll read through heroic deeds that are similar to what some are actually doing, and there’s also a bit of romance for those romantics among you!

Here are some other writers you can visit right now! Some have answered these same questions today and some will answer them on Dec. 17:

Cynthia Toney

Jennifer Rogers

Karen deBlieck

Joshua Bedford

Londa Hayden

Janet K. Brown

YOU can do something to stem the tide of human trafficking

Recently, Jada Pinkett Smith appeared before congress to urge the representatives to do more in their efforts to combat human trafficking here in the United States. Here is the link about this in the Huffington Post.

Now, I love this woman’s heart, but is it just celebrities and others of influence who can stand up to the issue of human trafficking? Or is there anything an ordinary person can do?

Here are a few things that anyone can do:

First of all, you can help by notifying Amazon to take down books that endorse human trafficking through sex tourism. Would you like to know how? Follow this link to Love146 Task Force page.

Second of all, you can visit ijm.org and get involved in any one of their Justice Campaigns. I’m doing their 100 postcard challenge right now (you’ll see it on the far right).

Third of all, you can pray. Every Monday evening, 8pm Central Time, Exodus Cry holds an international prayer meeting about this issue of human trafficking through IHOPKC’s prayer room. Every month they take a specific city and pray each Monday for abolition in that city. Mark it on your calendar and join in via webstream.

Fourth, you can give to any one of these organizations, or support one locally that’s setting up safe homes and working with kids at risk.

My YA book series, Revelation Special Ops, was written to raise awareness for teens. Books 1 & 2 are FREE today:

The Elite of the Weak

Pharmacia: Those Magic Arts

One of the most amazing things to me is that it was Jada Pinkett Smith’s daughter, Willow, who was the one to tell her mom about the realities of human trafficking. Willow is 11. Never underestimate the incredible influence kids can have.

Character Tour of a young El Salvadorian villager

Hello, I’m Irma, from Jennifer Slattery’s novel, Never Forsaken. I am Fatima’s best friend. Or should I say, I was. I haven’t seen her in some time, ever since I … (deep inhale, followed by a slow exhale) it is not for me to say.

We met two years ago in the coffee plantation—I’ve worked in the fields for as long as I can remember. It is a hard life, and the pay is not good, but for me, it is but a short season. Once the harvest is over, I return to school. But not Fatima. She always found work elsewhere, making bricks, selling things in the market—doing whatever she can.

I always told her to stay hopeful. I promised that one day, like me, she too would go to school. Only I was wrong, for now she is gone. I doubt I will ever see her again. That is what happens when young girls like Fatima and her younger sister disappear—they do exactly that—disappear. Although, according to the rumors whispered through the village, we all know where young girls go. To a place much worse than a plantation or brick-making facility.

Such a sad life for so many children, not just in El Salvador, but across the globe.

I’m sure you’ve read the statistics. About 246 million children between the ages of five and seventeen work. More than ten million work as sex traffickers, drug traffickers, or other hazardous jobs. It is a tough life, and one that offers little hope. Education is the only way out. If our children could stay in school, they could find better jobs when they grow up, then their children could go to school. You see how easy it would be to break this terrible cycle of generational poverty?

I know what you are asking, for I have asked it myself many, many times. What can you or I do? The problem is so enormous, so complicated! When we look at the statistics, it’s easy to think there is no solution—no hope.

But I’m here to tell you that’s not true. God is raising up ministries across the globe, ministries like the GoThreads and the Raining Season to help keep children in school. And today, you can help. All you have to do is click your computer mouse a few times. You can do that, right? If it means helping a child stay in school and off the streets?

Simply pop by the Mary Kay website (https://www.mkmakeovercontest.com/gallery.jsp?id=163379 ) and voting for Jennifer Slattery’s not-so-lovely mug shot. If her photo wins, Mary Kay will donate a total of $5,500 GoThreads (http://gothreads.org/) and the Raining Season (http://www.therainingseason.org/). As an added incentive, Mary Kay consultant Sharyline Cochrane (http://www.marykay.com/sharilyne/default.aspx) is giving away $10 gift certificates and free make-overs (in person or via Skype) to everyone who votes then lets us know they did so in the comments of this post. You can vote up to five times per day, so start clicking! J

Thank you for listening to me. Hopefully, together we can help more girls like Fatima. And maybe, God willing, one day I will get to see her again. I must go now, but please don’t forget about me or what I said.

***

 

Jennifer Slattery lives in the Midwest with her husband and daughter. She writes for Christ to the World Ministries, the ACFW Journal, Internet Café Devotions, and Jewels of Encouragement. You can connect with her online at her devotional blog at http://jenniferslatterylivesoutloud.com or via Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/JenSlatte

Review of Deliver Me from Evil by Kathi Macias

I highly recommend this book to anyone who has doubts about whether human trafficking happens in the USA. In a clear, uncompromising way, Kathi Macias presents the truth about trafficking.

As a fellow writer on the subject, I applaud Kathi Macias. She never took the reader too far, nor did she give details in a disturbing or lingering way. At the same time, she told the realities of the situation without shrinking back from the truth. I also loved the way she never compromised from the goal: Abolition! No less. We raise awareness so others will join with us in this fight against modern slavery.

This book was difficult for me to read, because my heart mourns for each child who has to endure such awful abuse. But it was worth reading.

Interview with Rachel Curtis of Lotus Outreach

A major part of combating modern slavery is by preventing it before it happens.

Lotus Outreach is a 501(c)(3) organization that works to protect vulnerable children in the developing world who would otherwise be in danger from human traffickers.

Today I have Rachel Curtis from Lotus Outreach answering a few questions about the work this organization does in India and Cambodia.

1. Tell me about Lotus Outreach.

Aside from what you can find on our website, my personal take is that LO is a modest organization doing big things in small places. Although top-down policy approaches are obviously a part of the solution, we believe that one of the keys to successful development is in creating culturally relevant programs at the grassroots. (And policies can support this, as well.) We do this by working through local partners and indigenous staff to identify populations and projects primed to take root. By supporting smart, targeted initiatives in local communities, we help to create virtuous cycles of development that grow in strength and amplitude. (For more on this bottom-up development, check out “Poor Economics” by Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee. It’s an excellent read.)

2. Where does Lotus Outreach do most of their work?

Our projects are in India and Cambodia, mostly in rural areas although we do have a few in Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s capital.

3. What spurred you to work as an abolitionist?

I wouldn’t call myself an abolitionist, although my work has some relationship to this. My job mostly consists of shoring up support for the work of Lotus Outreach, which includes some anti-trafficking, anti-slavery programs. Overall, however, we seek to empower the powerless, those who have been forgotten or missed by other initiatives. In our work in Cambodia, this includes many women and girls who have either suffered from discrimination, abuse, exploitation or trafficking, or are highly vulnerable to it. We try to provide them with the tools (skills, knowledge, self-confidence) they need to protect themselves.

4. What are some of the pieces the of human trafficking puzzle you wish Americans knew more about?

I think this issue has gotten a lot of great exposure in the last few years, and I think people are more aware now that slavery and trafficking happen almost everywhere, even in the cities where most of us live. It’s not just a poor country problem.

What I wish Americans knew more about is how many pieces there are. There are many, many different ways that trafficking happens. Most traffickers aren’t gangster-thugs, it’s often more subtle and nuanced than that. In Banteay Meanchey Cambodia, where we work, we see people trafficked by their own neighbors, for instance. In many cases,  the risk is not obvious to them. Our SMART project is trying to change this, to teach vulnerable people how to recognize signs of possible danger and to steer clear.

Forbes recently published a great article on trafficking myths, which is very helpful in clearing up some of the misunderstandings around the subject. It makes clear just how tangled and intricate an issue it is.

5. What is a way someone under 18 can work as an abolitionist?

People never find this very exciting, but honestly, just getting and staying informed about the problem is a huge first step. I take that as one of the most important things you can do to show your compassion for those who are suffering – take the time to learn about their reality. From there, all kinds of other opportunities stem. Look around at organizations working to fight the problem, subscribe to their newsletters, subscribe to blogs and join discussions that spark your passion. Become a part of the community.

From there, you might want to start sharing your interest with people who know and care about you – your friends, your parents, your siblings, your classmates. You might find an opportunity to write or present on this in one of your classes. There’s no doubt your teachers will be impressed, and your classmates probably will be too. You can direct attention to your favorite organizations, and basically act as a recruiter.

If you’re really on a roll, you could host a documentary night or even a fundraiser. Smart organizations will show their appreciation for people who take this kind of initiative, especially young people. So don’t be shy – write an email and tell them what you’re doing. You might find some unexpected support for your endeavors, a mentor or a volunteer opportunity. You never know. At the very least, you’ll get good experience in following your passion and standing up for what you believe in. People almost universally respond well to this type of energy.

6. How does an abolitionist remain hopeful in the face of the horrible statistics?

I am incredibly heartened by all the wonderful groups now devoting attention to this issue. It is my impression that there has been a distinct rise in the collective consciousness surrounding slavery and trafficking, and as people continue to talk and work together we are creating resistance. Also, the advent of the internet and online giving has blown up the exposure of all kinds of nonprofits; getting the word out and campaigning isn’t nearly as expensive as it used to be. This, along with micro-philanthropy, has created space for many great, smaller organizations to grow (LO included – our US infrastructure is completely virtual).

This makes me very optimistic about the fight against poverty, as well, which I think is the fuel the trafficking industry feeds on. People with secure, stable jobs don’t migrate for day labor. They don’t hand their passports over to their boss because if they don’t, they won’t have a job. As we create economic opportunity for the poor, we are also pushing back against human trafficking.

7. Can you share one or two success stories of your outreaches?

One from India:

International nonprofit Lotus Outreach has worked with locals in Mewat since 2007 to implement the Lotus Education as a Right Network (LEARN) project. When officers pushed the issue of female attendance, the indigenous Muslim Meo tribe showed great hesitation to let young girls travel alone to reach schools in neighboring villages. But in 2010, Lotus Outreach found a simple yet effective solution: local owners of minivans were hired to safely chaperone village girls to school each day in a new project called the Blossom Bus…

LEARN Officer, Suraj Kumar proposed supervised transportation, even allowing for one person from the family to serve as the chaperon. After discussing the idea with the girls’ parents, Suraj was able to secure their consent and now all four girls are back in school. “That was the most memorable day for the four of us,” Murshida says. “Now we will not be pushed to marry before we turn 18.”

One from Cambodia:

Commitment, sacrifice and personal growth are universal virtues celebrated every spring at graduation time. The significance of these words could not be greater for 65 of rural Cambodia’s poorest teenage girls who will receive their high school diplomas this August, thanks to the Girls’ Access To Education (GATE) scholarship program operated by the nonprofit Lotus Outreach…

…The dangers of migration for young women in Southeast Asia go well beyond being arrested. In a region that incubates a thriving sex industry and which UNESCO estimates is accountable for one-third of the global human trafficking trade, a teenage girl traveling abroad for work would be lucky to end up in prison, rather than enslaved in a brothel.

Yet many Cambodians, especially the poor and uneducated, have little notion of how perilous migrating can be. Because of GATE, today Sima is learning happier lessons, like managing her life away from her parents and taking greater responsibility for her own learning. “In high school, students only learn what teachers teach, but at university we need to do research,” she says. “We can’t just wait for the teacher to explain everything.”

Studying at the university level presents another challenge for Sima. “I have to run while others walk because I don’t know much English,” she says. “However, I enjoy it a lot and can keep up with the class.”

This June, 65 GATE scholars are scheduled to carry on the fledgling tradition begun by Sima and her classmates. These students represent Cambodia’s most marginalized young women, and were selected as GATE scholars due to their poverty, vulnerability to abuse and exploitation and dedication to improving their circumstances through education. In August, they join an echelon that remains sadly exclusive in Cambodian society: only 2 percent of Cambodian women have high school diplomas…

…Education creates a powerful buffer to these threats, providing women with increased earning potential and therefore greater bargaining power in the household. This has profound results: women invest twice as much in their families than their male counterparts. When educated, they space pregnancies, have healthier and better-educated children, and are less likely to tolerate domestic violence. For some of 2011’s GATE graduates, education will lead to positions of respect and influence. Sima, for example, hopes to pay her good fortune forward: “I want to get a good job as a lawyer so I can contribute to helping the younger generation financially and spiritually,” she shares.

To read the full stories, click here.

To find out more about Lotus Outreach, click here.

Thank you so much for taking time with us today, Ms. Curtis!