Survivors Connect
the problem:
Human trafficking as federally defined as: “sex trafficking in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such act has not attained 18 years of age; or “the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery.” Human trafficking is also popularly known as the modern-day slave trade. 17,000 men, women and children are trafficked into the U.S. for forced labor or sex work. 200,000-300,000 U.S. citizens are at risk each year; young teenagers in forced prostitution under pimp control. An estimated 27 million are enslaved globally.
Modern Day Slavery exists in many forms including:
Pimp Control
Mail Order Brides
Massage Parlor Workers
Prostitution (where Force, Fraud and Coercion are present)
Pornography
Comfort Women
Sweatshop work
Carpet Looms
Stone Breaking
All agricultural industries
Extractive industries (oil, mining etc)
Agriculture
Restaurant Labor
Trafficking is unique yet often invisible to the naked eye due to the nature of slavery today. Historically, slavery has meant the total control of one person by another for economic gain. What makes slavery different today is that the price of slaves has plummeted to an ultimate low, ownership of a slave is illegal, and slavery is an equal opportunity economy – meaning it can be anywhere! It also tends to occur in the least regulated industries. In these contexts, slavery is often times invisible, until you adopt the slavery lens. Despite how different it may look, the experience of slavery is how it has always been – a violent and exploitative relationship.
Slavery occurs in both public and private spaces: tourist cities, large resort communities, strip clubs, massage parlors, casinos, city streets, prostitution zones, factories, restaurants, farms, and even the home. Other factors for the invisibility and obscurity of slavery include:
• Misidentification of victims (i.e. immigrant status, runaway, prostitution)
• Well hidden within ethnic/immigrant communities
• Cultural/language barriers that prevent victims from escaping or seeking help
• Myths and misconceptions about pimping and sex trafficking that prevail our ideas about the sex industry
Although slavery is complex and widespread, there is a lot of hope in the development community. The movement against modern-day slavery and human trafficking is quite young in comparison to other global issues, so one major challenge we still face is a wide spread misunderstanding/lack of awareness. This problem alone is one of our greatest hurdles in mobilizing individuals, government, businesses and other groups to get involved. Our work is an effort to use new innovations and campaign techniques to address this complex global problem.
vital stats:
people impacted:
147people involved:
3why it's important:
In my Sophomore year of college, I moved out of my UC Berkeley dorm to a neighboring apartment. In my search for apartments, I learned of a labor/sex trafficking case right across my dorm. A Berkeley landowner was caught for human trafficking both for commercial sexual exploitation in his apartment complex, as well as forced labor in his restaurant. At that moment, I realized that slavery could quite literally exist in my back yard. It had crept into so many facets of my life, whether it was at the restaurant I was about to eat, to the apartment I would rent during my school days. This realization led to my subsequent work and life-long commitment to the issue.
Survivors Connect is a collaborative project to build global advocacy & support networks of survivors and activists working to end modern-day slavery and human trafficking. We use innovative instruments such as social media, new technologies and other interactive media to empower and enhance protection, prosecution and prevention efforts.
One project that we are working on that has had the broadest impact up to date is our Survivors Quilt Project. The Survivors Quilt is a creative space to address the issues of lack of awareness and understanding. The mission of The Survivor’s Quilt is to raise awareness about modern-day slavery and to honor the survival of slaves globally. The Survivor’s Quilt provides survivors with a creative medium of expression, healing and a space to directly participate in their own awareness movement.
Survivors of human trafficking and slavery make the Quilt panels: from survivors of forced labor in the cocoa sectors of West Africa, to survivors of sex trafficking in East Asia. The message comes directly from survivors. Additionally, this program helps support organizations doing rehabilitation programs for victims turning to survivors.
Aims of The Survivor’s Quilt include:
1. To effectively raise awareness about the varied nature of human trafficking and modern day slavery as the Quilt tours the U.S. and other countries in governing institutions, places of worship, schools, conferences and more.
2. To link international anti-trafficking initiatives through out the world through a partnership program and provide information exchange and programs.
3. To assist in creating Survivor’s Quilt initiatives in countries to break the silence about slavery.
4. To provide rehabilitation programs the opportunity to engage in art therapy.
5. To offer opportunities for fundraising, empowerment, technical assistance, quilt-making activities and information-sharing for anti-trafficking organizations globally.
6. To create a permanent archive of preserved memoirs and art by former slaves.
7. To establish a global network of anti-trafficking organizations and provide program continuity to increase the growth and development of the international Survivor’s Quilt.
8. To reveal the stories of those trafficked, share the message of hope and courage and inspire the growth of more abolitionists in the anti-slavery movement.
Other projects of Survivors Connect include Connection GeoMap and SMS Helpline Networks. To learn more, check out www.survivorsconnect.org
the plan of action:
Our program has been integrated with over 7 anti-trafficking organizations globally. Through this program, we have empowered several survivors to speak against this egregious human rights abuse, as well as supported the rehabilitation of victims. As our network grows, so does the level of awareness. To implement this program, it required us outreach to various service-providing organizations, work with donors for supplies and program management, and researching best practices in survivor rehabilitation, art therapy and other tools that would support the work.
Up to this date, we have about 147 survivors involved in our Quilt Project. This project has evolved into an advocacy network, and formal Digital archiving project to document and preserve the experiences and stories of those who have escaped modern-day slavery. From this point forward, we seek to increase our numbers in participation, as well as find more display opportunities for the Survivors Quilt. Our action plan for the coming year expands both of these agendas.
how you can get involved:
Display the Quilt at your event! Email us at quilt@survivorsconnect.org to find out how!
project updates:
Related Projects
Related Guides
Tips and Tools:
Action Guides:
Action Tips: Use Videos or Photos to Record Your Cause
Inspire others with videos and photos of your...
How To: Guarantee Your Favorite Brands are Slavery-Free
Demand that products/services are slavery free
Comments
helo,
I work with girls in Solano and Sonoma county detention centers. There is a lot of talk of this issue and all types of prostitution with this population of girls. I think you could inspire them! Would you be willing to share your project, experience and quilt with them?
If interested in more info, please contact me!!
You bet! How about you send an email to hello@survivorsconnect.org and we'll go from there?