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Children, sold and forced into servitude. Girls and young women abducted, "broken", and then used as sex slaves within exploitation networks that span the globe. Multiple wounds and trauma, the unforgettable pain and despair.

In the mid-1980's, I volunteered to help start a local chapter of the Allilance for the Safety of Prostitutes (ASP) in Montreal. The idea was to gather from those working the streets, descriptions of violent customers, complete with car make and colour, plate number, what they wore, recognizable features, etc. These were then compiled, typed up and distributed as the weekly "Bad Trick Sheet", along with tips on how to watch out for each other. In time, the work was taken up by women activists, and then by self-described "whoreganizers".

[Photo cc: The Emancipation Network. This frame is more than art - it's a new future. The Emancipation Network trains red light district teens to be carpenters. Education and trade skills can help break they cycle of prostitution and human trafficking.]

[Warning, please skip the next paragraph if you prefer to avoid graphic descriptions.]
In these couple of years, I learned a thing or two about violence and exploitation. This streetwalker and mother — whose young child with a heart condition I was babysitting while she worked — went missing one night. I was worried sick. When she finally came back to pick him up, her face was all bruised. Here eyes had an eerie glaze I'll always remember. A customer had kept her at gun point and abused her repeatedly as a sex slave for two days, and three hellish nights. I'm still haunted by that other working woman, who had to live with the daily suffering of tearing caused by a customer who had forced his hand open from within her rectum. These stories make those of other trafficked people around the world resonate strongly for me. I know that nobody suffers more on this earth than the women, children, and sometimes men who all societies in the world treat like their most despicable garbage.

I want it to end. The good news is that millions want it also. The eradication of human trafficking is becoming the relentless mission of a global new breed of slavery abolitionists.

Activities with empowered victims
One encouraging trend is the involvement of former victims who increasingly spearhead the multi-faceted work of stopping the trade in human beings at its various pressure points.

Border surveillance. Women who were themselves trafficked can work with border police and municipalities to prevent trafficking. At the Nepal-India border, for instance, they stop and question those who look like potential traffickers, or victims, educating them about the dangers, and offering counselling, rehabilitation and training services. "They know the ways of trafficking, and so they know how to stop the girls from entering into India", says Anuradha Koirala, of Maiti Nepal in this excerpt of the must-see movie The Day My God Died. [photo right: BBC]

Brothel monitoring. Surveillance teams of sex workers at brothels in Bangladesh work to locate under-age girls who were brought in. This activity usually involves senior inmates, who know the trade inside out. They help find out where the girls come from, and work to warn the parents of the child's whereabouts.

Tactics by abolition activists
Many other imaginative activities are being created by a lively international movement to stop human trafficking. These accomplish the work of sensitization, usually coupled with fundraising, and the signing of petition and statement cards. Here's a sample.

Deceitful recruitment booths. Visitors to a Jobs Fair come across a stand for 'Top Jobs Abroad, offering the very best opportunities". After being greeted by the rep of a fictional recruitment agency, the visitors are ushered through a door; then Boom! They are standing in a Red-light district window, in full view of passersby.  On exit, the "victims" are then given further information about the plight of women trafficked into sex slavery through false pretence, and invited to sign a declaration to the UN. (Photos by stopthetraffik, unless otherwise indicated.)

Freedom walls. Soak you hand in paint and "sign" the wall for freedom agains modern-day slavery. The handprint has become a worldwide symbol for the struggle.

Slave auctions. A popular activty is to hold a 'slave for a day' event at schools, churches, workplaces. With common-sense guidelines, this form of "experiential training" helps recognise the reality of enslavement felt by most of those who are trafficked, and is often an effective fundraiser.

Shackles. Taking the idea a step futher, David Newton decided he wanted to do something  connected to slavery that might get people thinking about some of these harsh realities. He decided he would spend 7 days non-stop in shackles. "All sorts of things had to be taken into account", he said. Is the chain long enough to wipe my bum? Can I walk ok? Sleep ok? The thing weighs about 4 kilos. I won't be able to change my clothes", he noted, "but Mum has made some felcro boxers though, so I can change them!"

Slave coffles On the 200th anniversary of the day the Abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade Act was adopted in Britain, groups walked in chains to remind the public that women, children and men are strill being trafficked to work in brothels or forced into labour.

Shopping cart rides. In Belgium, youth groups strolled across parking lots with "sold people" in trolleys to raise awareness about victims of human trafficking, and convey the message that people shouldn't be bought and sold. Signs and petition were then circulated among the surprised shop-goers.

Caged VIP's. How about putting your Member of Parliament, vicar or minister into a cage to bring attention to the horrendous travelling conditions of slaves, and gather signatures, and work the media? This was done in Leicester, England.


Other fundraising ideas
The Mystery tour - Trafficking means people often are moved to strange and scary locations without knowledge of where they are going. Arrange a tour for your friends that will surprise them and give you opportunity to tell them the story of people who have been trafficked.
No Traffic for me. Avoid the traffic for a week and use bus or bike etc. Give the money saved to anti-trafficking programmes.

Abolition activists in the 19th century sometimes despaired that they would ever make slavery a crime, and stop the trade. But they won. With imagination, resources, new tactics, and clever strategy, so can we.

You too want to help bring human trafficking to an end? Join us from February 25 to March 3, 2009 for a New Tactics dialogue on "Human trafficking: Addressing modern day slavery". Come find out about other interesting ideas and essential resources. Come share your questions and challenges. Help explore practices and methods to combat trafficking.
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Philippe Duhamel
interTactica — a liberation blog