Arts & Entertainment
Op-ed: It takes a village to end human trafficking
Published
3 years agoon
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AdminEditor’s note: Human trafficking is an international issue as well as a domestic one. According to the North Central Montana Human Trafficking Task Force, Montana ranks fifth in the country with the highest number of missing and murdered indigenous persons. One in seven runaways in the U.S. is likely a victim of sex trafficking.
By Mara Vanderslice Kelly EBS Contributor
The act of compelling someone into work or commercial sex through force, fraud or coercion is called human trafficking. And while it’s illegal everywhere in the world, it happens every day, even in the U.S.
Human trafficking takes many forms: A foster care youth forced into commercial sex work by someone pretending to be her “boyfriend”; a migrant locked in a house, compelled to cook and clean; a man with a mental health disability laboring in a poultry processing plant for no pay. It occurs across oceans and in our own backyards.
And it’s a $150 billion-a-year industry. There are more than 40 million victims worldwide, including here in America. The National Human Trafficking Hotline recorded 11,500 domestic cases in 2019.
And those were just the reported cases. Many more are never brought to light.
Sadly, marginalized communities—people of color, Native Americans, LGBTQ+ individuals, undocumented immigrants, and survivors of abuse—are more likely to become victims. Studies estimate that 40 percent of U.S. sex trafficking victims are Black Americans and over 60 percent of labor trafficking victims are Hispanic.
There is no silver bullet to end human trafficking, and it won’t happen overnight. However, a concerted effort from all levels of society to combat this evil is our best hope to end it.
When communities come together, we can develop a comprehensive response. United Way leverages our network of more than 1,000 United Ways in 40 countries to identify and support local stakeholders in the fight against trafficking. By mobilizing individuals, businesses, governments and nonprofit organizations, our Center to Combat Human Trafficking helps coordinate efforts to end this systemic injustice.
This comprehensive approach is being piloted in cities across the country, from Las Vegas to Atlanta. Each program is designed to address each community’s unique challenges, from child abuse to poverty to homelessness.
Companies can work to educate their employees and marshal donations toward projects dedicated to combatting trafficking. Many employees at UPS, for instance, are trained to spot signs of trafficking on their daily routes. UPS employees have given millions of dollars to anti-trafficking efforts led by United Way’s Center.
Additionally, business leaders can strive to employ survivors of trafficking. Secure employment and financial stability help reduce one’s risk of being trafficked again. Employing survivors may require more inclusive hiring practices, like not automatically disqualifying those with criminal records. As one advisor at the Human Trafficking Legal Center explains, trafficking victims are often “arrested and prosecuted for their traffickers’ crimes.”
Individuals can support anti-human trafficking initiatives by considering their purchasing choices. Consumers can look for signs of sex and labor trafficking in stores, salons, hotels and restaurants. They can research whether brands employ responsible sourcing practices in their supply chains.
Concerned voters have immense influence to wield, too. Congress will soon reauthorize the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, which was first passed in 2000 to prosecute traffickers and support survivors. Americans can call their representatives and urge them to pass this legislation and fund anti-trafficking efforts.
Every day, our lives intersect with this issue through the products we purchase, the systems we perpetuate, and people we pass on the street. Each of us has the opportunity and ability to combat human trafficking. United, we can end it.
Mara Vanderslice Kelly is the Executive Director of the United Way Center to Combat Human Trafficking.
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My Barking Dog is a nightmare comedy
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My Barking Dog is a nightmare comedy that tells the story of Toby and Melinda, two lonely people whose lives are forever changed the night they encounter a starving coyote at their apartment building. Over time they grow to expect him, leaving ritual offerings to entice the coyote every night. Toby and Melinda forge a connection over this visitor and share curiosity and concern about his presence in the city. The coyote expands their world–until, one night, their world is shattered. Their lives are pushed suddenly into uncharted territory, sending them on a surreal odyssey that changes their city–and the world–forever.
Directed by LX Miller. Starring Max Schneider and Denise Hergett
Verge Theater is continuing their mission to provide accessible theater to our community. Tickets for My Barking Dog are Pay What You Wish with a suggested price of $35. Audience members are offered the opportunity to select the price point that is comfortable for them when purchasing tickets.
My Barking Dog runs March 15-17, 22-24, 28-30
Performances on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays begin at 7:00 p.m., with Sunday matinees offered at 3:00 p.m.
Suitable for ages 16 . No animals are harmed in the staging of this production.
Tickets are available online at www.vergetheater.com
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15 (Friday) 7:00 pm - 30 (Saturday) 8:30 pm
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Saturday, March 23rd 6:00-8:00pm We will combine the heart-opening powers of cacao with the transcendental powers of breathwork and sound. Together, these practices will give us the opportunity for a deep
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Saturday, March 23rd 6:00-8:00pm
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March 23 (Saturday) 6:00 pm - April 23 (Tuesday) 8:00 pm
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Santosha Wellness Center
169 Snowy Mountain Circle
29mar3:00 pm4:00 pmGood Friday Mass: St. Joseph Catholic Mission3:00 pm - 4:00 pm Event City:Big Sky
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Friday of the Passion of the Lord St. Joseph Catholic Mission
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Friday of the Passion of the Lord
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