Child slavery and prostitution in Georgia
Human trafficking has been a major issue in the US, especially in Atlanta. Human trafficking is a justice issue because young girls and boys who become victims of human trafficking are not at random. However, they are part of our society driven into sexual slavery and prostitution due to their economic vulnerability, ethical oppression, and gender discrimination. Sex trade in Atlanta has been facilitated by the lack of economic policies that has led to the destruction of local economies thus compelling people to move in search of a better life elsewhere. Erin noted that young girls and women have been lured into sexual trafficking1.
He noted that Atlanta sex market generates an estimated $ 290 million in 2007. Most of the people who are affected by this kind of human trafficking are young girls and women. For this study, we shall take sexual trafficking to mean the procurement of a child into involuntary prostitution or pornography for financial reward against the will of a person. In this paper, we shall critically analysis human trafficking. Specifically, we shall analyze the hidden horror of sex trade. This paper seeks to illustrate the injustices committed by human traffickers against girls in Atlanta, Georgia. It carries a broad analysis of sexual exploitation of young boys and girls. It also shows physical and sexual violence committed against these children.
Sex trade in Atlanta is a violation of human right that constitutes human slavery. Most of these young girls are induced to commercial sex by force, coercion or fraud. Moreover, some of the girls are lured into sex trade because there are promised well-paying jobs abroad. To some of them, it might have been a marriage proposal turned into sexual slavery. Involuntary sexual prostitution revolves around the age of the victims and sexual exploitation in the context of human trafficking. Sex trade is slavery that continues to dominate Atlanta irrespective of the government having knowledge of the trade. Sex trade can be in different forms. For instance, it might be pornography, live-sex, military prostitution and sex tourism. Erin noted that although these crimes affect both men and women, it is common in young women who make up more than 80 percent of all those who are kidnapped.
Sex trade in Atlanta is an industry that generates billions of dollars. This disproportionate crime affects mostly young girls who are lured into involuntary prostitution through coercion. According to Erin, human trafficking is one of the most lucrative and fastest growing crimes in the US. Statistical data from the Federal government in Atlanta noted that more than 85 percent of sexual trafficking victims are runaway children in the US. They are mostly children who are disconnected from their parents and families, which increase chances of being lured into involuntary prostitution. When these girls are snatched from the streets, they are sold for the highest price where their dignity and self-sense is destroyed by matured men. Most of the young girls who become victims of involuntary prostitution have high chances of suffering from reproductive health complications. This is due to the unhealthy sex that increases chances of contacting diseases. Furthermore, these young girls are often coercive into sexual contact, which is used as a fear tactic thus exposing them to the risk of sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies. Many of these young girls do not even have access to direct health care services such as pap smears.
According to the United State laws, sex trade is slavery because it involves involuntary exploitation of the victim. Slavery is defined as the act of using a person with an intention of exploiting them by using force, fraud, or coercion. The US Department argues that an estimated 27 million people across the globe live in slavery including those in the US. In Georgia, recent data shows sex trade has increased significantly over the last five years. In fact, the FBI has named Atlanta as one of the leading cities with the high number of involuntary sexual prostitution. They estimated that 12, 400 men in Georgia purchases sex from these young girls, at least, once per month2. The FBI concluded that adolescence girls who are victims of sex trade are exploited more than three times, on average, per night by matured men. Although January is the month of creating awareness on the impact of human trafficking, many US citizens agrees that it happens every day even in plain sight. According to Cbs46.Com website, the Georgian Attorney General Samuel Olens noted that sex trade crimes in the region are a violation of human right and a widespread brutal act3.
He noted that young girls are abducted and forced into sexual prostitution. His narrative converges with that of a nonprofit organization that helps young girls who have been victims of sex trade, which noted that estimated 200-300 young girls are trafficked in Georgia every month. The organization noted that at least 100 girls are exploited in Metro, Atlanta. According to the Georgian’s Attorney General, most of these girls are runaway because of domestic violent at home and they lack love, which they try to seek in the streets. Sexual trafficking has become a complex issue because the people who lure young girls know what to tell them in order to exploit them. Most of them are young girls who do not understand the danger of sexual prostitution. Human trafficking has become a daily occurrence in Georgia. It is a grieve violation of human right against young girls who have no knowledge about sexual prostitution. These children are abducted, recruited, transported, and exploited through deceit. These numbers show the extent to which sexual trafficking has affected the Georgian society. Atlanta has been ranked number one in sex trade especially involving young girls4.
How religion contributes to Child slavery and prostitution in Georgia
Globally, religion has played a vital role in combating human trafficking. However, experts have agreed that sex trade is a complex issue because it is hard to identify victims. Moreover, sex traffickers are expertise in identifying potential vulnerability, which can be in the form of economic, emotional, or psychological exposure. Although religion plays a critical role in combating sexual trafficking, it cannot be able to identify certain vulnerability in the society that can potentially be used by traffickers to target young girls.
Islamic and Christianity religious doctrine condemned human trafficking. For Christianity, it denounces sexual trafficking because it goes against morality and human dignity. In fact, Christianity does not allow human trafficking of any kind. Moreover, Christianity has been on the frontline in developing strategies that can be used to combat human trafficking. From the 18th and 19th century, Christianity has developed the moral conviction that denounces sex trade mainly because it causes loss of dignity. In Atlanta, the Covenant House, a religious organization, has played a significant role in creating awareness of sexual trafficking.
This group has been active in the last five years. In fact, it has done an incredible job not only in educating the society about the dangers of sexual trafficking, but also helping them act as moral voices in the society. Religious organizations in Atlanta stand in a uniquely advantageous position to help combat sex trade. For instance, the Wellspring Living organization in Atlanta has been a major player in helping those who have been victims of sexual slavery and educating the society to denounce it. The Covenant House in the Atlanta has played a significant role in helping these young kids after they have freed away from traffickers. According to the co-coordinator of Covenant House, the religious organization has done an impressive job while working in the marginalized communities with vulnerable people. The religious organization seeks to play an active role in the communities by educating and creating awareness to combat sex trade. Moreover, all the religious organizations in Atlanta are working together with the society to restore human dignity to those who have been victims of these heinous acts.
Religious groups have been active in serving the most vulnerable people in the streets5. Children who have been disconnected from their families are the most vulnerable people. Therefore, the Sisters of St. Joseph in Atlanta has been an active player in ensuring that young girls in the streets have adequate knowledge about the tactics that might be used to abduct them. Although this is a challenging task for the church and the Sister, they always play an active role in ensuring young girls in the street do not become victims of sexual trafficking. Moreover, the church has created awareness through other different means such as written magazines, books, and notice boards to denounce sexual trafficking. Although it is clear that sex trade is a complex issue, different religious organizations have been joining Atlanta with an aim of eradicating sex trade and involuntary prostitution.
Peace building Strategy
Approaches to overcome sex trade
Religious organizations apply different strategies to overcome human trafficking such as preaching, convening, pastoral and outreach. Due to the staggering increase in the multibillion-dollar human trafficking in Atlanta, Catholic religious organizations have been active in combating involuntary prostitution. The Catholic religion has used pastoral, preaching and outreach to overcome sex trade. In fact, the catholic Pope has referred sex trade as the most extensive form of slavery in the 21st century. This has been possible with the global support of anti-trafficking network of religious groups and banking partnership in Rome that raises money to combat sexual trafficking. The money generated from these activities is sent to other countries such as the US to combat sex trade.
Religious groups have played an active role particularly in bringing out the issue to the public through preaching in churches and mosques. Lederach highlighted that preaching has enabled the society to understand the injustices committed against young girls in Atlanta. Although many religious organizations in Atlanta disagree on varies aspects, they all agree that sex trade can only be eliminated by eradicating poverty and economic disparity. This is the rationale used by many Catholic organizations in Atlanta. They are committed to addressing economic inequality in the society by establishing schools for the homeless so that street children can have a decent life free from sexual traffickers. The children’s home offer them an opportunity to pursue education, which increases their chances of getting well-paid jobs in future. This well though-out strategy will eliminate economic disparity and poverty in Georgia as it combats human trafficking.
Religious organization plays a vital role in the eradication of sex trade by collaborating with the government to establish new laws. Christianity religions in Atlanta were instrumental in the 2008 passage of Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act6. These provisions prevent the deportation of young migrant children who might be exposed to sex trade. In 2014, more than 3800 religious organization including those in Atlanta petitioned President Barrack Obama to prevent sex trade on the Mexican border. These girls are transferred to Atlanta where they are exploited. This shows that religious organizations are active in the prevention and eradication of sex trade.
Religious groups also combat sexual trafficking through advocacy. Religious leaders have used advocacy to discourage people from sex trade by arguing that everyone has a duty to protect the dignity and centrality of every individual. However, although this approach can be effective in the short term, there is a need to focus on some key issues in the economic structure of Atlanta to overcome poverty. Eradicating human trafficking means the religious organizations have to prevent the causes of poverty in the society. Moreover, it means that the society should accept victims of sex trade and treat them with dignity. Religion has been a major player in combating sex trade, which is recognized as a long-standing approach to sex trade. The religious organizations in Atlanta have shown that social changes in the society are not always a direct impact of stringent laws.
Religious teaching can also help to prevent sexual trafficking by advocacy and preaching which discourage people especially men who purchase sex from these young girls. An actual change in the society requires more than just a shift in paradigm, but also the will of the society to eradicate human trafficking. The religious organizations in Atlanta have established a long-standing strategy in combating human trafficking in social sectors by education young people in their colleges and universities about the dangers of sexual trafficking. This decision has gained external support because university and college students are more likely to purchase sex from these young girls. Denouncing sexual trafficking in educational institutions and the society acts as a platform to move the society in the direction of condemning human trafficking. The religious organizations take advantage of collaborations with other groups to fight sex trade. These religious partnerships in Atlanta have formed a critical social structure that can be able to fight sex trade more efficiently and effectively.
Resources that exist on the site to help combat human trafficking
They are different resources used by the organizations to combat sex trade. For instance, organizations such as The Covenant House have a well-trained workforce who assists in the fight against sex trade. Moreover, the organization is strategically organized and well connected with more concern citizens who are willing to work with the firm to combat human trafficking. Moreover, the location of the firm is strategic since it is located in the center of Atlanta city. This has enabled the company to provide a safe place for the young adolescents who are most vulnerable to sexual traffickers. Moreover, the firm is located in an area that has adequate space that can cater to many children.
The organization has many donors who are actively funding major projects such as new classrooms and food products for the young children. Since most of the young girls lack basic education, the organization has been able to accommodate as many children as possible to give them a primary education. Our staffs are well trained to educate people on the injustices committed against young girls in the society. Our well-trained team provides national training and technical assistance to the society in Atlanta on issues concerning sexual trafficking. Furthermore, the organization has achieved significant success in combating human trafficking and has been able to meet the representatives of the Senate in the US Congress who have offered the monetary and other educational support such as paying teachers in the children’s home.
The religious practices that sustain the firm include medical care, counseling, and training. These activities have been able to support the organization in the last five years. Although the income generated from these activities is not adequate to help combat sex trade, it caters for the general operations expenses of the organization. Organization employs their religious connection with other stakeholders to prevent human trafficking. For instance, the Covenant House uses religious functions and conferences to educate people about sex trade. The organization will also use money generated from the firm to cater for housing, clothing, and in educating sex trade victims. Moreover, the health facility will be used to treat those who have been victims of involuntary prostitution. All these resources shall work together in Atlanta to create public awareness and to denounce human trafficking.
Conclusion
Human trafficking is complex in nature because it is difficult to identify. Most of the people who are affected by this kind of human trafficking are young girls and women. Most of the young girls who become victims of involuntary prostitution might be exposed to sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies. Most of these young girls are induced in commercial sex by force, coercions, or fraud. These young girls are often faced with coercive sex that exposes them to the risk of sexually transmitted diseases. Sex trade is a violation of human right that constitutes human slavery because it goes against morality and human dignity.
Religious organizations can be able to combat human trafficking through advocacy and preaching. Religious leaders use advocacy to daunt people from sex trade by arguing that everyone has a duty to protect the dignity and centrality of each other. However, there is a need to focus on some key issues in Atlanta such as poverty eradication. Religious organizations can also combat human trafficking by preaching to create awareness and discourage people from any act that might expose young girls to sexual slavery. Religious organizations utilize the resources that they have to ensure human dignity is respected by preaching and organizing conferences to create awareness and discourage human trafficking.
Bibliography
Belt, Deb. 2014. “Atlanta Ranked No. 1 For Sex Trafficking; Conventions To Blame?”. Buckhead, GA 2015. Patch. Web.
“Covenant House Of Georgia: Human Trafficking.” Covenanthousega.Org. 2016. Web.
Fuchs, Erin. “Atlanta’s Underground Sex Trade Is Booming”. Business Insider. 2014. Web.
Graham, Ruth. “How Evangelicals Took Sex Trafficking From Feminists And Made It A Christian Cause Célèbre”. Slate Magazine. 2015. Web.
“Human Trafficking Brutal And Widespread In Georgia.” Cbs46.Com. 2015. Web.
Resnick, Brian. “Why We Don’t Immediately Send The Border Kids Back”. The Atlantic. 2014. Web.
Footnotes
- Erin, Fuchs. “Atlanta’s Underground Sex Trade Is Booming”. Business Insider. Web.
- “Covenant House Of Georgia: Human Trafficking.” Covenanthousega.Org. Web.
- “Human Trafficking Brutal And Widespread In Georgia.” Cbs46.Com. Web.
- Deb, Belt. “Atlanta Ranked No. 1 For Sex Trafficking; Conventions To Blame?”. Buckhead, GA. Patch. Web.
- Ruth, Graham. “How Evangelicals Took Sex Trafficking From Feminists And Made It A Christian Cause Célèbre”. Slate Magazine. Web.
- Brian, Resnick. “Why We Don’t Immediately Send The Border Kids Back”. The Atlantic. Web.