Your Answer: Yes or No

A fast heads up about this post. It has similar ideas to a post that was done when this blog first started. The post is called "Hookers Matter Too." If you have read it please keep that in mind and if you haven't read the post, after reading this one, go and check it out! Now, to start!

 Hello wonderful people! I hope that you are all doing good and that you are excited for the weekend. My week was very busy. Part of it is because of a research paper I am doing, yes it is about sex trafficking. But, part of my research has brought me to a question. This question is something I have thought about a lot in the past. And the question is really starting to pop up every where in my research.

Is prostitution a form of sex trafficking?

Now, what is your answer? Lately, as I have been really going into this question I have found that some people say yes, and some say no. I have not asked enough people to truly know the full, well rounded, average answer, but as I am sitting here typing, I think it would be awesome to go around and pull enough people to truly get the idea of what people say for their answer.

Anyway, this topic is something that Janice and I have talked on before and that we both believe is true. Prostitution is a form of sex trafficking.

Do you agree with our statement? Do you disagree with our statement? Or do you agree with our statement but you don't really know how it is a part of sex trafficking? Well, now, don't worry. Janice and I are going to shed some light on the situation and the next time you are asked this question you have more of an informed opinion.

By definition sex trafficking is, "the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of persons by improper means (such as force, abduction, fraud, or coercion) for an improper purpose...Sex trafficking in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to preform such act has not attained 18 years of age. The recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery."

Now, in that definition there are several very important terms I would like to draw from. One being peonage, which by Webster's dictionary means, "the use of laborers bound by servitude." I may have slightly added this one in because I didn't know what it meant. And the next word I want to bring in is debt bondage, which in this case means the working of a person to repay a debt owed to another.

So, some of you may see where I am going with this and if you don't, keep reading anyway. You will find out soon enough.

Okay, so, here is what's up.  Prostitution is a hot topic, and here is part of the reason why. Many people believe that a prostitute is someone who chose openly and willingly to start with the sale of his or her body. And, in some cases this is true, I agree with that. But, here is where the definition of sex trafficking makes an appearance. Many girls who enter into prostitution cannot get out, once in. Too often they become the property of a pimp who would rather force her to continue to go out and make him or her money then to let her leave the age old business.

This is where the whole slavery, forced prostitution, peonage and debt bondage come in. The want of money because more of a, "I helped make you who you are in this and I want my money back. And you are going to get me that money." The fear of the pimp is put into the girls and they generally cannot leave.

Now, this is not always the case but it is the case more often then not. But, here is the next part of the issue. A lot of girls who are prostitutes, by definition, are forced from start to finish. And with that, that falls into the definition of sex trafficking.

I have a little analogy for you guys, one that I am pretty proud of, if I do say so myself.

We are going to view sex trafficking as the whole higher education system.

I go to a Christian University. But that is not the only type of universities there are. There are a lot. Then add the fact that there are Christian Colleges as well. Then there is your amazing high up Colleges and Schools, like Harvard, Yale and Oxford. You catch my drift. But don't forget about your normal run of the mill community colleges that will almost always accept any application (please know I am not bashing any form of higher education, I am trying to prove a point rather extravagantly).

Now, look at sex trafficking. We are going to consider prostitution as community colleges. Community colleges are still considered a form of higher education. Though it may not take a lot to get in, their price to attend is not extravagant and they are found almost everywhere. We still consider them a form of higher education.

This is how we also view prostitution as a form of sex trafficking. Though, there are a lot of views on the matter and the fact that there are so many different factors with prostitution, it is still a form of sex trafficking. You wouldn't say that community colleges weren't a higher education source because you cant live on its campus. So, why would you say that prostitution isn't sex trafficking because you are only forming the answer on personal opinion or because there are different factors that play into prostitution?

To stop sex trafficking we cant ignore part of the issue. It would be like trying to cure a person with brain and liver cancer but only attacking the cancer around the liver. The cancer on the brain would cause issues no matter what and not go away on its own.

Lets make sure to attack every form of this cancer called sex trafficking,

Nicole and Janice

Email: askmeaboutsextrafficking@gmail.com
Instagram: askmeaboutsextrafficking
Twitter: @AMASexTFacts
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Mission: Adventure

Picture this with me for a moment.

There was once these two girls who were always together. They were college roommates, friends given the nickname Twins, and they were never apart. These two girls were always together and one fall break they both went home together. After all, staying on campus would be too dull and adventure was a must have. The road trip home was full of loud music, laughter and caffeine. It was perfection.

Once home, the girls were able to eat food that was cooked in a wonderful kitchen, by a loving mother. The thought of nasty school food was no where in mind. The first few days went by with not too much going on. And the thought of adventure was creeping into the minds of the two girls.

One morning they woke up and they wondered into a store. This specific office supply store is known for having paper out for you to write with pens and sharpies, to test them out. The two girls decided that it was time. Time to go to work and stop the sex trade. So, writing in cool colored sharpies the girls got to work and started making people aware!

Here is the story of one of the Twins. So, be inspired and go and do something to get people aware of the sex trade! Take a picture of what you do and send it to us with a story at askmeaboutsextrafficking@gmail.com. We would love to share about what you are doing to get people informed on the sex trade and what you are doing to stop the sex trade!

Now, with out any more pause and talk here is Twin with her story!

Hey guys!

So, I am here to share my story about how my roommate and I went into ninja combat last summer in Tokyo, Japan!

Oh wait, this is the office supply store story? Oh, that one is just as good.

I guess this all started when I found out about this blog. You see, this matter wasn't something foreign to me. I knew a little about sex trafficking and human trafficking. But, I never thought I could be someone who could spark a fire of passion in the life of someone else. Many people think because they have "no time," they cannot stop the injustice of a rapidly growing trade of human sex slaves. When, in fact, this is totally not the case.

If it's one thing that I've learned in my short score of years of living on earth, it's this; there is a time and place for everything. That means there is time! So, where am I going with this before I start my very short and seemingly insignificant story? That my very ordinary life can be extraordinarily powerful in any advancement of any giving pressing matter.

So, allow me to get off my soap box for a moment and share the story with you that I was supposed to share in the first place.

I believe it was a chilly Friday and my twin and I were around town running errands. She was looking for paper while I was playing with the computers (DUH, they are so much fun to mess with) and while I looked for her after a while I saw it. Those sharpie stations with all those pretty colors and stinky smells, were the perfect window of opportunity to share what I've been reading about on this blog from time to time. And, so, with a little help from my twin we scribbled and scribed our way into a blowout of epic proportions, like setting fire to gasoline on a car and walking away from an explosion. We left that station accomplished, knowing that every (and any) eye that can read, could read a fact and allow the spark to flicker into another mind. By doing this,

This passionate fire of awareness
Grows and grows
Until the whole world knows
By those who care.
And for those who care,
Receive and run.

I mean this by saying, that I mean for you to make the change you want to see in the world. Because, that is ALL it takes to make a difference.

 

Wasn't that a great post by Twin!

Thank you so much and we hope to be hearing from you again soon!

You heard it from here. Its no longer us just telling you.

Now, go out and do something about the sex trade,

Nicole and Janice

A No Nonsense Type of Thing

I can sit down every day and do a new post regarding sex trafficking. The information is there and ready to be found, generally, if you look hard enough. Well, at least the most shocking of facts always seem to be there. I could also sit and complain how different organizations aren't doing enough or what I think they should be doing, or they are doing what I think is an awesome job, but that is all opinionated blub.

 I could write till my fingers bleed and try and get you all to join the fight against sex trafficking. I could post 10 very sad, heart breaking facts, that make your insides twist. Then, I could post a few very tear worthy pictures of young prepubescent girls in brothels and then manipulate my words to make you feel horridly guilty for not joining the fight against sex trafficking. Which, then moves you to write out a small check to donate to the first sex trafficking organization you find under your first google search.

Does this sound familiar? To me it does. That, right there, sounds like the American culture that I live in. Organizations will mess with the publics feelings to twist out a few good checks from the richer public crowd, only to let them continue on with their life till the next sad puppy dog commercial comes on. Don't get me wrong t gets what needs to be done, done; but does it change people? Like truly change them?

Please, let me make it very clear. I am not bashing organizations. Everyone has a passion, and yes, for certain people its not letting beaten and abused animals die in a shelter. That is perfectly okay! It is just, as I sat down to type out this blog post I had no idea what I was going to say, and to be perfectly honest, I am still not sure what I am going to say, but I know something will come.

Lately, I think a lot of our posts seem to bash a lot of things. First, we did a post called Men, then we did a post called Young Girls Do It Too and then lastly we did a post entitled Use Your Voice. Man, did we get around a lot on that note, men, women and the church. I think we must have made some kind of record! But, here is the thing, in today's society it is all too easy to put the blame on someone else, rather then take ownership for the things that we do and that we allow to happen. By not standing up and fighting for those who cannot fight for themselves, we pass the blame on to others where we ourselves are to blame.

(Okay so this post may turn out a little more on the bashing, blaming side. Lets see where I am taking this, shall we)

Think about it. The dog commercials? The feed the children commercials? I will be totally honest as I say this. I do not watch television. And when I do it is rare and in between. I live in a dorm with no t.v. and at home I live in a house, where my mother doesn't have cable. But, do you want to know something? When those commercials for the save the something or other come on, I feel bad, and switch the channel.

I mean I don't, currently, have the money to donate, I am just happy to be in college. And I live in a dorm where I cannot have pets and my mom already has a dog and doesn't want another. So, I just keep going. Passing over the issue, thinking that someone else will take care of the sad faced puppies, the victims of homelessness and the needy children.

I am sorry if this makes me a bad person. But here is my question. Have you ever done the same thing that I am admitting to you? Or do you leave the commercial on to hear the soft, sad music that draws a few tears? If you do this, awesome! But then do you pick up the phone right away and donate to the cause? Or rush down to the nearest shelter to add two new animals to your collection of house hold pets? We cannot all do this but there is always something we can do.

Now, currently, I am not sure that my point is coming off clearly, so let me keep trying. I have noticed that people are all too willing to not let the negative bother them. YOLO!!! (you only live once) With this they think someone else will take up there lack of what is needed and it will make up for everything. People want life to be comfortable, God forbid we feel bad and uncomfortable. Well, what if everyone would think this way? That would leave a lot of slack, for the few people doing stuff, to pick up and take care of. And that my friends can get tiring.

Now, I am not saying that we all have to go out and donate to every single organization out there. Being broke is not the goal here, but helping out is.

Did you know that there is actually a lot of stuff that you can do to help fight the sex trade that really only demands a little time? Volunteering with organizations! Writing letters to your congressmen and representatives! Every sign a petition?! What about just looking up the facts and sharing the information you learn with the people around you!?

It is simple and easy stuff that everyone can do! And I mean it! Now, to get you started here are some facts to know and keep handy:

1.    Sex trafficking is the 3rd largest criminal industry in the world.
2. 12 is the average age for a girl in the U.S. to be trafficked into porn and prostitution.
3. 25% of child sex tourists around the world come from the U.S.
4. The United States is the 3rd destination country for trafficking in the world, with 15,500-17,500 trafficked in yearly, that is an active American football team every day.
5.  In 2011 94% of victims were females and 6% are males, while the number of males continues to grow.  
6. More then 50% of victims of sex trafficking are under the age of 18.

Those are just a few facts to help you get started. Now, take some time and do your own research. Look up facts and different organizations. Information and being aware is key.

Just a no nonsense post,

Nicole and Janice

P.S. Every want to email or get in contact with us? Feel free to email us at askmeaboutsextrafficking@gmail.com We want to hear from you!! 

Run, Walk, Jog and Make a Difference

Hello our beautiful readers! I hope you're doing well this fine day! Currently, I want to tell you about a cool event. But to understand the event let me give you the history of it! So sit back, relax and enjoy the story.

This past Wednesday I had the pleasure of meeting a rather remarkable woman. Her name is Jenny and her and her husband host the Justice Run here in Colorado. Last Wednesday we were able to sit down and talk at a park for awhile until the rainy Colorado weather made us part in our separate directions. The rain was a little bit of a downer but sitting and talking with such a wonderful women definitely was not!

The run started when friends of Jenny and her husband needed money to help with a non profit in Germany call the Justice Project. The Justice Project goes into Red Light Districts and invites girls to a Spa Day. When they are at the spa day they get hair cuts and things like that. But, while the girls are there, and away from their pimps, they are asked if they are being held against their will. If they are the organization helps the young girls get out. Is that not just totally awesome!?

The first time Jenny and her husband did the run it took a long time to plan! 200 people showed up and they were able to raise $7, 500! From there the numbers have gone no where but up! This year it is estimated that 700 to 1, 000 people will show up to run! Isn't that awesome!? Over the past 4 years the numbers have continued to grow!

Half the people who show up to the event, which will take place in Colorado on October 6th of this year, come to run, the other half come to support the cause. So, say you want to get involved and join the Justice Run but you aren't much of a runner. That's totally okay! You can walk the Justice Run! 

Want to know something else? Say you are one of our readers from a different country, you would love to help but you can't make it to the U.S. in time. That is okay as well! On the Justice Run's website there is a place where you can donate! The website is www.thejustice run.com!

Now, hold on! Before you start asking how much of your money is actually given to help people who are trafficed, let me answer that for you! All of it goes to helping people who have been trafficked! Here is how it works. The cost to get the run up and running is totally taken care of by the sponsers and from Jenny and her husband. That way all of the money you pay to run goes completely to helping others! Cool! Right?!

Though, when Jenny first started doing the run she was only raising money for one Nonprofit, the Justice Run now raises money for three Nonprofits. The Justice Project, Street Hope (which is a local Denver project) and a nonprofit in Africa! All 3 nonprofits are awesome!

At the Justice Run there is also a run for kids. It is $5 and its, "kids protecting kids from trafficking." That's pretty clever isn't it?!  The money raised from the kids go to an orphanage in Uganda to help street kids from being trafficked.

Now, for you business members out there you can become a sponser of the Justice Run! Go onto their website and see how you can become a sponser! It takes around $5,000-7, 000 to get a race started and you can help!

And, to you awesome nonprofits, go on to the Justice Run's website and see how you can get a booth up at the run! You have to, in some way, be helping in the fight againt sex trafficking! And if you want to check into selling items you can! All the money you make at the event needs to go to helping in the fight against sex trafficking!

This year there will be painters at the run who will have paints based on their experience with the matter of sex trafficking!

Now, for people who don't want to walk or run, you can always volunteer at the run!  Invite your friends and family to come with you!  Get a group from your school or church to come and volunteer with you! With an event like this there will definitely be ways you can help!

For Jenny to get a race like this going it takes about 10 hours a week. And when the race gets closer its about 20-30 hours a week she spends getting the race ready! And did you know, for you local Coloradians, you can help volunteer in the weeks leading up to the race?! You can! And you totally should!  Plus, Jenny helps get other Justice Runs in other states started! This year there will be one in North Carolina!

Remember!  This event is an actual race! There is awards! There is food and fun for kids and booths that will be set up for people to find out more on trafficking and how they can help!

Check it out!

Important Information:

Date: October 6th

Time:
Race Day Reg 7:30 am
10k Run: 8:35 am
5k Run and Walk 9:00 am
Kids Run 10 am
Awards and raffle 10:15

Website: www.thejusticerun.com

Check it out!

Have fun and hope to see you there,

Nicole and Janice

Ps. Do you know of events like this? Let us know! Email us at askmeaboutsextrafficking@gmail.com

Silence Isn't Always Golden

Silence.  We keep our secrets. We hold them tightly  to ourselves and never let them  go. But then what happens if your secret could save someone's life? What if your secret could save many peoples lives? Would you still keep your secret to yourself?

I wouldn't, at least at this point in my life I don't think I would. But, here is the thing. I have not been beaten,  starved, raped or threatened to keep my mouth shut. I have not had so much fear put in me that I refuse to talk to people.

Sex trafficking is kept secret.  And a lot has to do with the fact that not a lot is known about sex trafficking,  not many people know the details. And when a person is rescued out of sex trafficking they, generally, refuse to talk. Why is this you may ask? Well, the men and women who hold these girls captive use different, cruel tactics to keep their victims from talking.

Rape by captors and by blunt objects, threats against family members, starvations, beatings, long periods of isolatons are some of the tactics that are used to instill fear into young girls. So, even if a girl is free, more often then not the girl will refuse to talk.

Because of this, though this girl is free, other girls are kept hidden in the sex trade. The silence means that the people who run the sex trafficking industry can keep on getting away with what ever they like, there is not great volumes of people and information to stop them. Silence is on their side.

So, to the men and women who talk to people who have been rescued from trafficking, know that you are doing a good job. Though it may be hard at times, a difference is being made.

I was always told when I was younger that secrets don't make friends. And in cases like this it couldn't be more true. It could cause people to actually lose their life. But when dealing with a situation like this it is important to know that by a girl keeping her silence, she could actually be saving her own life or the life of a family member. That's one reason why this matter is so unstable in my eyes. What side would you want to choose?! I mean, I want everyone in the world to be safe and able to sleep at night.

So, the next time you sit and think to yourself. "Why don't they just tell what they know?!" Remember, the situation could be more complicated then you realize. Threats against the young victims family could have been made and threats on her own life could have been made as well.

Silence on some matters is good while on other matters, silence is a bad thing. Sex trafficking is not a matter that should be kept quiet.  We need to speak up and share what we know with the people around us!

Raise up tour voice for those who are force  to be silent,

Nicole and Janice

PS have tou been doing your sticky notes? Have an awesome story how you are changing the world? Email us your story at askmeaboutsextrafficking@gmail.com We would love to share your story!

How I View Sex Trafficking

Sex trafficking is not always the easiest thing to look into. The facts are harsh and unpleasant and in all honesty a complete downer. So, when I decided to start doing something about the sex trade I really meant it. I wasn't going to do all this for nothing. A change was, and is, going to take place.

So, how do I do it? Digging into the facts and doing my best to make a change?
I view sex trafficking, parts of it, with the mind set of a young school girl with a crush!

Now before you think I'm crazy let me explain.  As most people know, I am a book worm. And one of my favorite book series is the Chronicles of Narnia! In fact,  I'm currently rereading them.

When the new movie The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe came out I was so excited! I couldn't wait to go see it. I was in 6th grade and I was going to see the movie with my class. We had been reading all the books in class.

When the movie started my 6th grade heart fell in love! It must have been love right? I mean, I still to this day, will admit to you with some blushing, embarrassment, I have a HUGE crush on William Moseley and I have since 6th grade.

For those of you who don't know William is Peter, the eldest brother in the movie. He has amazing eyes and great hair plus lets not forget his accent. Let me just stop right there while I'm ahead of myself, though.

Anyway,  when I was younger, with the strong love of William and Narnia I did everything I could do to know more about both subjects.  I watched Narnia all the time! I even watched the commentaries.  While my best friend was looking up stuff on line about her crush from the Star Wars movies,  I was hanging posters in my room of Narnia.

No matter what, I never had enough information on William and on Naria. (Sounds a little stalkerish but I promise I'm not! I was just young) What can I say, I was a crushing school girl. Now, I will only admit he is a crush I have. Searching for information on him and Narnia has stopped (but you can't deny he is one GOOD lookin guy!).

Here is the point to my story! I couldn't get my hands on enough information on William and Narnia when I was younger. I just kept researching and researching. And when I did find information out I always told the people around me. After all, I WAS GOING TO MARRY WILLIAM MOSELEY!   

That is what I do with sex trafficking.  I research and research. And I let people know the information that I find.  Though it is not a topic, like a hot guy, I still get information to other people. The information may not be as desired as information on a hot guy or hot girl (don't want to forget about you male readers out there) but its information that will make people aware. And hopefully put an end to the sex trade.

So, the next time you decide to do a little investigating on the guy or girl you are about to go on a blind date with. Maybe take a moment and do a little investigating on the sex trade.  After all, if conversation is a little awkward,  you have a great topic to fall back on for the date!

With love from your crushing school girls,

Nicole and Janice

P.S. have you been doing sticky notes?  Have a cool story how you arw stopping the sex trade? Email us at askmeaboutsextrafficking@gmail.com. we would love to share your story.  Dont know what sticky noting is? Check out our first blog post "Let's Explain Our Mission!"