A recent New York Times article tells the story of young boys in China being abducted and sold.  Some are lured away, some are simply snatched.  Because of China’s rule for having only one child and a tradition that favors boys over girls a thriving industry has taken root.   Similar to many countries, the police appear indifferent to the problem.  This is just one of the many types of child trafficking that happen all over the world.

Here’s a video where Kevin Bales discusses the role of businesses and consumers in ending slavery.

One of my goals for the coming months is to do research about the labor practices of stores I visit often, and either thank them for what they’re doing to protect human lives or encourage them to honestly confront slavery and help end it. I’m committed to becoming a more knowledgeable consumer.

Here’s the wrap of the Thailand chapter of Disposable People. It’s a quick look at how Thai officials impact human trafficking. Then I suggest some specific things to pray for.

PART 3

Slavery, the law, and the police
Thailand has laws against “trafficking women, prostitution, rape, sexual abuse of children, kidnapping, forced labor, debt bondage, and slavery”: These laws are not enforced. Occasionally police will raid a brothel in response to international media attention or specific incidents (like the murder of a prostitute) that elicit public outcry.

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More from my reading in Disposable People by Kevin Bales. This is a little bit of what life looks like for sex slaves in Thailand.

PART 2

Who owns slaves?
It would appear that slaves are owned by pimps, madams, and brothel keepers; however, those people are just employees of the slave owners. They are paid a wage by the slave owner and also earn income through padding prices for food, drinks, and prostitutes and pocketing the difference. As Bales notes, it’s “a great income for an ex-peasant whose main skills are violence and intimidation.” Pimps and madams are the faces that slaves see every day, and they’re the hands that inflict violence and demand submission.

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