It will mark 1 month since Ohio Attorney General Cordray’s Trafficking in Person Study Commission published the Report on the Prevalence of Human Trafficking in Ohio, the first study of its kind.

March 11th is the day we will keep the issue of human trafficking fresh in the minds of our politicians, by sending them an email blast to ensure they know we’re still paying attention!

On March 2nd, 26 of 33 senators stepped up alongside Sen. Fedor to sponsor S.B. 235.

S.B. 235 will allow Ohio to join the other 43 states that have made human trafficking a stand-alone felony under their state laws; it’s time for Ohio to address it’s rampant human trafficking problem by empowering local law enforcement with a state law instead of continually pushing these cases onto the FBI, scrambling to find some other crime to prosecute traffickers under, or ignoring these cases entirely.

As S.B. 235 enters the Criminal Justice Committee of the Ohio Senate, it enters a critical stage in the editing and amendment process.  Encourage your senators to continue supporting the bill by keeping it strong and comprehensive!  You can find your legislator here: http://www.ohiosenate.gov.  Once you find their contact information you can use the email template below.

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Dear (Legislator’s Name),

As your constituent, I am writing to express my unequivocal support for the creation of a Human Trafficking felony in the Ohio Revised Code.  You have the opportunity to be a champion for vulnerable children by ensuring that S.B. 235 maintains strong, comprehensive language throughout the editing and amendment process.

Ohio must catch up to the 43 other states, which already have language in-line with the federal definition of human trafficking. The Columbus Dispatch recently reported that human trafficking is a rapidly growing and underreported problem affecting both inner cities and affluent suburbs in Ohio. [1] A new report released by a sub-committee of the Trafficking in Persons Study Commission estimated that over 1000 Ohio children are trafficked within our borders each year for the purpose of sex. It further reported that another 2,879 children are at-risk for being trafficked because of their vulnerable status as runaways, throwaways or due to homelessness. [2] According to a Rand Corporation report, Ohio has an alarmingly high number of child sex trafficking cases. [3]

You have the power to make positive change in the lives of vulnerable children through legislation. S.B. 235 will create a second-degree felony for this horrendous crime against Ohio’s children.  Law enforcement officials, prosecutors, and victim’s advocates agree – Ohio badly needs stronger laws addressing human trafficking.  Experts universally expressed this sentiment during the 1^st Annual Human Trafficking Awareness Day at the Statehouse in January. [ http://www.youtube.com/user/OhioSenateDemocrats#p/u/0/bDTljdyX-pg ].

S.B. 235 needs to remain in-line with the federal and Department of Justice’s definition of human trafficking, which has proven an effective tool for federal law enforcement.  Uncovering and prosecuting cases of human trafficking is a priority for the federal government and is considered a high level crime.  To date, the federal Innocence Lost Initiative has netted convictions of over 500 traffickers and rescued over 900 child victims of human trafficking. [4]

Will you be a champion for vulnerable children?  If so, ensure that S.B. 235 mirrors the federal definition of human trafficking and maintains its current strength.  I hope to see S.B. 235 become stronger and clearer throughout the amendment process, not weaker and more ineffective.  I trust you, as my representative, to make sure Ohio’s laws protect Ohio’s children.

Thank you.

(Your Name)
(Your Email)
(Your Hometown)

[1] http://www.dispatchpolitics.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/02/11/copy/HUMAN_TRAFFIC.ART_ART_02-11-10_A1_KCGIDS6.html?adsec=politics&sid=101

[2] http://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/TraffickingReport

[3] http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/MG689/index.html

[4] http://www.fbi.gov/innolost/innolost.htm

We also came across this great note from World Vision about how a former sponsored girl in their program is now tutoring children in the slums of India.  It’s all because someone sponsored her that she was able to accomplish what she has and move on to help others!  Sponsoring a young girl can change her life and cause a ripple effect for years to come.  Sponsor a child today.

What are some other ways you can empower women? We’d love to hear them!  Please leave some comments and let us know your ideas.  Remember, a small step can lead to big change!

From Senator Teresa Fedor

11^th Senate District

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                          Contact: Ursula Barrera

March 2, 2010                                                                                                   (614) 466-5204

Bipartisan Bill Will Make Human Trafficking a Felony Offense

Senators Fedor and Grendell Partner to Fight Problem

ColumbuS – Senator Teresa Fedor (D-Toledo) and Senator Tim Grendell (R-Chesterland) jointly introduced Senate Bill 235 today creating a second-degree felony for human trafficking in the State of Ohio. Ohio is one of only seven states lacking felony-level language for human trafficking in-line with federal standards.  A bi-partisan group of twenty-six senators have co-sponsored the legislation.

“Ohio needs legislation that will attack human trafficking criminal enterprises and put them away for a very long time,” said Senator Fedor. “Children are trafficked within Ohio’s borders every year because the traffickers know our laws are weak.  It is about time Ohio joined the 43 other states with human trafficking laws on the books and let traffickers know – our children are not for sale.”

The bill comes on the heels of a report by the Ohio Trafficking in Persons Study Commission, of which Senator Fedor is vice-chairwoman. The report found that over one thousand children are trafficked in Ohio each year, while several thousand more are considered to be at risk.

“Ohio’s Criminal Justice system needs a new tool to fight the growing travesty of human trafficking in our great State. We can not sit by while hundreds of people are victimized every year by what equates to modern day slavery,” said Senator Grendell, the joint sponsor who chairs the Senate Criminal Justice Committee.

Access the legislation here: http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=128_SB_235

Demi Moore has won the Pepsi Refresh Challenge! Thanks to all of her fan votes, Demi won a $250,000 grant for GEMS (Girls Education and Mentoring Services).  GEMS is an organization based in New York designed to empower young women in America who are victims of commercial sexual exploitation.  GEMS will use the money to train 10 survivors as outreach workers to serve in their communities.  Congratulations to Demi and GEMS!  You can also check out Demi & Ashton’s new anti-trafficking organization The DNA Foundation.

Also, if you are free this Thursday night you should plan to find your local theater that is showing Half The Sky Live.  It’s a one night movie event based on the book, Half the Sky, by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn.  Join the movement,  celebrate International Women’s Day and be inspired to help women around the world turn oppression into opportunity!

At last we are announcing the details of our T-shirt Launch and Benefit Concert!  The event will happen on Friday, March 19th at Rohs Street Cafe in Clifton.  This will be the first time our four T-shirts are available to purchase.  If you don’t remember, they are fair trade, organic cotton T-shirts made by survivors of the sex trade in Kolkata, India. In addition to shopping from Stop Traffick Fashion there will be great music and art to entertain you.

Music will be provided by:

ARTISTS & AUTHORS
FLAREGUN
and LAURA HELLEBUSCH

Plus, there will be a live painting done by Arian & Daniel Armstrong! Arian is the artist who designed 2 of our fabulous T-shirts, in addition to the winning design submitted by Alicia Gee.

There is a $5 suggested donation which will go to Hagar International.  Hagar is a leading provider of aftercare and rehabilitation for survivors of human trafficking and other human rights abuse in Cambodia, Vietnam and Afghanistan. Raffle tickets will also be for sale to benefit Hagar and a portion of proceeds from any merchandise sales will also be donated.

We hope you can join us to show your support for Hagar, survivors of human trafficking around the world, and Stop Traffick Fashion!

If you’re interested in finding out more (and you’re in the Cincinnati area) you can also check out the free screening of Playground, a documentary on child trafficking in America, on March 11th.  All of this hits close to home in light of the recent study we posted earlier this month about trafficking in Ohio.

On a personal note, I used to live in London for a few years and this video reminds me of all my South African friends! I particularly enjoyed the reference to “robots.” In case you don’t know what those are, they are traffic lights!

On Thursday, March 11th the Freedom Center in Cincinnati is hosting a free screening of the documentary Playground.  The movie is an undercover look at the child sex trafficking industry.  Filmmaker Libby Spears initially started looking into trafficking in Cambodia and the Philippines, only to realize that the problem happens in America as well.  Co-produced by George Clooney, Steven Soderbergh and Grant Heslov, Playground has received enthusiastic acclaim for its unforgettable examination of a subject that most people would prefer not to even mention.  The screening starts at 6pm.  You can get the full details here.

Plus, on the night of the screening Stop Traffick Fashion will be at the museum with our products for sale!  Come and see us, along with the powerful documentary Playground.

Kevin Bales: People do not enslave people to be mean to them. They do it to make a profit. #TED

Kevin Bales: Researched in 5 countries, interviewed slaves and slave holders. Estimates 27 million slaves today. #TED

Kevin Bales: There are only two countries on earth where we can’t find slavery: Iceland and Greenland. #TED

Kevin Bales: Slaves are often used to do environmentally damaging work. There’s a link between environment loss and human rights loss. #TED

Kevin Bales: Slavery has been around forever. But what is new: The price for slaves has collapsed. Humans are cheaper than ever. #TED

Kevin Bales: You can’t just buy people out of slavery. It’s not an event, it’s a process. #TED

Kevin Bales: What does sustainable freedom cost? In the US, about $30,000 per person. In Ghana, $400. #TED

Kevin Bales: $10.8 billion to free all slaves — the same amount we spent last year on game equipment. Not a lot of $ on global level. #TED

Kevin Bales: Ask ourselves: Are we willing to live in a world of slavery? #TED

More on Kevin Bales: http://www.freetheslaves.net
*Twitter is a great tool for getting lots of timely news on various topics,  including human trafficking! Follow us @stoptrffckfash.