Expert: Jody Williams - 4/18/2007

Question
" First of all thank you so much for reading this email.  I know this
is such short notice, regarding that i need this interview by friday. I
apologize for the inconvience. In my english class we need an interview
with someone who knew our topic very well. I chose human trafficking
because it interested me how slavery still goes on today. With your help
i'd like to inform more people (or at least my english class) with the
useful information that you could offer. It would be greatly
appreciated if you considered taking this interview. Please reply as soon as
possible.

Sincerely,
  Ginelle Lamela

p.s.
I don't mean to pressure you, but by any chance if you decide to take
the interview, here are the 10 questions that i need to ask. I'll paste
them here so that we don't have to keep going back and forth; and it
will be out of your way.
& if you are unable for a full on interview, any answers would be
greatly appreciated. thanks again.


  Thank you soo much for your time & consideration.



1.  What laws govern the issue of human trafficking?

2.  What are some amendments that protect the rights of the victims?

3.  What roles do the United Nations and World Court have?

4.  How does the World Court deal with criminals guilty of trafficking
humans?

5.  How do they get away with making profit from other peoples lives?

6.  What has the United States done to prevent TIP?

7.  What can US do to stop the trafficking at the borders? Why isn’t
it working?

8.  What should be done to fix this violation of human rights?

9.  How can we put it into affect?

10. What are some ways that sex traffickers can mask their misdeeds?"  

Answer
Do you mean international, federal or local laws concerning human trafficking?  For each - you can do a web search to find those answers.  Laws change all the time - so you need to do a search to find out that information on a current basis.  

Our organization focuses on helping people transition out of the sex industry.  Some were forced victims - some were willing participants.  We try to find each person help for their own individual needs.  We don't concern ourselves with laws - because what the laws are don't help the individual members with their recovery.  If you want to know the role ofthe UN and the World Court on human trafficking - you need to research their sites and email them for that information.

As for how do "they" get away with it?  Good question.  We live in a country where even a president can be pardoned for his transgressions while a reformed murderer who did great work to help bring about a gang war peace treaty is still put to death in California without pardon from the governor.  While many "get away" with not serving jail time for some of the things - I've seen that spiritually they don't.  But the fact remains that we live in a society where someone like the D.C. Madam can be prosecuted and her assets seized for simply running a service designed to fulfill men's fantasies - while I have tried unsuccessfully to get the police to go and pick up a violent pimp who is beating up on pregnant women and has warrents out on him.  So as to how these people "get away" with what they do - they either skirt through by the letter of the law or you're going to have to ask our correctional and judicial system those questions.

Prostitution has changed over the years.  Many pimps started complaining to me that during the 1980's it became impossible to find a hooker anymore who wanted to willingly work in the sex industry that wasn't using up all the profits on drugs.  Those who weren't on drugs had become too "smart" and knew they didn't "need" to pay a pimp money for anything they couldn't get on their own.  

Many of those pimps turned to "forced" prostitution in order to find a new way to collect their money.  They do smuggle men, women and children in from mexico to work for them here in the states and in brothels down in mexico too.  But they also bring them in from Russia and China and Korea.  Those victims aren't running across a physical border - they're flying into this country.  So putting up a fence between us and Mexico isn't going to stop the human trafficking victims from coming into the USA.  If anything - it will make it harder for them to escape and run back home.

What can be done to stop any violation of human rights is what you need to ask yourself.  I've studied it myself and have only found change is usually made through hitting someone in the pocket book or through the media raising awareness.  PETA for example raises awareness of the violation of animal rights using the media.  People charge they go too far - but they are doing what it takes to get the media's and people's attention.  The problem you're going to have with the media here is that most victims don't really want to go into the media ring to raise awareness - something the traffickers know and use to keep operating in the dark.  

Changing the laws don't change the ways people are treated.  We have laws in effect now that make for a harsher sentence if you attack someone who is gay for example - but this doesn't stop people from gay bashing.  So I'd have to ask you do you want to change the laws - or are you interested in changing the way people view the problem and the victims?  

Sex traffickers mask their misdeeds much the same way priests do who are molesting children.  The real big difference is people are outraged when a child is molested - but generally don't have the slightest sympathy for a woman who claims she was forced into prostitution.  Until you get a judicial system more willing to prosecute sex traffickers - they generally don't have to mask too well what they do.  

Right now in Vegas - I know of at least two operations where the women who staff them are forced victims.  And there's nothing I can do about it.  I've made phone calls and I get nowhere.  

So when you find out what to do about it - you come back and tell me okay?

Jody