Saturday, 07 June 2008
-
This is what our world has become
Ever since I read that article on the Reader's digest mag, I have developed this very strong empathy, pity, anger and fear. Its about the existence of human trafficking in the US. I never really considered it, or thought about it before, and i guess as I have read it, I was surprised at the very fact it exist. It is so hard to imagine that there is something so evil, that our world have reached that point in their existence. Yeah, maybe because Im just not that street-smart or something, and even overly naive, but it is honestly unbelievable.
Susana Trimarco (RD May 2008) was horrified when her daughter did not come home after dropping her off at the doctors. It was later that testimonies of eye witnesses confirmed that she was indeed kidnapped for forced prostitution. One man told them that they saw Susan's daughter walking down the street when a car with tinted windows pulled up and grabbed her and forced her into the car. Another trestimony from a prostitute told them that she saw Marita ( Susan's daughter) in a brothel. Susana, in her undying hope and perseverance, quit her job, sold her properties, and later lost her husband because of her quest.
One testimony of a girl who was also held captive for prostitution really gave me the chills:
"Speaking with Susana in her home, Andrea recounteed how she had spent eight years in a living hell of psychological and physical abuse. She was forced to take drugs and was beaten severely to break her will. She saw pregnant girls undergoing forced abortion with a coat hanger. Once, Andrea witnessed the owner of a prostitution house kill a girl by breaking her neck."
I really believe that what Susana is doing is great, and her perseverance is heroic, but as my mom said, her mistake was letting her search become too publicized. That would only add to the jeopardy to her daughter's life, as traffickers feel the pressure of Susana's advocacy. Though of course, perhaps Susana couldnt have managed the publicity brought about by media itself.
What really is scary, is that I found out that this is not only prevalent in America, but also here in the Philippines. My mom would recounted this story of a woman who knew this young, pretty girl gone missing. They never found her of course, but one day, an anonymous phone call told her mother to fetch her daughter on the street corner. The mother found her daughter, in shock, and was staring into nothing. They suspect that one of the customers probably knew her and was the reason for her release.
It is indeed repulsive, and downright inhumane. The worst part is, when I think about it, is that they exploit innocent people. The issue would be less repulsive of course when there is consent from the girl. It is really hard to imagine that there are people this inhumane who exist. I also feel kind of stupid for once debating that prostitution should be legalized, and failing to see the other aspects of it, such as human trafficking. Surely, the issue of human trafficking would be a very powerful con to the whole issue.
Sex has become a source of pure evil: Human trafficking, and not to mention child pornography. Sex has become the reason for the exploitation of innocence. It is really hard to imagine what our world has become, and equally hard is how we go about our petty concerns such as teenage acne, great nails, fab shoes, new cars, perfect weddings, shallow romance, that others are amidst their earthly hell.
-
recommend
- recs 0
-
share
-
email
- sent 0
Post a Comment
- Back to Ardenlabroasuncion's Xanga Site!
- Note: your comment will appear in Ardenlabroasuncion's local time zone: GMT -05:00 (Eastern Standard - US, Canada)
Comments (6)
i do remember when we haveto debate about legalizing prostitution...and we are in no side...and if i remember right the main reason why human trafficking is rampant is becoz of financial needs...
and I'm very shocked in your entry because it seems kidnapping or by force is the cause of it nowadays.
i can't imagine why people behind this human trafficking have the nerve and conscience to do such evil things....
@Truncated - well in my opinion, financial need is a very light way of putting it. I really think that human trafficking and kidnapping particularly pretty women are their plan to make their business more lucrative. so yep, i dont think its really financial need but further increase of wealth.
very very unimaginable.
Any reasonably descent human being is repulsed by the very idea of sexual slavery or forced prostitution, but although that is a tiny percent of what broadly is described as “human trafficking”, it makes for a good emotional argument when logic fails.
@kaja2003 - well yeah, i do believe the government should give concern to these so called activities behind closed doors given the situation of it being forced. It is kinda obvious that what they are dealing with is degradation of civilian and human rights. Isnt that reason enough to care, or take concrete action on the government part? they cant jeopardize the safety of the people for mere privacy, well, unless they are that stupid.
not necessarily a tiny percent, because the very concept of human trafficking is exploitation, and thus takes many forms given it involves exploitation.
@Ardenlabroasuncion -
Please reread my comment; noting the phrase “between consenting adults”. To me real degradation of civil and human rights is when an institution, including government, presumes to ignore individuals’ right to privacy in order to enforce an arbitrary standard promoted by certain groups with a vested interest in controlling the private lives of others.
As far as exploitation is concerned, using typical feminist rhetoric, you can reason that the guy who sold you a used car or a refrigerator is “exploiting” you, by taking advantage of your perceived need to get real money from you. Human trafficking is not the same thing as prostitution. Most so called human trafficking (into the U.S.), is nothing more than an individual voluntarily arranging for assistance to get around immigration for some type of economic opportunity. Along the U.S., Mexican border, these traffickers are typically called coyotes, and most of their clients “victims” are manual laborers. Although this kind of human trafficking should be irrelevant to a discussion about prostitution, I mention it because it is included in some of the State department’s statistics that opponents of legal prostitution love to quote to exaggerate their claims.
Of course many young women have also been helped avoid immigration to get into the U.S. for the purpose of prostitution. I have personally worked with (in a legal representation capacity) about a hundred of these ladies, mostly Korean over the last four or five years. Not a single one of them claims to have been kidnapped or even tricked into her current situation. They are where they are voluntarily in order to support the life style they have chosen.
Undoubtedly, sexual exploitation does happen. I define exploitation as forced or malicious trickery to get someone to do something that defies their own free will. Unfortunately, exaggerated statistics and overly dramatized stories have done more harm than good. Law enforcement should be focused on finding those that are truly being exploited and encourage cooperation from those that may have knowledge of exploitive situations even if those with that knowledge may themselves be involved in activities some would consider immoral.
@kaja2003 - oh. sorry bout that. yeah I guess we cannot compromise freedom for that.
youre right, it just remains as a good emotional argument, showing the downside of such market. But i guess, just like with everything else, there's a down side.
probably a godd solution is for the government to resort to being undercover as customers themselves.