Big Business: Slavery

Submitted by Sarah Cooke on Sun, Feb 01, 2009 - 10:03 pm

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Today human trafficking is the most profitable business in the world. It is estimated that 27 million children around the world are being bought and sold as slaves for sex, labor and warfare. This isn't someone else's problem, it's local, and you can make a difference.

The US State Department alone estimates that at least 800,000 people of all ages are sold across our borders each year, many of them to make products we use, wear or eat without knowing the origin. (Washington Post) It is not about people to those that run these operations, it’s just business – extremely profitable business.

"There are more slaves today than ever before in human history," Call + Response producer/director Justin Dillon said in a recent interview, "In 2007, slave traders made more money than Google, Nike and Starbucks combined."

Treatment of people as disposal commodities won't stop as long as we, the consumers of services and products, continue to look the other way. This is not some other country's problem...it's in our town, in our company's supply chain. Slavery could be happening just down the street.

The film, Call + Response, goes undercover in the brothels of Cambodia, the brick kilns of India and near the dead lakes of Ghana to reveal that in 2008, the slave trade that we hoped was halted in the 1800s with emancipation in the United States and elsewhere is alive and escalating, feeding the dark side of globalization. Monday February 2^nd is a free showing of Call + Response in Austin. If you have not yet seen this film which is renewing the abolitionist movement, it is something to add to your ‘to do ‘ list.

In addition to the film, Call + Response provides online several tools to educate and encourage activism:

· Fund Their Freedom: Pick your favorite project to support from categories such as Labor Slavery, Sex Slavery, Child Soldiers, or Child Slavery

· Slavery Map: Restaurants and fields, construction sites and brothels, suburbs and cities: all are home to victims of trafficking in the United States. Where is it in your neighborhood?

· Open Source Activism: Post your ideas and see what others are doing around the world.

· Chain Store Reaction: Email global brands to demand that their products and services be Slave Free.

· Critical Mass: Join this SMS-based distribution list for immediate actions.

If all of this information is overwhelming, go straight to a short list of 33 Ways to Take Action.

As business professionals and US residents, we are uniquely positioned to an end to this injustice.

See the film. Take action. Today.