Living in different realities

One of the major problems with combating human trafficking is the lack of understanding that surrounds this issue. And understandably so, because it often operates on a complex network of criminals that seem beyond our scope and/or seems to defy what seems like basic human decency, which we all want to believe we (and others) possess.

But we have to get past denial and accept that this happens in the world we live in. And that we tolerate it, and somehow actually perpetuate it by not utilizing the knowledge and resources that we have in order to identify and fight it. True, human trafficking has so many forms and facets, and it's hard to pin it down to a single case that we can scrutinize and know inside out. But it's still possible to know more, recognize the patterns, and act. And in acting, it's possible to make a difference.

If you're anything like me, you might want to have every detail down to the microlevel before giving into something. But the fear of ignorance can be crippling at times. Sometimes, we have to face another face in order to know that it's not mere numbers we're dealing with -- it's a person's life. Whether in a third world country where shame will sever the victim from her family forever, or in the U.S. where pimps lure girls with shiny phones and I-love-yous, it's a real person who is sitting next to you in a theater or walking down International Blvd. of Oakland that we're talking about.

This is a question that I myself have a hard time answering: Am I willing to be vulnerable to the truth, the truth that bondage and violence are an everyday reality for victims of modern day slavery? So many of whom are so young and don't even understand that they are being exploited and stripped of their basic human rights? So many of whom will probably never care about the books I read or have a single loving relationship and die in an average 7 years from HIV or homicide because they are no longer "profitable"?

Below is a simple, informative video about human trafficking. Please watch & share.