"The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has launched a public service campaign to draw attention to human trafficking victims.
The campaign involves video ads as well as large billboards in select cities that say, 'Look beneath the surface, a victim of trafficking may look like many of the people you see every day.'
Martha Newton, a director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement for HHS, said, 'if something doesn’t seem right about the situation, perhaps it's a young worker who isn’t allowed to leave.'
The ads point victims and those who know of victims to a toll-free number for the National Human Trafficking Resource Center: (888) 373-7888.
Lisa Thompson, who heads the Salvation Army's efforts to combat trafficking in persons, told Family News in Focus that 'everybody can play a part in fighting trafficking.'
'This is really, for the first time, giving the general public that chance to play that role so that they can be sensitized a little bit about what trafficking is.'"
That story can be found here.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Miami Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Sex Tourism
"Miami resident Kent Frank was sentenced to 40 years in prison on sex tourism and child pornography charges, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney R. Alexander Acosta of the Southern District of Florida announced today.
On April 5, 2007, a federal jury in Miami found Frank guilty of eight counts of child exploitation offenses related to his sexual abuse of three young females in Cambodia. Frank was convicted of four counts of traveling in foreign commerce and engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. The jury also found Frank guilty of three counts of purchasing a minor with the intent to produce child pornography and one count of traveling in foreign commerce for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor."
Read the full story here.
On April 5, 2007, a federal jury in Miami found Frank guilty of eight counts of child exploitation offenses related to his sexual abuse of three young females in Cambodia. Frank was convicted of four counts of traveling in foreign commerce and engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. The jury also found Frank guilty of three counts of purchasing a minor with the intent to produce child pornography and one count of traveling in foreign commerce for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor."
Read the full story here.
Slavery in Ohio
"When a woman was jailed after a recent fight, police brought in a translator to help communicate with her.
That's when authorities uncovered allegations of a more horrific crime. The young woman said she had been lured from her homeland for what she thought was a visit -- only to be forced into domestic servitude, spending long days cleaning house, cooking and caring for young children.
The woman was afraid to tell anyone because her visitor's visa expired and by then she was in the United States illegally.
Victims of human trafficking can be found throughout the country, even in Columbus where this woman had been staying. Police are investigating her allegations.
To help identify and aid victims, about three dozen Columbus-area organizations have formed the Rescue & Restore Victims of Human Trafficking coalition, with the assistance of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services."
Read the full story here.
That's when authorities uncovered allegations of a more horrific crime. The young woman said she had been lured from her homeland for what she thought was a visit -- only to be forced into domestic servitude, spending long days cleaning house, cooking and caring for young children.
The woman was afraid to tell anyone because her visitor's visa expired and by then she was in the United States illegally.
Victims of human trafficking can be found throughout the country, even in Columbus where this woman had been staying. Police are investigating her allegations.
To help identify and aid victims, about three dozen Columbus-area organizations have formed the Rescue & Restore Victims of Human Trafficking coalition, with the assistance of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services."
Read the full story here.
Looking For Somewhere to Buy Jewelry?
"Jewelry 4 God International, Inc., a not-for-profit organization, announced today its' official launch in response to the overwhelming need to empower and rescue others around the world from human trafficking, the sex industry, drug addiction, gangs, and other life controlling problems.
'Worldwide, women exploit their bodies because of the need for money, in many cases, in order to support their parents or children. Those who are sold into the sex industry are all too often tied, beaten, raped, and burned until they comply,' Tim Zello, Founder and President of Jewelry 4 God said.
Jewelry 4 God teaches hand crafting one of a kind jewelry out of sterling silver and semi-precious stones and product marketing to [human trafficking victims]."
Read the full story here.
'Worldwide, women exploit their bodies because of the need for money, in many cases, in order to support their parents or children. Those who are sold into the sex industry are all too often tied, beaten, raped, and burned until they comply,' Tim Zello, Founder and President of Jewelry 4 God said.
Jewelry 4 God teaches hand crafting one of a kind jewelry out of sterling silver and semi-precious stones and product marketing to [human trafficking victims]."
Read the full story here.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Sudanese Defense Minister Accuses Jews of "Fueling" Darfur Conflict
Sudanese Defense Minister Abdel Rahim Mohamed Hussein told a Saudi newspaper that Jewish organizations are responsible for the conflict in Darfur. Which, according to Hussein, doesn't actually exist. There is merely "friction between farmers and herders and shepherds."
The root of the problem? Water, "which is used to exploit the differences and fuel the conflict." This must be related to the stories from a few weeks ago claiming that global warming is to blame for genocide in Darfur.
Oh, wait. There is no genocide. Sorry, Mr. Hussein.
Click here for the full story. Click here to read about the efforts of Jewish young people and the Save Darfur coalition (of the American Anti-Slavery Group is a part) to raise awareness about and end genocide in Sudan.
Click here for Sudan Expert Eric Reeves's take on Darfur and global warming.
The root of the problem? Water, "which is used to exploit the differences and fuel the conflict." This must be related to the stories from a few weeks ago claiming that global warming is to blame for genocide in Darfur.
Oh, wait. There is no genocide. Sorry, Mr. Hussein.
Click here for the full story. Click here to read about the efforts of Jewish young people and the Save Darfur coalition (of the American Anti-Slavery Group is a part) to raise awareness about and end genocide in Sudan.
Click here for Sudan Expert Eric Reeves's take on Darfur and global warming.
Screening in NYC: "Darfur: Too Dark Too Far"
"On Tuesday night, July 31, Luna Stage will be screening the documentary 'Darfur: Too Dark Too Far,' directed by Hafiz Farid. The film, which examines the root causes of genocide, begins at 7:30pm, with a Q&A with Farid and Sudanese activist and AASG Associate Simon Deng. Minimum contribution is $50."
Details here.
Details here.
Friday, July 27, 2007
UN Finally Takes Notice of Human Rights Violations in Darfur
"The United Nations Human Rights Committee on Friday called on Sudan to halt and prosecute war crimes in Darfur and ensure no support reached militias carrying out ethnic cleansing.
'Widespread and systematic serious human rights violations including murder, rape, forced displacement and attacks against the civil population, have been and continue to be committed with total impunity throughout Sudan and particularly in Darfur,' the body of 18 independent experts said in a report.
'Widespread and systematic serious human rights violations including murder, rape, forced displacement and attacks against the civil population, have been and continue to be committed with total impunity throughout Sudan and particularly in Darfur,' the body of 18 independent experts said in a report.
It expressed concern that Sudan had not carried out a thorough and independent investigation into serious human rights violations, especially in Darfur where violence has been raging for more than four years."
Read the complete story here.Stop Slavery in Sudan TODAY
In 1780, William Wilberforce began his campaign in the British Parliament to abolish the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Today, 200 years after the abolition of the slave trade, an estimated 12,000 people remain enslaved in northern Sudan, victims of the 23-year civil war.
Help us honor this bicentennial year by urging your representative in Congress to take meaningful action to put an end to slavery in Sudan. Contact your legislators and ask them to support Representative Chris Smith as he re-introduces the Eradication of Slavery in Sudan Act. If passed, this bill will create a commission that would investigate and end slavery in Sudan.
Sign the petition at http://ga0.org/campaign/wilberforce to bring us closer to our goal of 390,000 signatures.
Please repost and forward to your friends!
In freedom,
AASG
Spielberg May Quit Beijing Olympics Over Darfur
"Director Steven Spielberg may step down as artistic adviser to the 2008 Beijing Olympics unless China adopts a tougher stance towards Sudan over the conflict in Darfur, ABC television said Friday.
'Steven will make a determination in the next few weeks regarding his work with the Chinese,' Spielberg's spokesman Andy Spahn told ABC television.
'Our main interest is ending the genocide. No one is clear on the best way to do this,' said Spahn in an article appearing on the network's website Friday. He said 'all options were on the table,' including resigning."Read the full story here and here.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Charlotte Organizations to Battle Human Trafficking
"Local authorities are launching a program to fight human trafficking in the Charlotte area.
Federal Bureau of Investigation and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department investigators say hundreds of women from other countries have been brought to the Queen City and forced into prostitution.
The women, and sometimes men and children, are lured to the United States with the promise of a better life and decent jobs.But authorities say the women are put to work as sex slaves, often in brothels in neighborhoods along North Tryon Street, The Plaza and South Boulevard.
They said criminals turn small homes into illegal houses of prostitution and hold the women against their will. In fact, two were shut down last week.
Now local law enforcement agencies and other community organizations are joining the Rescue And Restore Victims Of Human Trafficking education campaign underway in 20 cities and states nationwide. The campaign includes social service providers, child welfare groups, churches and health providers that are helping identify victims of human trafficking."
Read the full story here.
Federal Bureau of Investigation and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department investigators say hundreds of women from other countries have been brought to the Queen City and forced into prostitution.
The women, and sometimes men and children, are lured to the United States with the promise of a better life and decent jobs.But authorities say the women are put to work as sex slaves, often in brothels in neighborhoods along North Tryon Street, The Plaza and South Boulevard.
They said criminals turn small homes into illegal houses of prostitution and hold the women against their will. In fact, two were shut down last week.
Now local law enforcement agencies and other community organizations are joining the Rescue And Restore Victims Of Human Trafficking education campaign underway in 20 cities and states nationwide. The campaign includes social service providers, child welfare groups, churches and health providers that are helping identify victims of human trafficking."
Read the full story here.
New Program to Fight Human Trafficking
"The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families will announce a program Tuesday that hopes to educate agencies and individuals about human trafficking in North Carolina and across the country.
The federal department estimates that 14,500-17,500 people are trafficked into the United States every year.
Several high-profile cases have come up in North Carolina in recent years, including a sex ring in the Triangle and a legal suit filed by 22 Thai farm workers fromJohnston County earlier this year.
The federal program comes alongside an ongoing statewide coalition that has been working several years to train social services and law enforcement agencies about how to identify and help trafficking victims.
'It's so hidden right now, and people are afraid to come forward and, often, don't have the capacity to come forward,' said Kaci Bishop, an immigration attorney with the N.C. Justice Center who will be at Tuesday's news conference in Raleigh."
Read the full story here.Sudan: President Declares 2007 Year of Peace
"Sudanese President Omer Al-Bashir has declared 2007 as the Year of Peace in Darfur.
Speaking at a mass rally in Fashir, the regional capital of North Darfur State the Sudanese president urged the rebels in the conflict-torn region to to join the peace process.
President Al-Bashir called for an end to the war in Darfur and for a move towards peace and rehabilitation, stressing that Sudan with its economic and manpower resources was capable of becoming a major power.
The President said that the Sudanese Council of Ministers had arrived in Darfur at the weekend to see the situation on the ground and to find the best solution.
Next month, the two Special Envoys will convene another meeting in Arusha, Tanzania, after which invitations will be issued to the parties to commence political negotiations later in August."
Read the full story here.
Speaking at a mass rally in Fashir, the regional capital of North Darfur State the Sudanese president urged the rebels in the conflict-torn region to to join the peace process.
President Al-Bashir called for an end to the war in Darfur and for a move towards peace and rehabilitation, stressing that Sudan with its economic and manpower resources was capable of becoming a major power.
The President said that the Sudanese Council of Ministers had arrived in Darfur at the weekend to see the situation on the ground and to find the best solution.
Next month, the two Special Envoys will convene another meeting in Arusha, Tanzania, after which invitations will be issued to the parties to commence political negotiations later in August."
Read the full story here.
Friday, July 20, 2007
Anti-slavery call-in a success; We still need your help!
Dear Supporter,
Recently, we organized a call-in to help Representative Chris Smith gain original co-sponsors for the Eradication of Slavery in Sudan Act, a bill to create an independent commission of experts to ensure the discontinuation and prevention of the enslavement of Sudanese people. Thanks to your calls and letters, the bill gained four new co-sponsors, including Tom Tancredo, Jeff Fortenberry, Frank Wolf, and Diane Watson.
We still need your help to pass this important anti-slavery legislation.
There is still time for you to act to support this bill. We will be extending the call-in all day tomorrow, Friday, July 20, so that if you did not get a chance participate in our last campaign, you can still be a part of this movement.
Your call will help Chris Smith gain the co-sponsorship necessary to pass this critical legislation. The following members of Congress are strongly considering signing onto the bill--give them a call and encourage them to do so!
Name District Office Washington DC Office
Donald Payne (973) 645-3213 (202) 225-3436
Barney Frank (617) 332-3920 (202) 225-5931
Michael Capuano (617) 621-6208 (202) 225-5111
Tom Lantos (650) 342-0300 (202) 225-3531
Here is a sample script of what to say when calling:
"I am calling to urge ____________ to co-sponsor the Eradication of Slavery in Sudan Act. Tens of thousands of people are currently enslaved in Northern Sudan. This is contrary to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which guarantees all people the right to live free from bondage. We must fight these blatant human rights abuses with legislation like the Eradication of Slavery in Sudan Act. Please urge the Congressman/Congresswoman to call Chris Smith's office and to sign on to this bill."
If you have not yet signed our petition, please take a moment to let your Congressperson know how important it is that he or she takes meaningful action to put an end to slavery in Sudan. Help us further by forwarding this to 10 friends to help us reach our goal of 390,000 signatures.
http://ga0.org/campaign/wilberforce
In freedom,
The iAbolish Team
PS - AASG associate Simon Deng feels very strongly about this bill and would be out there himself to gain support for this bill if it were not for his recent accident. You can help Simon while he recovers by pushing for the Eradication of Slavery in Sudan Act.
Recently, we organized a call-in to help Representative Chris Smith gain original co-sponsors for the Eradication of Slavery in Sudan Act, a bill to create an independent commission of experts to ensure the discontinuation and prevention of the enslavement of Sudanese people. Thanks to your calls and letters, the bill gained four new co-sponsors, including Tom Tancredo, Jeff Fortenberry, Frank Wolf, and Diane Watson.
We still need your help to pass this important anti-slavery legislation.
There is still time for you to act to support this bill. We will be extending the call-in all day tomorrow, Friday, July 20, so that if you did not get a chance participate in our last campaign, you can still be a part of this movement.
Your call will help Chris Smith gain the co-sponsorship necessary to pass this critical legislation. The following members of Congress are strongly considering signing onto the bill--give them a call and encourage them to do so!
Name District Office Washington DC Office
Donald Payne (973) 645-3213 (202) 225-3436
Barney Frank (617) 332-3920 (202) 225-5931
Michael Capuano (617) 621-6208 (202) 225-5111
Tom Lantos (650) 342-0300 (202) 225-3531
Here is a sample script of what to say when calling:
"I am calling to urge ____________ to co-sponsor the Eradication of Slavery in Sudan Act. Tens of thousands of people are currently enslaved in Northern Sudan. This is contrary to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which guarantees all people the right to live free from bondage. We must fight these blatant human rights abuses with legislation like the Eradication of Slavery in Sudan Act. Please urge the Congressman/Congresswoman to call Chris Smith's office and to sign on to this bill."
If you have not yet signed our petition, please take a moment to let your Congressperson know how important it is that he or she takes meaningful action to put an end to slavery in Sudan. Help us further by forwarding this to 10 friends to help us reach our goal of 390,000 signatures.
http://ga0.org/campaign/wilberforce
In freedom,
The iAbolish Team
PS - AASG associate Simon Deng feels very strongly about this bill and would be out there himself to gain support for this bill if it were not for his recent accident. You can help Simon while he recovers by pushing for the Eradication of Slavery in Sudan Act.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Is your money funding genocide?
Want to participate in divestment from Sudan? KLD has created an index of company's that exhibit fair social practices and have no economic/political involvement to Sudan to assist investors in making choices that are not only profitable but also socially sensitive. Are your assets invested in company's on this list?
Link to the official site:
http://www.kld.com/indexes/lcsfsindex/index.html
Link to the article in Investment News magazine:
http://www.investmentnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070709/FREE/70709028/1017
Link to the official site:
http://www.kld.com/indexes
Link to the article in Investment News magazine:
http://www.investmentnews.com
Ancient Lake Offers Hope for Darfur's Future
"Deep below the troubled and arid land of Sudan’s Darfur region are the remnants of an ancient lake. Scientists say while the lake may have disappeared thousands of years ago, the discovery offers hope of relieving water shortages there today.
The ancient lake was the size of Lake Erie, one of the Great Lakes in the United States. Or to put it another way, it was as big as the US state of Massachusetts. The lake covered just about all of Northern Darfur State, one of three states making up the Darfur region. Scientists found it using satellite radar.
Dr. El-Baz says since water existed in the region for tens of thousands of years, it’s likely much of that water seeped down deep below the surface. 'Some of that water would still be there as ground water, which means that this is a signal to the people in Darfur that there may be plenty of water down there to resolve many of the real problems,' he says."
Read the complete story here.
"Lost Boy" Organizes Sudan School Fundraiser
"Aluong Garang, one of the 'lost boys' of Sudan who resettled in Pittsburgh in 2001, has organized a fundraiser for Saturday to help build a school in his homeland.
As a 9-year-old, Mr. Garang survived a thousand-mile trek dodging soldiers and wild animals, and then spent almost nine years in a refugee camp.
Now a student at Community College of Allegheny County, he helped form a nonprofit foundation to build a school in his village of Duk in southern Sudan.
The Fair Trade Sale will offer crafts from Africa, Asia and Latin America at St. Valentine's Church in Bethel Park, in addition to T-shirts bearing the logo 'Lost Boys' School'"
Read the complete story here.Monday, July 16, 2007
Trial Set in Overseas Child Sex Case
"Bianchi, 44, of North Wildwood, N.J., faces trial beginning Monday under a controversial federal law aimed at thwarting "sex tourism." He is accused in this country of committing crimes - assaulting nearly a dozen minors - on foreign soil.
'Americans go to these countries and create a pretty bad image,' Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Levy said. 'A hundred dollars can buy a lot of food for a pretty long time for a lot of these families. ... This is the kind of case that shows why there's a need for this [law].'"
Read the full story here.
'Americans go to these countries and create a pretty bad image,' Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Levy said. 'A hundred dollars can buy a lot of food for a pretty long time for a lot of these families. ... This is the kind of case that shows why there's a need for this [law].'"
Read the full story here.
Friday, July 13, 2007
"Deliverance" to show at Lights, Camera, Action Film Festival
Kendall Square Cinema
Cambridge, MA
Monday July 16, 2007
7:00 PM
"Deliverance: The Story behind the AASG" is a short video about The American Anti-Slavery Group and their quest to eradicate modern day slavery around the world. In addition the video gives the viewers a glimpse into the stories of former slaves.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Crash Kills 'Lost Boy Of Sudan'
"A man who survived the violence of civil war in Sudan and found refuge in San Diego County died over the weekend in a car crash in Santee, [California].
Anyoun Anyoun, 26, of La Mesa, was killed on Highway 67 at Riverford Road Friday. According to the California Highway Patrol, a speeding motorist cut off another driver, killing Anyoun and injuring four others.
He fled his home village of Aweil, Sudan, when he was 7 years old. In a biography he later wrote, he talked about seeing his parents slain before his eyes. In the book, he said his mother's last words were, 'Run for your life and don't look back.'
A cousin and fellow 'Lost Boy' Isaac Amol, reflected on the community's loss. 'We have lost a person who was also trying to make a difference in other people's lives. Anyoun was really one of the persons that a lot of us were hoping in the future to bring something bigger,' Amol said."
Read the full story here | digg story
Anyoun Anyoun, 26, of La Mesa, was killed on Highway 67 at Riverford Road Friday. According to the California Highway Patrol, a speeding motorist cut off another driver, killing Anyoun and injuring four others.
He fled his home village of Aweil, Sudan, when he was 7 years old. In a biography he later wrote, he talked about seeing his parents slain before his eyes. In the book, he said his mother's last words were, 'Run for your life and don't look back.'
A cousin and fellow 'Lost Boy' Isaac Amol, reflected on the community's loss. 'We have lost a person who was also trying to make a difference in other people's lives. Anyoun was really one of the persons that a lot of us were hoping in the future to bring something bigger,' Amol said."
Read the full story here | digg story
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Three Men Held on Charges of Enslaving Chinese Acrobat Team
"Three men are facing criminal charges in Las Vegas over slavery allegations concerning 20 members of a Chinese acrobatic troupe, justice officials said Monday.
The FBI raided [the men's] house in Las Vegas and found 14 members of the troupe who were identitied as being victims of human trafficking and were then taken into protective custody.
An FBI spokesman said the acrobats had been given limited food, were not being paid the salary promised to them and had had their passports and visas confiscated."
Read the complete story here.
The FBI raided [the men's] house in Las Vegas and found 14 members of the troupe who were identitied as being victims of human trafficking and were then taken into protective custody.
An FBI spokesman said the acrobats had been given limited food, were not being paid the salary promised to them and had had their passports and visas confiscated."
Read the complete story here.
Appeals Judge to Free Couple in Long Island Slave Case
"The wealthy Long Island couple accused of torturing two housekeepers and holding them as virtual slaves in their Muttontown mansion will go free before their September trial.
Read the complete story here.
The Sabhnanis will pay for a private security force to keep an eye on them 24 hours a day. And their bail package, secured by cash and property, has been increased by $1 million to $4.5 million.
The couple faces up to 40 years in prison on charges of forced labor and harboring illegal aliens. They are accused of keeping two Indonesian women in their home under slavelike conditions and subjecting them to physical abuse.
Federal prosecutors sought to keep the couple in jail while they await trial and questioned hundreds of wire transfers totaling $17.2 million that their perfume business made to banks in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
The appeals court said the physical conditions of home arrest would prevent the couple from using their wealth to flee."
Read the complete story here.
Monday, July 09, 2007
Slave Workers Freed from Brazilian Plantation
"More than 1,100 workers held under slave conditions in Brazil were freed in the country's largest operation against forced labour in recent years, according to media reports Tuesday.
Officers from the Brazilian Labour Ministry and the federal police raided a sugar cane plantation used in the production of ethanol fuel in the northern state of Para. Reports said it was the largest such operation since the so-called razzia system - a fresh commitment by the government to root out slavery - was introduced in 1995.
Officers from the Brazilian Labour Ministry and the federal police raided a sugar cane plantation used in the production of ethanol fuel in the northern state of Para. Reports said it was the largest such operation since the so-called razzia system - a fresh commitment by the government to root out slavery - was introduced in 1995.
In 2006, 3,308 men, women and children were freed from slave working conditions throughout Brazil.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that 25,000- 40,000 people are subjected to such forced labour in Brazil, where slavery was officially abolished in 1888."
Read the complete story here.
Mauritania Slavery Bill is 'Weak'
"Anti-Slavery International welcomed the Mauritanian government's initiative but said the proposed law was too weak.
Slavery has existed for centuries in Mauritania. A presidential decree abolished it in 1981, but no criminal laws were passed to enforce the ban.
Slavery has existed for centuries in Mauritania. A presidential decree abolished it in 1981, but no criminal laws were passed to enforce the ban.
This meant slavery continues as before and a huge effort is still needed to eradicate the practice, the group says.
It does not cover contemporary aspects of slavery, such as forced marriage, indentured labour or debt bondage, she said.
She said they and Mauritanian campaign group SOS Slavery were lobbying the government to strengthen the definition.
Any new legislation should punish slavery by up to 30 years in prison and provide for reparation payments to the victims, she said."
Read the full article here.
Man Receives Life Sentence for Sex Trafficking of Minors
"According to a press release from the United States Department of Justice, a man was sentenced to life in prison without parole on Monday for transporting minors across state lines to engage in prostitution. The man had a previous conviction for child exploitation.
The life in prison without parole sentence was mandatory due to the nature of the crime. The 18 U.S.C. Section 3559(e) statute mandates require life in prison sentences for those that have repeat offenses of sex crimes against children.
Authorities maintain that Doss conspired with his wife, Jacquay Quinn Ford, to transport two female minors across state lines to engage in prostitution. The girls were aged 14 and 16; authorities claim Doss recruited and transported the 16 year old girl by force. The couple transported and made the girls work as prostitutes in Los Angeles, Sacramento, Oakland, and San Francisco.
Ford was recently sentenced to 15 months in prison for conspiracy after working with authorities and testifying against her husband."
Read the complete story here.
The life in prison without parole sentence was mandatory due to the nature of the crime. The 18 U.S.C. Section 3559(e) statute mandates require life in prison sentences for those that have repeat offenses of sex crimes against children.
Authorities maintain that Doss conspired with his wife, Jacquay Quinn Ford, to transport two female minors across state lines to engage in prostitution. The girls were aged 14 and 16; authorities claim Doss recruited and transported the 16 year old girl by force. The couple transported and made the girls work as prostitutes in Los Angeles, Sacramento, Oakland, and San Francisco.
Ford was recently sentenced to 15 months in prison for conspiracy after working with authorities and testifying against her husband."
Read the complete story here.
Bust of Minneapolis Brothel Launches Sweep
"In May, 25 people were charged in federal court with running eight brothels. Eighteen of the suspects are illegal immigrants, according to an indictment filed in U.S. District Court. Five of the brothels operated in Minneapolis; the others were in Richfield, West St. Paul and Austin, Minn.
When the women arrived from Mexico and Central America, their passports and other identifying documents were taken away and they were forced into prostitution. In one night, more than 80 men paid two women for sex in a south Minneapolis house.
Last year, the Legislature commissioned the first state report on human trafficking, which found that 43 percent of the 119 human service providers it surveyed had helped a victim of human trafficking -- and that they were helping about 200 victims at the time of the survey."
Read the full story here.
When the women arrived from Mexico and Central America, their passports and other identifying documents were taken away and they were forced into prostitution. In one night, more than 80 men paid two women for sex in a south Minneapolis house.
Last year, the Legislature commissioned the first state report on human trafficking, which found that 43 percent of the 119 human service providers it surveyed had helped a victim of human trafficking -- and that they were helping about 200 victims at the time of the survey."
Read the full story here.
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
URGENT! Call to Support Anti-Slavery Bill TODAY!
Last week we sent you a message asking you to support
Representative Chris Smith's bill, the Eradication of Slavery in
Sudan Act. Representative Smith cannot reintroduce this vital
piece of legislation without co-sponsorship--and for that we
need your help!
You can help make the abolition of slavery in Sudan a reality by
adding your voice and participating in the American Anti-Slavery
Group's Call-in for the Eradication of Slavery.
The call-in will take place today, Tuesday, July 3, from 1:00
p.m. to 4:00 p.m. EST.
AASG associate Simon Deng strongly supports this initiative. We
have already informed Simon of the tremendous response to
yesterday's message and we know that his spirits will be lifted
even more by your taking action today to help end slavery.
p.m. to 4:00 p.m. EST.
AASG associate Simon Deng strongly supports this initiative. We
have already informed Simon of the tremendous response to
yesterday's message and we know that his spirits will be lifted
even more by your taking action today to help end slavery.
We are targeting a few specific members of Congress to try to
gain original sponsors for the Eradication of Slavery in Sudan
Act.
Click here for a list of phone numbers for targeted
Congresspeople and a script of what to say:
http://ga0.org/ct/e7AEma91qY8c/
http://ga0.org/ct/e7AEma91qY8c
If you don't have time to call each of them, please take the
time to call at least two!
Please also take a moment, if you haven't already, to send your
representative an email asking for his or her support.
time to call at least two!
Please also take a moment, if you haven't already, to send your
representative an email asking for his or her support.
Let your legislators know that this issue is important to you as
a voter!
In freedom,
The iAbolish Team
a voter!
In freedom,
The iAbolish Team
Monday, July 02, 2007
UN Mission in Sudan News Bulletin
"The Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) met on Friday 29 June with potential troop- and police-contributing countries for the African Union-United Nations hybrid operation for Darfur.
Read the complete story here.
A new UNHCR study of seven African countries challenges previous assumptions that conflict, forced displacement and wide-scale rape have increased the prevalence of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa and that refugees fleeing conflict spread the infection in host communities. A UNHCR team led by Dr. Paul Spiegel of UNHCR s Public Health and HIV Section, studied population data in the Democratic Republic of Congo, southern Sudan, Rwanda, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Somalia and Burundi.
The study, published last week in the British medical journal The Lancet, says a survey of data on HIV prevalence in 12 refugee camps showed that nine actually had a lower prevalence of infection than surrounding host communities, while two had similar rates and only one a higher prevalence.
Dr. Spiegel says that while conflict in the seven sub-Saharan African countries does not appear to increase HIV infection to the same degree as in surrounding countries not in conflict, this does not mean that conflict in all countries would mean lower HIV infection than non-conflict countries. Each case would need to be examined. Nor should the findings be interpreted to mean we shouldn't worry about HIV or rape in conflict. Individuals are still vulnerable to HIV during conflict and in any incident of rape."Read the complete story here.
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