The Importance of Language within the Anti-Trafficking Movement
Join us and NCOSE in taking action to dismantle Pornhub
Hello Activists and happy Easter to all that celebrated today!
This past week we came across an interesting article written and released by Love146 titled, Words Matter: Why we no Longer Call Trafficking “Slavery” and Anti-Trafficking “Abolition”. The writer of this article shared:
At Love146, we have used the terms “slavery” and “abolition” and we have passed this problematic language on to our followers. As we strive to set a big table that welcomes new people into the anti-trafficking movement, we realize our use of this language is offensive and uninviting to many people, particularly Black people.
The use of the term “Slavery” and “Abolition” has been commonplace within the anti-trafficking movement.. amongst ourselves, included. However, there’ll forever be space to grow and evolve in learning ways to most appropriately address this complex social and humanitarian issue. Our hope is that by sharing this article with all of our thoughtful readers, a deeper consideration of the current application of these phrases and beyond, will ensue. Are the terms “slavery” and “abolition” the best way to describe what occurs in human trafficking and within the extrication process? Would love to hear your thoughts!
👉 Read more about the importance of language within anti-trafficking work, here
Let’s take action together
Dismantle Pornhub with us and NCOSE, today!
MindGeek's international pornography juggernaut is rife with child sexual abuse material, rape, racism, and myriad other forms of exploitative and criminal material. It must be shut down by dismantling these 4 pillars of Pornhub's infrastructure:
Advertising
Distribution
Consumer Services
Technology
👉 Learn more and take action, here!
Click here to learn more about our “why”.
As always, thanks for being part of our growing community of activists and as a reminder, we love hearing from you! All feedback is welcome!
This Week..
ACTIVISTS OF THE WEEK:
Nicole “Nikki” Clifton
Photo credit to: Savoy
Nicole ("Nikki") Clifton is an attorney and government affairs professional with broad advocacy experience on Capitol Hill and in federal and state courts. Her expertise includes labor and workforce legislative and regulatory policy and transportation and logistics industry issues. Clifton recently spearheaded and coordinates UPS's nationwide anti-human trafficking awareness initiative, reaching more than 95,000 drivers and service providers. Clifton also served as UPS's Employment Counsel, managing employment litigation and providing counseling and training in all areas of employment law.
Before UPS, she also practiced labor and employment law with Alston & Bird LLP and Smith, Currie and Hancock, in Atlanta, Georgia. Clifton received her B.A. magna cum laude in Communications from Howard University's Annenberg Honors Program and received her J.D. from the University of Georgia School Of Law. She is a member of the Georgia Bar and is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court. Clifton was selected as a member of Leadership Atlanta's Class of 2008 and served on the Board of Visitors for the University of Georgia School of Law. Clifton was inducted into the inaugural class of national 4-H Luminaries in 2017. She co-leads a Junior Girl Scout troop and volunteers with several non-profit organizations. She resides in Washington, D.C. and has two children.
👉 Watch her Ted talk, here!
FOR YOUR EYES:
Justice Dept. Inquiry Into Matt Gaetz Said to Be Focused on Cash Paid to Women
Police crackdowns on illicit massage businesses pose harms to the women they aim to help
FOR YOUR EARS:
👉 If you enjoy staying informed about the stories, initiatives, and people within the counter human trafficking movement, share to tell others about it:
FOR YOUR EYES
Photo credit to: Yahoo News
Justice Dept. Inquiry Into Matt Gaetz Said to Be Focused on Cash Paid to Women: Florida’s Republican Congressman, Matt Gaetz, was the only “no” vote on a 2017 human trafficking bill. He is now under investigation by The Justice Department for possible violation of federal sex trafficking laws. From Epstein to Weinstein, Cuomo to the newly released investigation of Matt Gaetz, it’s astonishing the number of powerful individuals that have acted as though they’re above the law, and that are now coming under fire for cases of sexual misconduct. What will it take for the consequences of these sorts of actions to be taken seriously?
Photo credit to: The Washington Post
Police crackdowns on illicit massage businesses pose harms to the women they aim to help: Tactics such as undercover officers engaging in sex acts with spa workers in order to then arrest them for prostitution have, as egregious as it sounds, been generally permitted by law. Fortunately, policymakers are reconsidering this strategy in consideration of the fact that these actions could dehumanize and further traumatize the very women the raids are meant to help.
Photo credit to: The Economist
Laws to catch human-rights abusers are growing teeth: Read or listen to this excellent long-form read on the advancements of legislation as it pertains to justice for international human-rights abuses.
Photo credit to: Daily Mail
Sex trafficking victim suing Facebook: Federal officials have estimated that up to 100,000 minors are trafficked for sex in the U.S. every year. In 2019, an estimated 40 percent of them were victimized after initially meeting the traffickers online. In this article, breaking down a 60 minutes episode that was aired on Mar 21, 2021, Laurie Segall speaks to a woman who was trafficked as a teen and says that Facebook is partly to blame. Her case may reach the Supreme Court.
FOR YOUR EARS:
Photo credit to: Youtube
Consider Before Consuming, Dr. Kim Farrington: Activist & Sexual Assault Physician: (podcast, 41 minutes) Consider Before Consuming podcast host, Garrett Jonsson, interviews Dr. Kim Farrington who’s been a sexual assault physician for over 18 years. Over that time, she’s seen over 500 cases of sexual assault and has grown interested in the impact of pornography on consumers after noticing a change in the nature of sexual assaults within youth.
Photo credit to: Remedy Drive
Emancipation Nation: Rock Artist by Day, Undercover Operative by Night (podcast): (podcast, 36 minutes) Emancipation Nation podcast host, Dr. Celia Williamson, interviews Remedy Road’s lead singer, David Zach. He travels abroad with a project called “Exodus Road” gathering intelligence on human trafficking networks to assist authorities in investigating and convicting human traffickers.
The work of Exodus Road has led to the freedom of over 1,500 people and the arrest of 800 traffickers receiving a combined 400 years in prison for their crimes.
COMING UP:
Human Trafficking Policy and Education Summit
When:
SATURDAY, APRIL 17, 2021 | 9 A.M. – 3:30 P.M. MDT | hosted by the Malouf Foundation
As part of its mission to provide education, promote healing, and ensure justice for trafficking survivors, the Malouf Foundation is hosting its inaugural Human Trafficking Policy and Education Summit.
Hear from panels of individuals working to make a difference against the fastest-growing criminal enterprise in the world.
👉Click here to register!
…
AI to Prevent Modern Slavery, Human Trafficking and Forced and Child Labour | AI FOR GOOD WEBINARS
*WATCH NOW*
A past
online webinar
that's open to the public and worth the watch!
This recent "AI for Good" panel presents pioneering examples of how data science is being used to tackle human rights abuses (modern slavery...slavery / human trafficking), starring brilliant work from the Alan Turing Institute, Arizona State University and the University of Nottingham Rights Lab.
👉Click here to watch!
We hope you’ve enjoyed this issue of Liberty Line, a weekly newsletter dedicated to providing you with the most pertinent information surrounding the stories, initiatives, and people within the counter human trafficking and sexual exploitation movement. To learn more about the The Liberty Coalition, visit: www.thelibertycoalition.com