Human Trafficking
In January of 2007, 20 people in the music industry gathered in New York City to do one thing: depart for Kolkata, India. We came back different people then when we left.
The goal of the trip was to educate ourselves on a subject that most of us did not know still existed-Human Trafficking. Sadly today there are over 27 million slaves in the world-more than at any other time in history. Slavery also exists in every country. The CIA and the US State Department estimate that over 50,000 women and children are trafficked into the US each year. Slavery takes the form of forced prostitution, labor, and domestic work. Half of the victims are children and are under the age of 18. In India or Nepal, a person can be trapped into a lifetime of hard labor just pay off the interest on as little as a $36 debt.
On our trip, we visited two schools: Apne Aap and SanLaap both of whom work with children from the popular red light district of Kolkata. The red light district is the area of Kolkta where prostitution thrives-for a mere few cents, one can “be with” a prostitute. The schools, Apne Aap and SanLaap, take the children of these prostitutes and gives them an education as well as to teach them a craft. The hope is that they can sell these crafts or products to sustain themselves so they will not have to sell their bodies-like their parents.
There is a way you can join us in the fight. First, educate yourself. Following are some organizations that we recommend you look into. Learn from them and what they have to say. Second, each of the bands and non profits that went on this trip had the opportunity to create a product (shirts, bags, belts, scarves, bracelets) which will be up for sale on our site soon. The products are made by the girls we met at the Apne Aap and San Laap schools. The money earned will go back to the schools. We are very excited to see these products and to get them in your hands-our friends who are helping us make a change.
Words cannot describe the time we had and the lessons learned. However members from Anberlin, The Classic Crime, Showbread, Hundred Year Storm, and To Write Love On Her Arms, have written their thoughts. You may read them on our myspace page at:
To learn more about Human Trafficking and Slavery, we recommend the following orgnaizations who have dedicated their time and lives to fighting this injustice:
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