tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7102565543549142384.post7774800635888732457..comments2024-02-24T01:54:03.710-05:00Comments on Regent Law Family Restoration: Child Sex Exploitation and the Silence of Our CultureRegent Law Centershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07743497742242077738noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7102565543549142384.post-56498571011385245282012-11-28T10:20:59.115-05:002012-11-28T10:20:59.115-05:00This summer I had the opportunity to intern with t...This summer I had the opportunity to intern with the A21 Campaign in Thessaloniki, Greece. The A21 Campaign is a nongovernmental organization dedicated to fighting human trafficking. My job was to conduct research on the trafficking situation in Greece and create a report for the United States Department of State. Based off the information I collected, the State Department formed about 2-3 paragraphs explaining how human trafficking has affected Greece in its Trafficking in Persons Report.<br /><br />Some of the research I discovered was extremely disheartening. For instance, the inhumane treatment of immigrants in detention centers was a huge problem. As a result, traffickers would tell women to go into Greece through the border at Alexandropoulis. When they suffered this inhumane treatment, the traffickers would have taxi men lined up to provide the various women rides to their destination, which was usually Athens. Athens is an 8 hour drive from Alexandropoulis, which would mean a heavy taxi debt. Once the women arrived at their destination, the trafficker would meet them and they would be eternally thankful that the trafficker "saved" them. At this point the trafficker would play a psychological game on the women. First, the trafficker would ask the women to do something for him since he "rescued" them. He would ask for them to sell themselves for sex. Some would and for those who would not, the trafficker would tell the girl that she is indebted to him because the cab ride was about $1000. Moreover, traffickers will usually lock the girl in an apartment and beat her and drug her until she finally submits to his will.<br /><br />It is disgusting what is going on in Greece, but the same thing is happening here in the United States. It's a sad reality which the State Department, foreign governments, and NGO's are trying to combat. I do not know if human trafficking will ever be eradicated, but by spreading awareness, the chances of preventing it increase.<br />Anastasios Kamoutsashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06836590895772510080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7102565543549142384.post-79741183334011224552010-11-24T16:02:43.630-05:002010-11-24T16:02:43.630-05:00I was able to attend the symposium, and I must say...I was able to attend the symposium, and I must say that my eyes were opened to the problem of domestic minor sex trafficking in America. It is amazing to me that Americans have allowed such a horrific crime to take place in their own neighborhoods. Linda Smith mentioned that experts estimate 100,000 minors presently are involved in sex trafficking in America. This number is sobering, and I pray that more Americans will become aware of this problem and desire to prevent trafficking here in America.Laura Ellingsonnoreply@blogger.com