Polaris Project : Trafficking Hotline

From the Polaris Project website:

The National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) is a national, toll-free hotline, available to answer calls from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year.

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The NHTRC is a program of Polaris Project, a non-profit, non-governmental organization working exclusively on the issue of human trafficking.

We are not a government entity, law enforcement or an immigration authority.

Call us at: 1-888-3737-888

• To report a tip;
• To connect with anti-trafficking services in your area; or,
• To request training and technical assistance, general information or specific anti-trafficking resources.

Llama la línea gratuita y confidencial: 1-888-3737-888

• Denunciar casos de trata;
• Conectarse con servicios en su localidad;
• Pedir información o recursos en español sobre la trata de personas y la esclavitud moderna.

Force Facebook To Block All Child Pornography

If you use Facebook, please join this cause: Force Facebook To Block All Child Pornography.

Pacific Alliance To Stop Slavery (PASS)

Yesterday I learned about the Pacific Alliance to Stop Slavery based in Hawaii. PASS is working on two important 2011 bills. I am particularly interested in keeping up with PASS, because Hawaii is my birth place and I've had the blessing of living there for most of my life. Although I have been a resident of beautiful California for almost ten years now, Hawaii will always be my island home.


Here is some info about PASS copied from their website's about page:

The Pacific Alliance to Stop Slavery (PASS), is a Hawaii-based not-for-profit 501(c)3 whose mission is to stop Human-Trafficking in Hawaii and the Pacific. PASS provides services and advocacy for survivors of Human-Trafficking, education and training on the identification of victims of Human-Trafficking, and public awareness and prevention education for the greater community.

PASS works holistically to combat Human-Trafficking, building alliances with public interest legal services, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), churches, non-profit community organizations, domestic violence shelters, educational institutions, and law enforcement.

Please check out PASS' website, especially if you now live in the 50th state.

Abolitionists, unite! :)

CAS rally on1/11/11 : Human Trafficking Awareness Day

I heard about a CAS rally that would take place on 1/11/11, Human Trafficking Awareness Day, at the California state capitol. The night before the rally, I asked my husband if he wanted to take a drive on his day off to Sacramento from the East Bay to drop me off at the capitol while he and our son enjoyed the train museum or old town Sacramento. He agreed, so on 1/11/11 we did just as we planned. 

Upon arriving at the ornate Capitol building, I didn’t really know what to expect, since it was my very first time at a CAS rally. I was ready to carry a sign or yell Stop human trafficking! or something like it. Until meeting wonderful volunteer Rosario that morning, I didn’t know that we would actually be speaking with assemblymen. I felt intimidated upon hearing what the plan was for our time there, but was willing to give it a shot. I didn’t know any of the other CAS volunteers at the rally, but coming together to help make leaders aware of human trafficking made strangers seem like long time friends. Our team agreed to a short prayer before we started, so I enjoyed leading out in that. Each of the four members on the team I was on took turns approaching politicians at their offices, letting them know that the day was Human Trafficking Awareness Day, and CAS' goal of getting an initiative on the 2012 ballot. We left copies of letters which we all individually signed, and also a pic of the reality of modern day slavery. 
After talking with the first assemblymen, I was no longer fearful, and I was pumped to share with any and everyone! After speaking with assemblymen, chiefs of staff, assistants, etc., two of my new friends and I had lunch downstairs in the cafeteria and had the opportunity to engage in conversation about human trafficking with the nice guy behind the counter. Oh, the first politician we spoke with was on the elevator. I think a lot of important conversations and decisions take place in elevators, hallways, and lobbies in the capitol! Speaking of lobbies, I thoroughly enjoyed my first experience as a lobbyist. I know that our efforts that day made a positive difference. 

California State Capitol, Sacramento

CAS volunteers