On February 27th, social media newsfeeds across the world were filled with thousands of hash tags in support of the #enditmovement campaign. And while the entire mission of the End it Movement’s campaign is to raise awareness of human trafficking and slavery that still exists today, their campaign also stands as a call to action.
The End It Movement raises awareness by asking participants to draw a red “X” on their hand and post a picture with their “X” on social media as a symbol of solidarity against human trafficking and slavery. Some participants follow this by removing themselves from social media for the day as a symbol of the estimated 27,000,000 lives that disappear because of slavery in our modern world.
Some have criticized the End It Movement stating that it is simply another form of “slacktivism” – a newly coined term describing actions that bear little to no effect on an actual issue and simply fill the “slacktivator” with feel-good sentiments for having liked, posted or commented about an issue on social media all from the comfort of their own couch. While this argument may have some validity, here are a few steps, as discussed by Kim Hunt, that can be taken to move from “slacktivism” to “activism” with the #enditmovement.
Educate Yourself
While the total number of victims of Human Trafficking in the United States is difficult to report due to the concealed nature of the crime, according to the U.S. Department of State, there are between 14,500 and 17,500 people trafficked into the U.S. each year and 293,000 minors at risk of child sexual exploitation. This isn’t just happening over seas, this is also happening right now within the United States, in the 21st century. By going to the End It Movement website and clicking on the “Learn” tab, it’s easy to educate yourself on the topic of human trafficking. The website provides explanations of the three primary types of slavery that exist today; bonded labor, forced labor and human trafficking. By taking the time to understand the problem, you can become more effective in detecting the signs of human trafficking in your own backyard.
Take Action
As mentioned in Hunt’ article, Taking Human Trafficking Awareness to the Next Level, in order to see effective change on the issue of human trafficking, there must be steps taken to advocate for change within public policy. While slavery was officially abolished in the United States in 1865, there are still policies in place 150 years later that have lasting impacts for human trafficking and slavery within the U.S., as well as across the globe. Hunt, an expert in the field, cites Polaris Project as a good source for finding out more about how you can advocate for laws that will better acknowledge the dignity of every person. Find a center for trafficking victims services and volunteer your time. Sign a petition, inform your friends and take a stand by calling the National Human Trafficking Hotline (1-888-3737-888) to report cases of human trafficking.
Shop Ethically
Human trafficking doesn’t always mean sex trafficking. Many of the 27,000,000 people represented by the #enditmovement are workers in the agriculture, fishing, construction and manufacturing industries. Consider purchasing fair trade products. Check the labels and reputations of the companies you buy from. For all you know, the banana in your kitchen might have been harvested by slave labor. Some companies are purposefully vague about the information they provide on where their products come from. Write to these businesses and demand more information about the background of these products.
Give
Especially fitting during the Lenten season, The End it Movement campaign offers a program where you can give $7 dollars to their cause, then create a team recruiting 27 others to match your donation. Through this initiative alone, the End It Movement has been successful in raising hundreds of thousands of dollars towards the campaign’s mission of awareness, prevention, rescue and restoration.
Pray
While the fact remains that an estimated 27,000,000 persons are forced into human trafficking around the globe, the numbers mean nothing compared to the stories of the individual persons whose human dignity is exploited in these acts of sexual and manual violence. In fact, Pope Francis himself officially declared February 8th, the feast of Saint Bakhita (a slave), as a national day of prayer, reflection and action against human trafficking. If we cannot contribute through donations or actions, prayer is a powerful tool in the fight against human trafficking.
“Human trafficking exists…on this planet because we allow it to exist”. Said Bishop Hurley of Australia. “Let us together commit to eradicate this affront to our humanity”.
About The Contributor
