Sold #1

Lakshmi is a thirteen-year-old girl who lives with her family in a small hut in the mountains of Nepal. Her family is desperately poor, but her life is full of simple pleasures, like raising her black-and-white speckled goat, and having her mother brush her hair by the light of an oil lamp. But when the harsh Himalayan monsoons wash away all that remains of the family’s crops, Lakshmi’s stepfather says she must leave home and take a job to support her family. He introduces her to a glamorous stranger who tells her she will find her a job as a maid working for a wealthy woman in the city. Glad to be able to help, Lakshmi undertakes the long journey to India and arrives at “Happiness House” full of hope. But she soon learns that she has been sold into prostitution. An old woman named Mumtaz rules the brothel with cruelty. She tells Lakshmi that she is trapped there until she can pay off her family’s debt – then cheats Lakshmi of her meager earnings so that she can never leave.  The reason I chose to read the book "Sold", is because it has a lot to do with my marketplace of ideas project and that is human trafficking. Through my project I learned what these girls go through who are trafficked for sexual exploitation. Just like Lakshmi, these women are promised jobs in other countries and are fooled into leaving home and becoming trapped in the world of prostitution.

Phil Jackson's last game an embarassing one; Mavs sweep

While watching the fourth quarter of the Dallas Mavericks- LA Lakers game, I couldn't help but yell at the TV in disgust with the Lakers play, while they crumbled and were embarrassed in a 36 point blowout.  When you think of the Lakers you think of excellence, class, a great organization filled with winners. The Lakers are a classy organization, in that fourth quarter they were classless. Starting with the ejection of Lamar Odom. As Nowitzki comes down the court to set a ball screen, Odom givesa forearm shove that pushes Dirk to the ground. It could have been frustration from being down 30 points, he could have been embarrassed because they were about to be swept, he could have been upset that he had played a terrible game. It could have been all three of those things. But as Odom gets tossed the game ends up becoming more out of control. You could see it in the way they played defense. No pride. Not rotating on defense, leaving 3 point shooters wide open to score. Smart? Mavericks made twenty 3 pt FGs. They didn't even care that they were about to lose in a playoff game by forty. Minutes later Bynum decks JJ Barea in a layup attempt. A dirty play by a player who earlier in the series stated tot he media that there is a trust issue amongst the players. As he left the court accompanied by a roar of "boos" Bynum took his jersey off. A sign of disrespect to the organization. Zero class. You have to feel bad for Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant. Guys who have been winners and always very classy. To be embarrassed like this in the last game of the series is one thing, but to have your team look like a bunch of thugs is another. As Hubie Brown said during the game. When you are a winning team like the Lakers " You win like winners, and you lose like winners. Always play with class, pride and respect for the game".

Get to know Human Trafficking

Trafficking is a lucrative industry. It has been identified as the fastest growing criminal industry in the world. Globally, it is tied with the illegal arms trade, as the second largest criminal activity, following the drug tradeThe total annual revenue for trafficking in persons is estimated to be between USD$5 billion and $9 billion. The Council of Europe states, "People trafficking has reached epidemic proportions over the past decade, with a global annual market of about $42.5 billion." The United Nations estimates nearly 2.5 million people from 127 different countries are being trafficked around the world.,
However, many of these statistics are grossly inflated to aid advocacy of anti-trafficking NGOs and the anti-trafficking policies of governments. Due to the definition of trafficking being a process (not a singly defined act) and the fact that it is a dynamic phenomenon with constantly shifting patterns relating to economic circumstances, much of the statistical evaluation is flawed.
Human trafficking differs from people smuggling. In the latter, people voluntarily request or hire an individual, known as a smuggler, to covertly transport them from one location to another. This generally involves transportation from one country to another, where legal entry would be denied upon arrival at the international border. There may be no deception involved in the (illegal) agreement. After entry into the country and arrival at their ultimate destination, the smuggled person is usually free to find their own way.
While smuggling requires travel, trafficking does not. Much of the confusion rests with the term itself. The word "trafficking" includes the word "traffic," which we often equate with transportation or travel. However, while the words look and sound alike, they do not hold the same meaning. Human trafficking does not require the physical movement of a person (but must entail the exploitation of the person for labor or commercial sex). Additionally, victims of human trafficking are not permitted to leave upon arrival at their destination. They are held against their will through acts of coercion and forced to work or provide services to the trafficker or others. The work or services may include anything from bonded or forced labor to commercialized sexual exploitation.The arrangement may be structured as a work contract, but with no or low payment or on terms which are highly exploitative. Sometimes the arrangement is structured as debt bondage, with the victim not being permitted or able to pay off the debt.

The Evil behind the Smiles

If you have ever seen the movie "Taken", starring Liam Neeson, then you get a sense of what human trafficking is like.  When I first saw the film I was amazed at what I saw. I strongly believe that the hollywood version of sex trafficking in the film is very similar to what it's like in real life. In the movie you see hundreds of girs drugged out of their minds, and selling their bodies for sex. If the issue is such a huge deal, then why aren't their stronger relief efforts to stop this. This is a viloation of women's rights. And it's not as if these brothels and sex trafficking go on in the desolated areas of eastern Europe. Women being kidnapped and sold for sex is being done all over the world. Websites such as "End Modern-Day Slavery" are doing all they can to spread awareness on the subject but its not enough. Until people in the United States and all over the wold are exposed to the world of human sex trafficking and are able to see what these women go through, only then will the support be strong enough to stop the slavery of women once and for all.

What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas

If Las Vegas is the City of Lights, then why is it so hard to see the human sex trafficking taking place on the strip? There is probably no city in America where women are treated worse than in Las Vegas. The tone of systematic, institutionalized degredation is set by the mayor, Oscar Goodman, who said in an interview that the city would reap "tremendous" benefits if a series of "magnificent brothels" could be established to cater to johns from across the country and across the world.  Las Vegas is with out a doubt, as psychologist and researched Melissa Farley, says, "the epicenter of North American prostitution and sex trafficking." I have been to Las Vegas and it is evident that sex is all around you. You can be waiting to cross the street and a huge mobile bilboard will drive by saying "Girls to your roome in 20 minutes". There are also countless men standing on the corner of streets handing out cards selling nude women. If prostitution is illegal in Las Vegas than why does the city not take any action in stopping these illegal functions that are so obvious. Making Vegas a world class embarrassment to any U.S. official attempting to reduce prostitution and trafficking in foreign countries. Why are we so focused on stopping it in other countries when we cant even stop it on U.S soil first?

Human Sex Trafficking

What is human trafficking? Human trafficking is the movement of people by means such as force, fraud or deception, with the aim of exploiting them. The United Nations describes trafficking as a form of "slavery". It knows of victims from 127 countries and of their exploitation in 137.  Major destinations for victims include wealthy countries in Western Europe, North America, and the Middle East. Women are involved in 77% of trafficking cases worldwide, with sexual exploitation a factor in 87%. Forced labour is also a motive behind trafficking. I believe the sexual trafficking of women is an issue that is not being taken seriously enough. I remember watching the video of the women who was a sex slave for six years, she said that she probably had sex with a thousand men each year. That is one of the most disturbing bits of information I've ever heard in my life. It is a fight for womens rights as they are being sold at a price, especially in the UK between 2000 to 8000 pounds. Many trafficking victims in the UK are from Eastern European countries including Lithuania, russia, Albania and Ukraine. Others are from Far East, South America and Africa. Often, women are lured by adverts in their home countries for jobs such as restaurant staff, maids and child minders. Some expect to work as lap dancers or escorts, but not to be prostitutues. Others do know they are going to work as prostitutues but not under these terrible conditions. Most of these girls are the age of college students. Between 18-24 years of age. Problems presented with these girls are that they come from very poor backgrounds and have little or no education. Once they are brought to their destination (the UK in this case) Victims can end up in any town or city where brothels operate. Women are moved about the country frequently to avoid being saved by the government. They are sold and exchanged between a number of different gangs. The fate of these girls is unclear, although it is known some have been sent home after falling ill or becoming pregnant. Others have been allowed to pay off their "debts" to the traffickers. The whole process is disgusting and it is one I wish to learn more about.

Thoughts on Mock Trial

I thought the mock trial was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed the preparation that went into it. I thought my case was really interesting and there was some really good arguments both sides were able to use in their defense. My case was Susan Williams V. David Jones, and it dealt with the alleged rape of Susan Williams. What I enjoyed most about the trial was being able to prepare a cross examination. Although my cross examination wasn't unbelievable, I still thought it was fun to be able to "burn" somebody on the witness stand and strategically get them to say what I wanted to prove. I also really enjoyed being a witness. I actually went into full character and acted the part really well. I even threw in a Boston accent for fun.  Although we lost, I still don't understand how it could have been seen as a unanimous decision by the jury.  There was a legitimate argument presented by us that Susan Williams said "No" and that there was resistance. And the law states that any type of resistance infers that it is rape. I even got David Jones to admit to rape while on the witness stand so I really think we could have won this trial. Regardless, I had a lot of fun with my case and it was also interesting to see the second case as a juror. As much as I hated the women in that case, it was probably the most obvious case of sexual harassment.
This mock trial really got me interested in law, and how its fun to be in those types of situations. Maybe law school is somewhere down the road for me.
 Peace