Segment 1: It’s a Global Problem. Human trafficking is essentially modern day slaving. The FBI says it’s the fastest growing organized crime of our time, as there are over 800,000 victims of sex trafficking in the United States alone. To speak with us about human and sex trafficking on this edition of The Doug Noll Show we have Elizabeth Olagunju. Elizabeth became interested in human trafficking from hearing stories from her mother, who at the age of 10 was forced out of the house to live with a stranger for many years. She was taken by force, labored 24 hours a day as a child, and never had a chance to go to school and get an education. Throughout Elizabeth’s life, her mother would tell her stories about what she went through: living in a strange place, looking for food in the trash. Elizabeth grew up and began to research forced labor, and discovered more and more similar stories. She found that human trafficking is a global problem, an America happens to be the destination for many of these people who are torn away from their home with promises of money, education and a better life.
Segment 2: The False Promise of Hope. So how can we know if there are people who are victims of human trafficking around us? Elizabeth says that law enforcement encourages us to be alert. When you see a girl or a woman going with another person and not being able to look up, ask yourself, What are the dynamics of that relationship? Is that person living in fear? Victims always feel attacked to their captors. The captors are very threatening. Interesting fact: it has been documented that during the Super Bowl is when the most human trafficking happens. It thrives on big events in large cities. Trafficking is more prominent in urban areas than rural communities, because of the anonymity factor. Perpetrators take advantage of the situation. We must be alert --- pay attention to how a suspected victim acts.
Families can be induced to allow their children to go with a stranger simply because of deep poverty. They are given the false promise of hope. Hope for a job, an education and a better life. There is desperation, and so they go along with the promises.
Segment 3: Love It Is. Elizabeth has written a book titled Love It Is. It is the story about “how one person’s willingness to connect can widen the circle of love for others to overcome difference, ignorance and ultimately give hope to the world desperately looking for love.” You can find Elizabeth’s book on Amazon.com.
Segment 4: www.humantrafficking.org. To learn about human trafficking and become more involved, Elizabeth suggests visiting www.humantrafficking.org. This is an excellent website that gives comprehensive information about what the U.S. and the U.N. are doing about this global problem. It outlines the new laws and acts regarding human trafficking. We need to be alert wherever we are, and show a level of understanding to the victims. The good news is that the US government is doing a lot to make sure that girls and women are being helped instead of being punished.
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