Emancipating Twenty-First Century Slaves

The topic of slavery evokes memories of ships filled with chained African men and women, torn from their homeland and headed across the Atlantic where they are forced to work in fields, where they are treated as animals.

This is one of the more shameful parts of United States history, one we would like to leave behind.

We point out that human history has moved beyond slavery, that it no longer exists in the world. Unfortunately, that's not true.

Kristof and WuDunn point out that at the peak of the transatlantic slave trade in the 1780s, approximately 80,000 slaves were transported from Africa to the New World each year and that the number dropped to approximately 50,000 each year from 1811 to 1850. These are shocking numbers, but these numbers are minimal compared to the 600,000 to 800,000 people who are currently trafficked across the borders each year.

It's stunning. How do we not know about this? Why don't we hear about it?
Is it because 80 percent of these individuals are women? Because they are primarily trafficked for sex?
Why are these numbers increasing?

Given that this slavery is technically illegal across the globe, what can be done to stop the slave trade?

You may wish to discuss the challenges in fighting an underground business, or you may wish to comment on what the group out of Seattle is doing.

You may also wish to discuss some differences between prostitution and trafficking or how changing attitudes about prostitution may make it more difficult to fight against slavery.

Of note, San Diego is not immune to human trafficking.
http://www.kpbs.org/news/2014/jan/30/san-diego-leaders-announce-new-campaign-combat-sex/
http://www.kpbs.org/news/2014/mar/13/young-san-diego-filmmaker-attempts-tell-truth-abou/
http://www.kpbs.org/news/2014/mar/12/study-san-diego-street-gangs-deeply-involved-comme/

"The Girl Effect"

"What would men be without women? Scare, sir, mighty scare." ~ Mark Twain

Srey Rath. Her name sounds foreign, but chances are, her face looks like someone you know. That's one of the benefits to living in a diverse nation like ours. We meet people whose ancestors come from all over the globe, and we have begun to recognize that all people, no matter where they have come from, have worth and value.

To quote Thomas Jefferson and "The Declaration of Independence," "All men are created equal, . . they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights . . . among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness."

And when I say "all men," I also mean all women.

It's stunning, shocking even, to think that this woman could be sold as a slave. Yes, that's what it is. She was sold as a slave simply because she is a woman.

This is not an isolated case. And this is not the only way that women are discriminated against and oppressed.

Kristof and WuDunn claim that the mistreatment of women actually reinforces poverty. Moreover, "helping women can be a successful poverty-fighting strategy in the world" (xix). Educating women and empowering them to start businesses will "raise living standards in ways that [astonish] scholars and foundations" (xx).  They claim empowerment of women works to help everyone.

In this blog, I want you to post your response to this chapter.

• You can discuss this situation or any of the other descriptions of oppression or attitudes toward women.
• Alternatively, you can discuss the evidence Kristof and WuDunn provide that supports their claim.   
• You can ask questions that you hope the authors will answer.
• You can express skepticism. 
• You can respond to something someone else has posted. 
• You can do more than one of these things.

Remember, in order to respond to this post, in order to provide what you say, you need to provide a concise summary, a "they-say."  And remember, you need to add something to what they say. 

Your post should be somewhere around 350 words.