September 2005
Monthly Archive
Fri 30 Sep 2005
Notes from Speaker Gillian Apfel (WARN)
(All information below is paraphrased or quoted from her PowerPoint presentation. You can not reproduce the subject matter below and pawn it off as your reflection for class.)
“Every year, up to 18,000 people are trafficked into our country and up to 750,000 women may have been trafficked into the U.S. over the past decade.”
“Federal Definition of Trafficking: Sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion or in which the person induced to perform such an act is under 18″… “Recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery.”
“Forms of Trafficking (trafficking can take place in a variety of labor situations): Sex industry, domestic servitude, migrant agricultural work, restaurants, factories and sweatshops.”
“Why do victims fall prey?: Political instability, militarism, civil unrest, natural disasters in homeland, promises of economic opportunities or a better life, (certain social and cultural practices increase vulnerability to traffickers) and much more.”
Methods of Recruitment: Fraud, trickery, false promises, familiarity, etc.
Smuggling and Trafficking: She named the difference and the similarities.
“Methods of Identifying Trafficked Persons (Identifying Trafficked Persons Screening Questions): Is the person allowed to leave the place of work? Has the person been physically and/or sexually abused? Has the person been threatened? Does the person have a passport or other documents (because often it is stolen from them)? Has the person been paid for his/her work or services? How many hours does the person work a day? What are/were the living conditions? How did the person find out about the job? Who organized the person’s migration? What would the person like to see happen? (*Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking, 2003. All rights reserved.)”
What legal protections currently exist?
- Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA) – she went over all provisions.
What is Washington doing?
- WA State is the 1st state to have its own state laws.
- WA State Task Force Against the Trafficking of Persons
- Legislation: RCW 9A.40.100; SB 5127; TRT (HHS/ORR); WARN (DOJ/OVC); Wash ACT (DOJ/OJP).
- There is a state website: www.CTED.wa.gov to look up information.
This was posted after presentation:
“This project was supported in part by Grant No. 2004-VT-BX-K007 awarded by the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Points of view in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position of the U.S. Department of Justice.”
Fri 30 Sep 2005
Kelli D. Radcliffe is an ArTiSt creating paper Mache’ torsos to commemorate the Green River murder victims.
Help spread the word! Those who attended the Brown Bag lecture series yesterday may have seen her work there.
Kelli said, “Paper mache’ torso’s TODAY! If you can join us/me for a little paper mache’ and music (bring your favorite CD) it would be totally totally great (’cause I’ll just never get 44 torso’s done alone). We’re meeting today in the art room: MDL 234. We can have the room at 1:00 - and can make paper mache torsos ’til our hearts content.”
Friday, Sept 30th
1:00 p.m. till whenever
MDL 234
“Come, make a difference, and
Speak out against sexual violence!”
Thu 29 Sep 2005
Wed 28 Sep 2005
The Week Without Violence began visually for me. As I walked onto campus on Monday, I saw purple ribbons as the sun started to rise. The ribbons were a visual representation of violence and possible change. (Please, learn more about the ribbons and the light display in Triton Union Building.) It was ironic that I took notice at that particular time, because the rising of the sun marks a new day and a new chance to start again. Symbolically, I thought of once again being made aware that there are those within our society that are invisible. When humans are rendered invisible, their pain and experiences are cast aside. For this one week (and if we choose to, your whole life), we have a chance to begin again and educate ourselves each day; we can begin again and choose to see the violence that happens to people. Do you choose to walk away or do you choose to see and learn?
I chose to go to the Domestic Violence Panel and begin to see the reality, which technically, I do not have to live with or confront. At the Domestic Violence Panel, I was given the privilege of facilitating; thank you to the sponsor of this event, the Edmonds CC Equity and Diversity Center. I learned from Christina Coiro (a counselor from Edmonds CC Counseling and Resource Center), Kae Friesen (the Volunteer Coordinator and Development Associate for the Snohomish County Center for Battered Women), and Robin Blue (the former Chair of the Edmonds CC Women’s Alliance). They spoke about what their organizations do and why they personally chose to be involved in domestic violence advocacy work. Their stories broke myths in my mind and reminded me not to judge others, because the violence that is played upon a person’s vulnerable body is not “their” fault and ONLY “their” problem. Violence affects everyone around, especially family members and innocent children; it takes guts to stay and it takes guts to leave. They pointed out that, we as a society need to change our way of seeing and thinking. We need to ask ourselves, “Why does a batterer beat?” Rather than, “Why does s/he stay in a violent relationship?” If you ask this question, rather than the former, then you are blaming the victim and stating that they are the one with the problem, instead of understanding that VIOLENCE is the issue and the problem.
STOP blaming! STOP judging! Listen, learn, and support!
For those that need resources for themselves or for others, there are many available. The one thing some of the panelists emphasized is that the reason they serve is “because there was no one to turn to when I needed assistance” or “they themselves were assisted.”
To end, there are many ways to assist. Contact the above people or their organizations for more information. Immediately, the Center for Battered Women has a phone recycling program. You can donate an old or used cell phone, because a cell phone can still dial 911 with no service. This is one small thing that you can do that could assist a person in trouble.
Begin today! Today is another chance to open our eyes and see the world around us as it truly is in order to affect change.
The next event is on Thursday!!!! See you there!!!
Fri 23 Sep 2005
I hung out with the Littles and the Bigs. Who are they you ask? BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF SNOHOMISH COUNTY. Yesterday, I went to the Everett Public School to chill and eat at the “Leaders & Kids Mixer.” I would like to say, “Thank you to Wendy for the food!” I have some in my office right now, but I don’t want to share… depends on how nice you are to me, because Wendy’s food is great. Not only was the food great, but everyone was generous and gracious. Okay, back to important things…. over 101 boys and 45 girls (note: they are called “Littles”) are looking for Big Brothers and Big Sisters…. the Littles are holding it down and reaching out. Now, we need more Bigs. This could be YOU! Oct. 1 meet them in person at the Convention Center. Want to know about the event? Check out their website. THANK YOU LITTLES AND BIGS!!!!
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