Thousands of men and women fight human trafficking on the front lines every day, coming face to face with traffickers, their victims, and countless people who just need a little education to become abolitionists themselves. “Abolition: On the Front Lines” is the place to learn about these unsung heroes in their own words and be inspired to join the fight!
Abolitionist: Darla Bardine
Field Location: South Africa
Team: Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa (FTTSA)
Position: Volunteer Expert in Advocacy and Communications
Target: Decrease child sexual exploitation in travel and tourism by implementing “The Code”
Why did you join the anti-trafficking fight?
Darla Bardine: I worked at the Rebecca Project for Human Rights for a little over three years after graduate school and before law school. In Georgia, at a policy advocacy training for women, I learned of a women held captive on the property of a drug house where she was sexually abused and raped over the course of weeks, and the perpetrators faced no punishment.
How did you end up on the front lines in South Africa?
DB: At law school I took a trafficking in persons class and read several articles about how mega-events (i.e. Olympics, World Cup, Super Bowl, etc.) increase the number of trafficked persons and incidents of slavery and exploitation. I wanted to help with the efforts and several stellar contacts helped me get my current position at FTTSA.
What kind of work do you do?
DB: I am the legal human rights expert responsible for creating an advocacy strategy surrounding The Child Protection Code of Conduct (The Code) in South Africa... The Code is an instrument of self-regulation and corporate social responsibility, which provides increased protection to children from sexual exploitation in travel and tourism. This commitment requires adherence to six criteria that have been found to effectively prevent and combat commercial sexual exploitation of children. (Read them here.)
Tell us a front-lines story we can share with others to encourage abolition.
DB: There was a story widely reported of 20 children found in cardboard boxes in a truck at the border between South Africa and Mozambique. Both countries have since denied this media report. The public is left confused as to who to believe, the media or the government. The general belief is that South Africa would not publicly admit to trafficking incidents that occur during the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Additionally, there are over 250,000 street children in South Africa due to poverty and HIV/AIDS. These children are extremely vulnerable to trafficking and exploitation. Girls are trafficked for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and domestic servitude and boys are trafficked for forced street vending, food service, begging, crime, and agriculture. Both boys and girls trafficked for “muti” (the removal of their organs for traditional medicine).
What victories are you seeing?
DB: Implementing The Code in South Africa has increased the capacity of the tourism industry to prevent, identify and report suspected incidences of trafficking and exploitation. Mobilizing the car rental and ground transport companies was a huge victory. We supplied them with flyers, little red cards, tent cards, and posters. Companies like Tourvest, Avis, and Budget are putting these materials in the cars they rent and buses they operate. Additionally, their staff is being trained. This is very important because traffickers use these modes of transportation to commit their heinous acts.
What improvements must be made?
DB: Even though 30 South African tourism businesses have signed The Code (which is 20 over our goal), South Africa does not have a comprehensive law that makes all forms of trafficking in persons illegal. Because of this there are few prosecutions and the punishments are deplorably inadequate. Part of the advocacy strategy is writing letters to the editor, responding to alleged incidents of trafficking and grant-seeking to expand FTTSA's work on The Code. Parliament must pass the Prevention and Combating of Trafficking in Persons Bill and then prioritize implementing all aspects of the Bill.
If you know of abolitionists fighting on the front lines of human trafficking and would like to see them featured here, e-mail me at sparker@change.org.
Sarah Parker is a film industry pro, photographer, and avid abolitionist in L.A.’s faith community and abroad.
No comments:
Post a Comment