Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Human Trafficking and The Salvation Army

A journalist, Victor Malarek spent two years interviewing traffickers and their victims and is the author of The Natashas: Inside the New Global Sex Trade (2003). He talks about how women are conned into the sex trade, the countries that are supplying the new "fourth wave" of trafficked women, and the failure of governments to help the countless women who are forced into prostitution.

TODAY I heard him at the Canadian Salvation Army network conference on trafficking. Besides his deep regard for The Salvation Army because of his personal experience as a child... he gave us some serious truth and delivered it with great passion and urgency. I asked him what he thought The Sally Ann could do RIGHT away to combat trafficking immediately - he said (and I quote), "get out on the street." Then he told me about this group of nuns in italy who started street night walks and have 'rescued' trafficked women one at a time and hid/cared for them in convents across the country... I started thinking about the roomy training colleges/properties around the developed world and wondered if we could put them to better use?

Just thinking outloud. We MUST get busy. I'm tired of talking. The early army used to arrange busts by 50 or so salvationists in uniform rushing into a brothel, putting women in the middle of the crowd and escorting them to private homes to be cared for as long as needed. Are we ready? Here's a link to more from Victor

8 comments:

Andrew said...

Hi Danielle,

I have heard of this happening in Sydney within the Army. Soldiers taking forced prostituted women into a safe community away from their bondages. More Lord more!

armybarmy said...

tell me more Andrew and email me names and numbers... we've got to get on this - it is past time.
thanks.

Unknown said...

Hey Danielle, Duncan here - we met at Roots last year - you are friends with a colleague of mine, Mr Graeme Hodge. Just another word of encouragement - a community response in Croydon (South London) has meant the police have now placed trafficking and the link to brothels on their priority list. Policing in the UK is based on public demand and so we enabled the community to demand protection for trafficked persons by writing letters to the police, council and newspapers. Current attack is on the sex ads in the free papers and trying to get them banned. We have conducted 14 raids with the police so far though these were as scoping exercises rather than close down raids (pity!). I also heard that TSA was involved in a huge heist in Kansas and were part of the care package for a number of trafficked women as recently as 2 weeks ago. There is more happening in the UK too which would excite you. A lady on our community action group (www.theccat.com) says to me often, 'we are used to worship, now it's time for war!'

armybarmy said...

oh yeah! bring it on - thanks for the good news Duncan... I needed some! Count me in for the long haul.

Johnny said...

Glad Duncan sent you the note about the work going on in the UK. He's been doing some great positive work in this area.

Peace & Blessings

J

Lieutenant Jo said...

Hey Danielle, got some free rooms here at the Aus Sth Training College... praying you'll get here soon, we need your passion! I so badly want to get into reality (out of here) and put some serious dents in the kingdom of darkness!
Make it happen Lord!

armybarmy said...

I'm in a brainstorming mode right now - I'm frustrated at how little creativity the 'good' guys have compared with the flexible and creative energy of the 'bad' guys... let's get out game on.
thanks for the encouragement folks - fight strong.

Anonymous said...

Danielle - meeting these women every week and just being there friend. Been involved now for a long time and have a centre in central London where we befriend them and meet them where they are. Bit like those nuns in Italy!!
TSA in the UK is definately mobilised and is sharing that with with others. Surrounded by Brothels, but did Viktor talk about internal trafficking??
His book even shocked me and I work with these women!!!
Blessings