Showing posts with label Human Trafficking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Human Trafficking. Show all posts
September 22, 2026
January 19, 2022
Models on The Shelf
You can pick the cards with the models you are interested in.
Seems a little obsolete in the time of the Internet when it could all be online.
Also, seems more than a little degrading to line them up on a shelf like any commodity in a store.
People are not things for peddling (or Human Trafficking!), and this seems like it sends the wrong message especially about women.
At least if you threw in some male models here too, it wouldn't come across so grossly misogynistic. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
November 20, 2021
When Hypocrisy Leads To Abuse
As many of you, I have been following the news about sexual abuse allegations against Rabbi Chaim Walder and have been horrified and disgusted that this renowned ultra-orthodox Children’s book author and therapist is now accused of abusing the same. Like community Rabbis (e.g. Rabbi Barry Freundel) or Jewish educators (e.g. Stanley Rosenfeld), this phenomenon of using a privileged position to take advantage of women and children is certainly, by this time, not new and remains a stain on the Jewish community, no different than that of the Catholic Church or the Boy Scouts for the abuse by its priest and leaders on those that trusted them and the religious values and ideals they represent.
Truly, these horrible acts of hurting, abusing, and scarring for life women and children (including boys) are regrettably all around us, whether with domestic violence, rape, sexual abuse, and human trafficking. But fortunately now they are at least “out of the closet” where rather than have the community deny the possibility that such evil exists or even circle the wagons to wholly protect the perpetrators (before fully investigating the facts), we now have greater recognition and are working towards accountability of these wrongs, and hopefully, far greater protection for people in the future.
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
January 24, 2021
Evils of Sex Trafficking
USA Today article on Sex Trafficking:
- 4.8 million people: 3.8 Million adults + 1 million children! (and another 20 million people trafficked for slave labor)
- 99% female
- 70% Asia and Pacific, 4% in America
- $99 Billion in profits
National Human Trafficking Hotline
- Call: 1-888-373-7888-Text: “BeFree” (233733)
- Chat: humantraffickinghotline.org
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
August 7, 2020
Stop Child Abuse!
It's an important message.
Take Action. Stop Child Abuse.
Children are innocent!
The adults who commit the abuse and trafficking are animals.
If you see something, say something to the authorities.
You may just be saving a child's life.
Protect our children...they are our future. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
June 4, 2019
Wig and Taped Mouth
Aside from the disheveled hair covering her head and half her face.
You can see that her mouth and nose is taped over with clear masking tape!
Clearly she looks like she has been abused or worse, and the image is that she can't even scream for help.
Why anyone would advertise women's fashion in this misogynist way should be beyond all of us.
There are a lot of crazy nuts out there.
This photo is a small reminder of what we face in terms of ugliness in this world.
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
January 12, 2019
Border Security - The Facts
All I hear day-in and -out is that President Trump wants to build a wall or barrier on the Southern border because there is a crisis. And the Democrats in turn say it's not necessary, it's a waste of money, and even that it's immoral, and that they will resist Trump!
But this is not a reasoned debate!
Who cares who wants what and who hates who in politics.
We need to be presented with a solid communication of facts, figures, and why should we support a position or not.
Yes, an endorsement by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection is helpful, but the opposition can just claim partisan politics.
So here are some simple facts to inform the discussion:
Gun Trafficking:
- Over 253,000 guns annually cross the border from the U.S. to Mexico.
Drug Trafficking:
- Cartels send $64,000,000,000 of drugs annually from Mexico to U.S.
Human Trafficking:
- Between 14,500 and 17,500 people are trafficked annually into the U.S.
Gang Members:
- Almost 6,000 gang members in 2018 were deported by ICE.
Illegal Immigrants:
- The U.S. and Customer and Border Protection apprehended more than 500,000 illegals trying to enter in 2008, and there are between 12 to 22 million illegals in the U.S, today.
Looking at these numbers, I am not sure how anyone can say that the current border situation is secure--it isn't.
So whatever we are doing with agents, sensors, surveillance, intelligence, inspection, and interdiction --no matter how good it is--it is not enough.
Certainly a request for Border Wall funding for $5 billion out of a $4.4 trillion dollar budget and placing barriers on hundreds of miles out of a 2,000 mile border, does not seem at all extreme!
While I do not like to be on a government shutdown, I certainly don't see why this can't be resolved with some reasoned border security funding that includes among the other security measures, a wall/barrier.
A strategically-placed border barrier only stands to reason in a layered defense/system of systems approach to security.
For some of those that don't want the wall, and only want votes from a broken immigration system, this is a fight for power, rather than a genuine argument on how to help secure the country.
(Source Graphic: Andy Blumenthal)
December 23, 2018
Trump Is Right On The Border Wall
By themselves, walls do not work to fill us spiritually or protect us physically. Rather, they are a necessary component in a normal and healthy toolbox for living our lives. Spiritually, we need to not just pray toward the holy wall in Jerusalem, but we must augment this with following G-d commandments–doing good in our service to Hashem and in how we treat others. Likewise with protecting us physically, we need a strong mix of “gates, guards, and guns.” A wall is a critical component of our overall spiritual and physical well-being and protection.
Until Mashiach comes and the temple is rebuilt and there is peace on earth, we need to pray to the Western Wall (Kotel) for our spiritual well-being and have border walls to protect us physically.
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
May 20, 2018
Repeal The Statute of Limitations On Child Sex Abuse
We will never be a "civilized society " or a true "country of laws" as long as we don't repeal the statute of limitations on child sexual offenses.
Recently, South Africa and the state of Illinois repealed this outrageous law.
Children can't be held accountable for coming forward on things they don't understand, are told didn't actually happen, they feel too ashamed of and have repressed, or haven't come to terms with.
It is a travesty of justice that the animals who commit sexual crimes against children are given a get out of jail free card.
Not only that but by allowing these predators of children to escape justice, we are actually enabling and encouraging their violence against innocent children.
A child cannot consent!
A child cannot fight off the grown-up!
A child is the absolute victim of the adults who traffick, abuse, molest, rape, and pimp them out.
Often the children are unaware and from disadvantaged families or communities--they are sold or taken, used, abused, and often murdered and thrown in a ditch or some river.
And why is there a statute of limitations on these crimes???
So I'll tell you one reason is that the people who are in power are often the same sick abusers, pedophiles, and sexual deviants.
They carry child porn on their computers, they sext compromising images of their genitals, they visit the dark web to lure children to their lairs, and they buddy up with other creeps to move and f*ck up these poor kids.
Sex is one of those areas where people are able to make every excuse in the book for what they do--it's an urge; it's a fetish; it's biological; it's a preference; maybe they're mad at their mommies or women in general--but never that they are sick f*cks who are abusing little children who cannot defend themselves!
Any politician that isn't standing up and working to immediately repeal the statute of limitation on sexual abuse against children--please ask them uncompromisingly why!
Remember, you were once a child, you likely have children, and if you are a moral and upright person you have a duty to protect the innocent children who cannot protect themselves.
G-d is watching and hearing them--are you? ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
May 18, 2018
Dear SAR Academy
To help the children... Religion is not just “teaching” Torah; it is also doing the right thing!
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."
Letter from SAR (January 2018)
Investigation Launches 40 Years Late(r) (January 2018)
Enabler/Facilitator Believed to be Still at the School (April 2018)
The Rabbi In The Bath House and More (June 2015)
Parole Violation Hearing (July 2009)
His Preferred Prey was Adolescent Boys (May 2006)
Case of Cantor Stanley Rosenfeld (August 2000)
(Source Video: Andy and Dossy Blumenthal)
April 29, 2018
The Evil That Is Child Trafficking
Please, please watch this short 4-minute video.
It is very impactful!
EVEN...
- If you don't know what's going on with child sex abuse.
- If you are afraid to know.
- If you don't want to believe it.
- If you busy and generally haven't cared in the past.
Here are some basic statistics:
💥There are at least 2 to 4 million cases of human trafficking annually!
💥It is estimated that 50% are children!
💥It's a $32 billion dollar industry and growing!
Maybe (hopefully) you believe in G-d
We are G-d's children.
Children are our children.
We have a duty to protect children.
How will you answer the call?
Here's where you can place a call:
- National Child Abuse Hotline: (800) 4-A-CHILD (422-4453)
- National Sexual Assault Hotline: (800) 656-HOPE (4673)
Finally, may Almighty G-d do justice to all the pedophiles and abusers out there.
May the Earth and Heavens swallow them up and spit them out.
So that the children, the pure children, may grow up in a better world, a much better world. ;-)
November 5, 2017
STOP Human Trafficking
It was about this young Nepalese girl (maybe age 12) who was sold into a horrible brothel in Kolkata, India.
She fought to keep from getting raped, but eventually they drugged her and tied her hands to the bedpost--where the evil bastards had their way with this child.
She and the other young girls in the brothel were raped about 10 times every evening to "repay their debts."
The horror these children go through taken, beaten, drugged, and raped over and over again.
It's unthinkable and the lowest grotesqueness of people who could possibly treat children this way.
Finally, the young girl does manage to escape to Hope House (a rescue shelter for the human trafficking victims) and with the information she provides, the police are able to raid the brothel and rescue the other children.
The movie tells how their are 5.5 million children around the world that are being sex trafficked--and I would presume that the real number is unfortunately much higher!
I can only imagine how G-d must cry heavenly tears for these poor children.
It is incredibly hard to understand that in some areas of the world poverty is so bad that some desperate families actually feel they have to resort to selling their children to survive.
In other cases, the children are preyed on and simply disappear.
Children who should be playing with toys are instead forced to be sexual play things.
Innocent children who should be treated with love and care are instead treated as animals for the sick and cruel physical pleasures of others.
Have mercy on these children---save these children from wherever they are bound and held--give them back their freedom and their dignity.
If ever there was a cause for people to rally around--surely, saving these children from sexual abuse and trafficking is one that all can agree is at the crux of our very humanity and mankind's soul.
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
October 16, 2016
Help Find Missing Children
It was a flyer to help find a missing child.
Every time, I see something like this, I just have to take a big gulp and deep breath, as this seems like one of the scariest things that can happen to a child and their parents.
A child is dependent on it's parents, and when they go missing G-d forbid, the fear of in whose hands they might fall and what may be done to them is unthinkable.
The goal is to get the word and pictures out to find the child as quickly as possible.
From 2002, statistics show about 800,000 children go missing every year (or about 2,000 per day)--that is unbelievable!
Of those, about 204,000 were family abductions, 58,000 were non-family abductions, a 115 were taken by a stranger, and the rest were mostly run-aways.
About 1 in 5 runaways are considered likely victims of child sex trafficking.
A 1997 study showed only 5% of non-family abductions even get reported to police and entered in the FBI's National Crime Information Center (NCIC)--many may not enter a report when a child is gone just a few days or it may get filed under other categories like homicides or sexual assaults.
In the 1972 and 1981, there were tragic cases of missing children Etan Patz and Adam Walsh, both killed at age 6, with Etan's remains supposedly thrown in the garbage in Soho (he was never found) and Adam's located in a drainage canal in Florida.
Etan was the first missing child whose pictures were put on the back of milk carton.
In 1983, the anniversary of Etan's disappearance, May 25, was designated National Missing Children's Day.
In 1984, the Walshes and other child advocates established the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) "to help find missing children and prevent child victimization"--shockingly before this there was no coordinated federal and state mechanism for search efforts.
- NCMEC tip hotline (1-800-The Lost) has received over 4.3 million calls in the last 32 years and they have facilitated the return of 227,000 missing children.
In 1996, America's Missing Broadcast Emergency Response (AMBER) was set up as a a child abduction emergency alert system; it was named after Amber Hagerman, a 9-year old abducted and murdered in Texas.
- AMBER Alerts, between 1997 and 2015, were credited with the safe recovery of 723 children.
My heart goes out to these children and their families!
Anything that each of us can do to help with the desperate situation of missing children and their safe recovery is worth not only our attention, but our utmost vigilance and helpful tips. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
July 23, 2016
Building An Appropriate Wall
Ok, let's be honest, Trump is right about the border.
And no, I do not believe that he is fascist and evil like the social engineers in politics would like you to believe for their own motives.
Let's face it, the border needs to be appropriately secured once and for all from illegal immigration.
We need to support our law enforcement agents such as the Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement in protecting this great country.
Why all the argument about "illegal" Immigration...it's illegal!
By all means, provide amble and robust ways for peaceful-loving people to come to this country legally, especially for family, refuge, asylum, and to escape violence, persecution, and war.
But if someone is here illegally, then Trump is right, we need to see that valid moral law and order is reestablished and not permit violence, crime, and chaos to continue by edict, closing our eyes to it, or even tacit permission.
Whoever calls this fascism is either a liar or possibly some sort of anarchist and dangerous to a civilized way of life, plain and simple.
How do any of our politicians who take the oath of office and swear to uphold our constitution try to get around this?
Here are some statistics relevant to the issue of secure borders:
Human Trafficking: There are 29.8 people in the world trapped in modern slavery or 1 out of every 236! And there are 60,000 victims reported in the United States of America.
Drug Trafficking: Drug trafficking in Mexico is a $50 billion business, and as of 2009, 23.5 million people in the U.S. age 12 and over needed treatment for illicit drug or alcohol abuse.
Deadly Terrorism: The deadly toll of Terrorism has increased 800% since 2010 with an average of 30,000 people killed annually. "More attacks are happening and they tend to be deadlier than ever."
Violent Crime and Murders: In the five states of California, Texas, Arizona, Florida, and New York, illegal aliens accounted for 38% of all murder convictions, equating to over 7,000 of the murders.
Economic Effects: While undocumented workers do obviously help perform work particularly in some important lower wage jobs for us, there are also many negative economic effects of illegal aliens to consider such as undercutting wages or taking jobs from other who are legally entitled to the work. Additionally, the cost for their healthcare and education that is covered by the American people contributes to the overall staggering national debt.
Overall, while "who we are" and want to be is a compassionate and generous people, there is no reason to circumvent the law and to let people into the country who have not duly applied and been permitted entry and stay.
Shenanigans of "catch and release" or not to deport illegal immigrants "who don't have a criminal record"--is completely nonsensical since being illegal is criminal!
We need to secure our country from human trafficking, drug trafficking, terrorism, murders, as well as the negative economic effects of illegal immigration, while at the same time opening our hearts and the process for vetted legal immigrants to make their way here and become productive citizens.
We are and should be good people, but that doesn't mean we need to be stupid and irresponsible and put at risk our nation's security through unnecessarily reckless open and porous borders. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
December 28, 2014
Kidneys By The Pound
They had packages of styrofoam wrapped in cellophane with what looked like meat from the supermarket.
However in the packages, they had these disturbing plastic molds of human organs priced by the pound.
Pictured here is one labeled with a human kidney selling for $1,100.
They also had others hanging from the wall for human lungs and liver.
Considering there are a lot of sick people out there in needs of transplants, I did not think this "art" was in the best of taste.
Also, with many who traffic in human organs and take advantage of those in poverty or otherwise at risk for selling on the black market, these pieces were more than a little troubling.
Perhaps, there are some who just think of human as just another type of planetary animal whose body parts are another form of meat that can be put up for sale or taken by force to make a profit.
The only thing is they are forgetting that humans have a soul and that can't be sold in the supermarket or black market except to the devil and there is no art in that. ;-)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
June 29, 2014
Solidarity For All Our Children
I saw a photo someone posted on Facebook where it said that the families of these boys had empty seats at their beautiful Shabbat table, and I couldn't imagine the grief of the mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, grandparents, and other family and friends of these poor children.
Walking in the community around Washington, D.C., I see signs such as this with "Bring Back Our Boys" with ribbons tied to trees--and I am deeply moved by people's expression of grief and hope.
This all happening just weeks after another extremist Muslim group, Boko Haram, abducted over 230 Nigerian schoolgirls, and the rallying cry for "Bring Back Our Girls."
I read how the these girls are being threatened with being sold in a massive human trafficking crime against humanity and can only imagine the rape and other torture they must be enduring by their captors.
I remember as just a child in day school seeing photos and videos from the Holy Land of what these types of terrorists did to their victims--it was horrific!
Aside from the general torture, beatings, isolation, and starvation, I saw images where they literally wrapped their prisoners in barbed wire, including their genitals--it was not just grotesque, but pure and utter evil.
I never forgot these images of unbelievable cruelty, and wish only for the return of all these children and for the people that would take them to be brought to true justice.
May G-d have mercy on all our children!
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
May 9, 2014
# Bring Back Our Girls
After torching their village market, killing more than 300 people, razing 100 houses, destroying 500 vehicles, and attacking their boarding school, Boko Haram is threatening to sell these innocent children.
Please speak up for those who can't!
We need to defend human rights and support women's and children's rights.
No more abuse, no more discrimination, no more hurt. ;-)
(Source Comic: Andy Blumenthal)
May 6, 2013
The Help Button Is Only A Kiosk Away
The ad is hidden from adults, and the message is only visible to children--based on their height and angle of viewing.
To the abused child, they see: "If someone hurts you, phone us and we'll help" with a number to call to get help in an anonymous and confidential way.
To the accompanying adult, they see: "Sometimes, child abuse is only visible to the child suffering it."
This is a great reminder to adults to behave themselves in how they treat children, and a way to get critical assistance information to children discreetly.
Learning from this, I'd love to see a similar campaign here in the U.S. to help child abuse victims, as well as other variations to help abused women, human trafficking victims, and others--by finding technological innovations to help them get the message in ways that their abusers don't necessarily detect and which can't easily be blocked from their victims.
Perhaps, one way to do this is to widely deploy emergency, push button, help kiosks where victims can easily reach out for assistance, where otherwise they would have no way to call for help--such as when their phones, money, passports, and so on have been confiscated.
Their are a lot of people hurting out there and we need to get to them to tell them that there is help available, that they will be protected (and mean it), and that they can easily reach out and we'll be right there for them.
Now that's an easy button to really help people. ;-)
March 16, 2012
Human Trafficking Hurts Everyone
This week, I saw another movie called Trade (2007) with a similar theme, where a 13-year old girl is abducted outside her home on the streets of Mexico City while riding her new birthday bicycle. The scenes of sexual abuse, violence, forced drugging, and more were enough to send me for an emotional deep dive. In the movie, while other innocent women are trafficked, abused, and murdered, this little girl is saved by her brother and Texas cop who join forces to rescue her (and other children found behind a secret door in the same house) from being sold into sex slavery.
At the conclusion of the movie, the tagline comes up about 50,000 to 100,000 girls, boys, and women being trafficked annually to the U.S. to be pimped out or sold for forced sex--and more than 1 million are trafficked annually across international borders against their will.
According to The Department of Homeland Security U.S. Customs and Border Protection, "There are at least 12.3 million enslaved adults and children around the world at any given time." I would guess that these numbers are quite understated given all the silent victims around the world that have been silenced by fear, coercion, and violence and so we don't even know about them and their plights.
Further, The Department of State's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons has many good resources including information, tips, and training located at that site.
I've attached, at the top, the phone number of the Customs and Border Protection hotline to report human trafficking. There is also a non-profit hotline at the National Human Trafficking Resource Center.
While this is frequently portrayed as women's issue and it is, it is also a family and societal issue that affects all of us. When a women or child is abused, the impact goes way beyond the individual.
I know that I can certainly not understand how anyone can inflict these cruelties on others. Money doesn't explain it. Circumstances doesn't explain it. To me, there must truly be such a thing as evil in this world, and unfortunately, we are all witnesses to it.
Look out for others, the way you would want them to look out after your own--maybe together, we can help tilt the scale in favor of the victims.
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