WASHINGTON, November 23, 2011- Most Americans think of sharing a turkey and pumpkin pie with family over the holidays, but for human trafficking victims, Thanksgiving is another day of bleakness. Instead of celebrating the holiday with friends and family, trafficking victims face another long day of exploitation and isolation.
Tajuan McCarthy vividly remembers the Thanksgiving Day as a trafficking victim. Neither grandma’s turkey gravy, nor dad’s fireplace recliner was waiting for her in her cold motel room. Instead, her pimp made her stay out on the street longer during holidays than on other days, because sex customers usually stayed home with families on holidays making it hard for the workers to meet the daily quota.
Tajuan describes holidays for victims of the sex trade as even drearier, lonelier, and more painful than other days.
Today, years after her rescue from prostitution, Tajuan is an advocate for victims of sex trafficking. Her organization, Wellhouse Inc. hosts a Thanksgiving dinner for the victims of sex trafficking and their families, in hopes of making this day a little brighter.
Despite efforts by organizations like Wellhouse Inc., exploitation and trafficking remain a significant problem. It can take the form of sex trafficking, such as the recent case in Kansas City where two children, ages 13 and 14 said that their mother forced them to commit sex acts. They explained that their mother regularly drove them to hotels to have sex with customers. It can also take the form of forced labor, like the case of a Taiwanese woman sold to a family in Los Angeles as slave labor when she was 7. She suffered yeas of physical and verbal abuse. And, she was forced to live in the garage and eat rotting food.
Victims of human trafficking spend holidays alone, exploited and often abused. They have no relief from the horrifying rituals of daily life, or warm fireplaces or family support. Instead, they spend their holidays in dingy hotel rooms with strangers or walking the streets to support their pimps or living in garages eating out of trash cans.
While preparing for your holidays this year, think of trafficking victims and ways to help those who aren’t gathered around a turkey or a tree this year. Consider purchasing gifts from Made By Survivors. Products from this online retailer are made by people saved from slavery and working to become self-sufficient.
Or donate or purchase shoes from Shoe Revolt and support organizations working with human trafficking victims in the U.S.
For more information visit Shoe Revolt and Wellhouse Inc.
Youngbee Dale is a freelance writer, researcher, and human rights advocate. You can reach her at ybdale@gmail.com or follow her on Twitter
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