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Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Progress Report #1

Progress Report #1
 
Human Trafficking
Group #1
Members: Jillian Mandell, Lea Prihoda, Bri Meyer, Kody Gilliland Amelia Heintzelman, Courtney Harnish

Our plan is to create an analytical comparison of trafficking in three different regions: Africa, Eastern Europe, and the United States.  According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime website, human trafficking is defined as

the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs (unodc.org).

Based off of this definition, we will look at both sex and labor trafficking in these three areas.  From the data we collect, we will be comparing and contrasting the different areas as well as seeing if certain trends prevail in certain areas.  In addition to this, we will look at the different elements of human trafficking (the act, the means, and the purpose) and who is involved at each step, especially comparing gender roles. 

Since we have three regions and will research each type of human trafficking, there are six sub-divisions in total and six group members.  Each member will be responsible for researching his/her own division.  Below we provide the list of who will take what region and what type of trafficking.  During future meetings, we will share our research with each other and educate the other members about our specific area.  From these meetings, we will slowly start compiling a presentation.

Courtney- Africa: Sex Trafficking
Lea- Africa: Labor Trafficking
Kody- Eastern Europe: Labor Trafficking
Jillian- Eastern Europe: Sex Trafficking
Bri- United States: Labor Trafficking
Amelia- United States: Sex Trafficking

For our research, we will take advantage of human trafficking websites such as the Polaris Project, United Nations, HumanTrafficking.org, and the Not For Sale Campaign.  We will also use maps to highlight regions of higher human trafficking.  During our presentation, we will make the use of movies and documentaries such as Lilya 4 Ever and Taken.

During the research process, group members will answer questions.  At the moment, the following questions we hope to answer are:

·      What is the definition of human trafficking?
·      How do people get involved in trafficking?
·      What are the conditions these people live in?
·      Is the person forced to do a different kind of labor than they were promised?
·      Are people forced or do family members willing give members up?
o   If family willing gives up members, what are the reasons?  Are they promised something in return or told false rewards?
·      Is there a relation between how certain areas treat human rights and trafficking rates?

We will build an effective campaign by heavily researching our specific areas.  We will then come together to figure out the best way to universally connect the issue(s).  Our group will find Human Trafficking advocate groups in Bloomington.  With this knowledge, we will educate our peers on ways that they can get involved. Once we have more research we will be able to figure out the best direction to take our campaign.

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