There is no evidence that large sporting events such as the Olympics lead to an increase in trafficking for prostitution.

See x:talk project’s campaign for a moratorium on arrests of sex workers during the Olympics at http://www.xtalkproject.net/?p=1059 and a more detailed report (PDF) from GAATW here: http://www.gaatw.org/publications/WhatstheCostofaRumour.11.15.2011.pdf

“Stop the Arrests is calling for a moratorium on arrests, detention and deportation of sex workers in London with immediate effect until the end of the Olympic Games.”

http://www.moratorium2012.org/the-case-for-a-moratorium/

“There is no evidence that large sporting events cause an increase in trafficking for prostitution. These claims can lead to anti-trafficking policies and policing practices that target sex workers.”

Will the panel include Dr Brooke Magnanti, who has personal experience of prostitution, and who has comprehensively debunked the trafficking myth?

Does anyone know whether or not this film is part of a Christian Mission outreach programme.

One of the hosts of the event is an organisation called Exodus Cry who say about themselves “We began as a prayer meeting on February 5th, 2007. Benjamin Nolot had received a burden from God for Human Trafficking. Several hundred intercessors joined the call and together they cried out to God for a breakthrough. The very next day, one of the largest human trafficking busts in history occurred involving 2,400 arrests in 77 countries. That prayer meeting has evolved into a movement of intercessors and abolitionists that is today called Exodus Cry.”

Have also seen comments on the internet saying they felt uncomfortable with the Christian element and a level of victim blaming and suggestions that prayer would provide a solution.

Any feedback welcome!

From the very first scene, Nefarious: Merchant of Souls ushers you into the nightmare of sex slavery that hundreds of thousands experience daily.

So it is complete crap then. As no significant number of women have been trafficked into or out of the UK.

The police have looked. The police have not found.

It does seem a bit strange that the Olympics would encourage prostitution or whatever.
Olympics crowds usually look quite bland and harmless.

Oh it’s sad-woman-clutching-a-pillow. I missed her.

I hope the lass-with-a-pillow gets Royalties from LC. Any stort about women – lets trot out the lass-with-the-pillow. Does she want her image employed in this way?

Fortunately all issues involving women are basically the same and can be illustrated by a woman with a pillow.

Don’t worry. She’s not alone…

http://cache1.asset-cache.net/gc/dv2017013-woman-sits-on-bed-crying-and-holding-a-gettyimages.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=k14N79hnrBGg0cRBDJmUw3sea9SYFcSDQ81I0vNpc1mw8CWNWe%2f0ShpGmtWSTPotK668GK5UjKmsN2j1o011jg%3d%3d

The main beef I have with the Olympics and traffic is that emergency vehicles are not allowed to use the VIP lanes.

Er, Sunny… the same people are looking to make an anti-trafficking film called Balkans the Movie. Apparently they’re hoping the actors will work for free. And as for the script…well, here’s one response that suggests that it’s not exactly Bafta material.

@redpesto

That is brilliant stuff on your link but did you notice they had used Sunny’s photo of “sad woman with pillow”.

I’m no believer in intellectual copyright, but, if I were Sunny, I’d sue the pants off that Dr Brooke for not going all po-faced and earnest about some East European prostitutes coming to London to make some dosh.

(I am assuming Sunny took the original photo……)

Anyway, it’s that kind of piss taking that continually threatens the closure of the Met’s anti-trafficking unit, where some of our best cops have been assembled and play angry birds all day.

That unit may be completely useless but it is an important progressive icon.

Newswire

> According to the United Nations, Human Trafficking is the world’s fastest growing criminal industry, second only to drugs.

That paragraph looks very similar to the one on Wikipedia.

That also says, and gives sources for:

“In 2004, the total annual revenue for trafficking in persons were estimated to be between USD$5 billion and $9 billion.

In 2005,… estimated a global annual profit of $31.6 billion…”

Note that huge impossibility – profit 4 times as big as turnover !

And then Wiki sensibly says
“However, it is argud that many of these statistics are grossly inflated to aid advocacy of anti-trafficking NGOs and the anti-trafficking policies of governments. Due to the definition of trafficking being a process (not a singly defined act) and the fact that it is a dynamic phenomenon with constantly shifting patterns relating to economic circumstances, much of the statistical evaluation is flawed.”

@ 14 JV

As a general rule, figures for “how much money there is in undesirable activity X” tend to be grossly exaggerated. For example, the entertainment industry’s figures on how much money is lost to piracy appear to be based on a) erring on the side of alarmism when estimating the prevalancy of piracy and b) assuming that everyone who accesses a work illegally would have bought it legally had there been no illicit channels available.

@ Nimda

I’ve seen the film at an Exodus Cry event. It’s not an “Christian mission outreach” if by that you mean the aim is to make converts. The aim is to free people from sex slavery, and the people behind Exodus Cry are doing this because of their Christian beliefs, like William Wilberforce (on whom they model themselves) tried to end trans-Atlantic slavery because of his Christian beliefs.

So is there a Christian element? Certainly. But that shouldn’t stop you supporting a genuine attempt to free women and children from sexual violence.

Do they believe in the power of prayer? Absolutely. You might think it’s mumbo jumbo or wishful thinking or whatever, but you’ve got to understand that for Christians (including me), it’s the most effective thing you can do. If you believe in an all-powerful God (as Christians do), then asking him to help (praying) is a sensible thing to do.

Is there an element of victim blaming? No. That’s a complete misrepresentation of the film. It makes it clear that it’s a very complex issue, even for people who enter prostitution voluntarily.

I would encourage you to see the film if you can. Dr Magnanti may have “debunked the trafficking myth” but there are plenty of real trafficked victims featured in the film who would disagree with her.