Soroptimists STOP Trafficking Club Projects

In 2007, with a grant from SI/Glendale, California, Soroptimist launched Soroptimists STOP Trafficking, a project to raise awareness of sex trafficking. Since then, clubs have held events to raise awareness, lobbied for stronger laws, assisted victims, and worked to prevent sex trafficking. Each year, hundreds of SIA clubs hold outstanding club projects that are helping women and girls live lives free from trafficking and prostitution. Just last year, nearly 300 presentations were given to more than 50,000 people, and more than 25,000 Soroptimist STOP trafficking rack cards were distributed.

Here are just a few examples of the outstanding work clubs throughout the federation are working on to tackle this important issue.

SI/Vista, California
For the last four years SI/Vista, California (Desert Coast Region), has been sponsoring its annual walk and community event on the National Day of Human Trafficking Awareness to do just that—raise awareness and educate the global and local communities about the horrible crimes of human trafficking.

The event on January 8, 2011, attracted about 200 people at a prominent street corner in Vista, and featured music, booths and guest speakers. Among those addressing the crowd was Gretchen Means, deputy district attorney for San Diego County, assigned to the Sex Crimes Unit. Means prosecuted the first cases using California’s human trafficking statutes and helped pioneer a new approach to prosecuting gang pimps.

A one-mile walk through downtown Vista followed the presentations. Other organizations participated in the event, manning their own information tables. Among them was,
Hope House; North San Diego County’s shelter for victims of human trafficking; and Amnesty International #471. Also collaborating and participating in the activities were SI/Oceanside, Carlsbad, SI/Poway & Rancho Bernardo, SI/Fallbrook and SI/North Coast San Diego.

“The Awareness Walk events of 2010 and 2011 were both highly successful,” said organizer Kaye Van Nevel of SI/Vista. “We used much advance advertising, including a huge banner, and club member support was great. An event of this size and magnitude takes team work.”

The community response has been incredible as well, Kaye added, not only to the annual National Day of Human Trafficking Awareness, but also to the many other human trafficking awareness projects organized by SI/Vista the last few years. In 2010, the club participated in a Health and Wellness Fair, with posters depicting human trafficking, as well as pamphlets with information and SI/Vista’s role in addressing issues and how the public could become involved.

“Human trafficking in Southern California and North San Diego County is already a huge and growing problem,” said SI/Vista President Cherie Wilson. “Women and girls are affected and awareness and education are a critical beginning to the effort to abate and eradicate these crimes.”

Last October, the North County Chapter of Amnesty International named SI/Vista its Digna Ochoa Human Rights Defender Award recipient for its work in opening Hope House. SIA awarded SI/Vista a $10,000 grant to implement Project New Horizons, which provided a paid hands-on workplace experience at Hope House that incorporates life, social, language and job skills mentoring for survivors.

“Following all public exposure events, the attendance continues to grow,” Kaye said. “Also, our speakers bureau, led by club member Dorothy Thompson has presented multiple programs to many local clubs. Most importantly, we are beginning to reach our youth. We spoke to a group of about 120 high school students at a Parent Teacher Student Association meeting … you could have heard a pin drop!”

Northwestern Region
Soroptimist clubs in Northwestern Region partnered with other organizations to create the Northwest Coalition Against Trafficking. NWCAT holds an annual conference, bringing together multiple partners to educate attendees that trafficking is happening in their communities. Each year, the conference draws hundreds of people and national press attention. In addition to increasing public awareness, this conference also raises funds for future long-term shelter and safety efforts in the pacific northwest of the United States.

“NWCAT was originally created by three Soroptimist clubs in Washington. Only four years later, the project has captured not only west coast media attention, but national and international attention as well,” said Michelle Bart, SI/Southwest Washington President and NWCAT Conference Chair. “Our impact has made a huge difference in the lives of victims and survivors, and many survivors have joined Soroptimist because they feel loved, wanted, and not used as society has treated them.”

NWCAT programs and services aim to inform the public about human labor and sex trafficking in the United States and around the world. The coalition works with law enforcement, government agencies, and other non-profit organizations to raise awareness and provide vital education on this important issue in local communities.

This year’s conference will be held January 13-15, 2012 in Portland, Oregon.  The coalition has also added a film-festival prior to the conference, which begins on January 9. The festival will feature films that speak out and raise awareness about sex trafficking and prostitution.  Visit www.NWCAT.org  for more information about NWCAT and its efforts.

Michelle adds “We must not give up the fight because we have a DREAM and together we know we can end modern-day slavery. Until then, women are relying on our Soroptimist helping hands and helping hearts.”

SI/Curitiba Gloria and SI/Curitiba-Batel, Brazil
In Brazil, clubs also have been working to create awareness about human trafficking. In 2010, as they did in 2008 and 2009, SI/Curitiba Gloria, and SI/Curitiba-Batel, Brazil, hosted a public awareness event distributing 5,000 flyers at Curitiba’s Afonso Pena International Airport. Members were dressed in black vests with yellow writing on the front that proclaimed, Women – Trafficking – Denounce, and on the back, the Soroptimist logo in blue letters with the Curitiba club names. According to Infraero, a governmental agency in charge of Brazilian airports, about 22,000 people pass through the airport every day.

“We consider this event a success because we are always well received by Infraero that collaborates with this work and by the public’s willingness to receive the information and ask questions,” said Maria Lucia Noremberg of SI/Curitiba-Batel, Brazil.

In addition, two members from SI/Curitiba Gloria presented lectures in schools, distributed flyers and formed work groups about the issue—while the club’s Ruby Award recipient, Leocilia Oliveria da Silva, organized a campaign at Antonina City Hall, distributing folders about the trafficking of women.

“Clubs in the Brazil Region are aware of the large number of Brazilian young women who are victims of sexual harassment and trafficking for the sex trade,” Maria Lucia said. “Our youngsters, unsuspecting, are trafficked to many countries, predominantly to Portugal and Spain, where many are killed and/or forced to live a life of humiliation.”

For this reason, the Ministry of Tourism and the National University of Brasilia, with a view on the World Cup 2014 in Brazil, launched the Campaign for the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation of Children and Teenagers in Tourism. Brazil Region clubs have been invited to participate and partner in the campaign and have been working on this effort since April 2011.

To obtain STOP Trafficking materials and resources and to read about other projects SIA clubs are working on to tackle this important issue, visit the STOP Trafficking section of this website.

Read exclusive whitepapers on human trafficking and prostitution:
The New Face of Slavery
Prostitution is Not a Choice

Back to Magazine Home