NEWS RELEASE: Soroptimist Launches National Trafficking Awareness Campaign January 11

International women's organization to raise awareness about prominent issue

January 11, 2008
Contant: Jessica Levinson, Communications Director, 215-893-9000 x 129

PHILADELPHIA, Pa.—As you read this, there are women and girls right here in Philadelphia being held against their will. Modern day slaves, they are exploited as laborers and commercial sex workers. These wives, mothers and daughters may be off our radar – but they need our help.

The trafficking of human beings is a serious problem throughout the world. According to U.S. government estimates, 800,000–900,000 victims are trafficked globally each year and 17,500– 18,500 are trafficked into the United States. In particular, the sexual trafficking of women and girls is a widespread problem, implicating nearly every country in the world:

• Around 75 percent of all human trafficking victims are trafficked for sexual exploitation.
• There have been reports of sexual trafficking in at least 20 U.S. states.
• At any given time, there are 30,000 –50,000 sex slaves in the United States.

January 11, 2008 – National Day of Human Trafficking Awareness Event

Soroptimist, international women’s organization based in Philadelphia, is raising awareness about the devastating and complex crime of sex trafficking, specifically as it affects women and girls.  

To help your readers gain a better understanding of this issue – internationally to locally – we have assembled a number of leading experts available to illustrate the issue and provide unique perspective. We are happy to arrange interviews with each of these: 

• Leigh Wintz, Executive Director, Soroptimist International of the Americas, Philadelphia – Ms. Wintz will discuss international efforts to curb trafficking and help the hundreds of thousands of women and girls trafficked each year.
•  Dr. Julie Mostov, Associate Vice Provost for International Programs, Drexel University – In addition to her extensive work at Drexel University, Dr. Mostov has been actively involved in the Balkans, particularly Moldova (considered to be a key target country for human trafficking) and the US, in programs designed stop violence against women. She will provide insight into the overseas conditions that give rise to human trafficking. Why are these women vulnerable? Should we send these women back to their countries or should they stay? What impact has the US government’s requirements for staying in the US had on trafficking victims?
•  Carol E. Tracy, Executive Director, Women’s Law Project, Philadelphia – Ms. Tracy will discuss how current trafficking laws are poorly constructed to protect women victims. The Women’s Law Project has extensive experience advancing the legal, social, and economic status of women. 

In conjunction with the National Day of Human Trafficking Awareness on January 11, a day created by the U.S. Congress to raise awareness of and opposition to human trafficking, Soroptimist is carrying out a series of events. On January 11, organization members are distributing specially designed flyers, which help citizens identify victims and combat sexual slavery, around the world. Locally, Soroptimist members will distribute the flyers at 30th Street Station and SEPTA and PATCO regional stations.

For additional information about Soroptimist and human trafficking, please visit http://www.soroptimist.org/trafficking/trafficking.html.

Soroptimist, a 501(c)(3) organization, offers programs that improve social and economic conditions for women and girls. Programs include the Women’s Opportunity Awards, which provides cash grants for head-of-household women seeking to improve their lives with the help of additional education and training. Each year, more than $1 million is disbursed through this award-winning program. In recognition of the power of women and their dreams, Soroptimist also sponsors the Live Your Dream campaign. Visit the campaign's online home at: <www.liveyourdreamcampaign.org>. Visit Soroptimist’s main site at <www.soroptimist.org> to learn more about the organization and its work on behalf of the world’s women and girls.

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