New Forms of Slavery
Expendable Dolls
The Thirteenth Amendment promised freedom by abolishing slavery and involuntary servitude. Many today believe this to be true, however, slavery from the past has taken on new forms and meaning into the present. Freedom remains to be elusive to countless of people in two simple words: human trafficking. In today’s globalized society, the immoralities of human trafficking are entrenched in lives of people that most will not detect. Those who are victims to the transformed slavery market are mainly women and girls.
In light of recent events about “The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act,” my interest to delve deeper into the issue turned into hours of reading personal stories to documentaries on the matter. The act that is in a controversial state, if approved, would provide services to victims of human trafficking by setting up a fund to cover the costs that would arise. Supplemented by federal reserves, the services would be paid for predominantly by a five thousand dollar fine for people convicted of being a sex offender, human smuggler, or human trafficker.
So, what is the problem about a bill that is cracking down on sex offenders and traffickers alike? It does not seem conducive to filibuster an act that is tremendously accepted among politicians of both parties. And yet, here it is in the headlines that Senate is acting against to help one of the biggest human rights causes of our time. The one hiccup that derailed the act to fruition is over one provision of the bill that would block federal funding for abortions. Democrats are calling the provision “offensive” and a “battle for our identity” (Werner). On the other side, Republicans are incensed that Democrats are serious about rebuffing a bill to “help victims of modern slavery, apparently because left-wing lobbyists told them to” (Werner). The acceptance over this bill was essentially debunked because it will not fund abortions, except in cases of rape, incest, or risk to the
The Thirteenth Amendment promised freedom by abolishing slavery and involuntary servitude. Many today believe this to be true, however, slavery from the past has taken on new forms and meaning into the present. Freedom remains to be elusive to countless of people in two simple words: human trafficking. In today’s globalized society, the immoralities of human trafficking are entrenched in lives of people that most will not detect. Those who are victims to the transformed slavery market are mainly women and girls.
In light of recent events about “The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act,” my interest to delve deeper into the issue turned into hours of reading personal stories to documentaries on the matter. The act that is in a controversial state, if approved, would provide services to victims of human trafficking by setting up a fund to cover the costs that would arise. Supplemented by federal reserves, the services would be paid for predominantly by a five thousand dollar fine for people convicted of being a sex offender, human smuggler, or human trafficker.
So, what is the problem about a bill that is cracking down on sex offenders and traffickers alike? It does not seem conducive to filibuster an act that is tremendously accepted among politicians of both parties. And yet, here it is in the headlines that Senate is acting against to help one of the biggest human rights causes of our time. The one hiccup that derailed the act to fruition is over one provision of the bill that would block federal funding for abortions. Democrats are calling the provision “offensive” and a “battle for our identity” (Werner). On the other side, Republicans are incensed that Democrats are serious about rebuffing a bill to “help victims of modern slavery, apparently because left-wing lobbyists told them to” (Werner). The acceptance over this bill was essentially debunked because it will not fund abortions, except in cases of rape, incest, or risk to the