Sex Slaves Documentary Analysis

Katherine Von Lehmden Sociology 111-14 Journal Entry: Sex Slaves Imagine being taken completely advantage of where anything you say doesn’t matter and every action you make may have consequences to the treatment you receive. This was the life for many girls in Eastern Europe. Sex Slaves, a 2005 documentary by Ric Esther Bienstock in association with CBC, Channel 4, and Canal D, follows the abuse, neglect, and horrifying treatment that girls go through while being victims of human trafficking. Bienstock and her crew start out by traveling to countries such as Ukraine and Moldova. There they see first-hand what
it’s like for the lives of those being sold into global sex trade. These women have been torn from their lives, taken from their families, and sold into slavery. For those who are wondering which girls get picked and which don’t? Well, it’s practically based on what the women have to offer. The girls from these countries are highly wanted into the business as they have the looks that people will want for high amounts of money and are the easiest to access. Both of which are perfect for the sellers as they have a less chance of getting caught kidnapping and making illegal trades. As much as the girls want to get out of slavery and leave, there is almost no way out. While with the “pimps,” the treatment they receive is unbearable as they are forced to have sex. If they refuse to take part they get abused, tortured, and sometimes even killed, often right in front of the other girls so they learn to obey orders. This sort of thing happens all over to hundreds of thousands of women as people are just trying to make a profit in a multi-billion dollar international business. Frontline is in partnership with the investigation as they took hidden cameras behind the scenes and got a look at what’s going on.
They followed the story of one man’s struggle to get his wife back as she was one of the many who were kidnapped and sold into sexual slavery. Just like all of the other women of the struggling countries of Eastern Europe, she was lured into the port of Odessa as she was told she would be offered with something else rather than what she was about to receive. Some were promised jobs overseas and with no education, easily fell for the trap. Frontline also interviews other females who were victims of human trafficking and tries to get the scoop on the situation. A woman describes the process she went through as she was sold to various owners along the way. Reflecting back on the stuff she went through, made her realize how obvious it was that something fishy was going on the entire time, yet she was too focused to believe any of it could be true. As hard as it was for not only the girls who were sold into slavery, but the ones trying to get them out, they still continued to fight their way through and because of it, were finally released. Sad thing is: human trafficking is still happening all around us. As much as I want to do something about it and put a stop to all of the neglect and unnecessary abuse, it may never be completely stopped unless the government in those countries does something about it. People need to realize how wrong human trafficking
really is and how much better off the world will be without it. I hope that by all the people who have watched this investigation will want to do something about it too. With everyone’s efforts, I think in time things will change for the better. No one really knows and only time can tell. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/slaves http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXRLfMS8IWc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fQkerQiRus&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBRK71IUnrs&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFAOHAhO51A&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LExB89HWvQ4&feature=related