human trafficking

In the Booth with Ruth – Philip J Cenedella, Executive Director, The National Association of Human Trafficking Victim Advocates

“This fight will not stop until the traffickers and users of slaves are brought to justice and financially impacted by their actions,” says Philip J Cenedella, Executive Director of The National Association of Human Trafficking Victim Advocates. He shares about his goal to stop Google selling advertisements to traffickers, and how he’s going to achieve it.

Ruth Jacobs's avatarRuth Jacobs

Philip J Cenedella

How did you become involved in the movement against human trafficking? 

By helping one victim of domestic violence who stayed in the only shelter in Dubai for human trafficking victims. On 4 August 2007, I did not know anything about trafficking, but started that day to help Sharla Musabih and her United Hope UAE organization.

What draws you to support and advocate for people enslaved by traffickers?

Empathy.

What does your work involve?

I manage www.stopslavery2013.com. I also collaborate with other advocates via The National Association of Human Trafficking Victim Advocates and I answer hotline calls from throughout the US. As well as that, I help lead the fight against online trafficking, which involves Craigslist, Backpage and Google AdWords – there’s information on that here and you can help here, even if it’s just by quickly sharing some links on Twitter.

What legal improvements or changes would help to…

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In the Booth with Ruth – Magda M. Olchawska – Anti-Human Trafficking Activist and Filmmaker

Magda M. Olchawska – Anti-Human Trafficking Activist and Filmmaker: “…society needs to be aware that the problem exists… citizens need to feel safe enough to report strange activities in their neighbourhoods to the authorities… The support system for the victims needs to be much better… the Swedish system, where not only the oppressor but also people using trafficked victims in any way are punished, could be the right way forward.”

Ruth Jacobs's avatarRuth Jacobs

Magda M. Olchawska

What inspired you to support the movement against human traffickingand make films about human trafficking and sexual exploitation?

Towards the end of 2010, I started reading a lot about human and sex trafficking. I also watched a movie called The Whistleblower, based on a true story of how UN soldiers were trafficking girls from former Soviet Union to former Yugoslavia.

However, the most influential person who inspired me was a lady I met on Twitter, Lynn Robertson. Lynn’s work and dedication made me inspired to write a script and then to turn it into a movie. I wanted to be involved in the fight against sex and human trafficking in any possible way. At that time, I thought the best way for me to make society more aware of the huge problem we are facing was to make a ‘fictional’ movie.

Can you describe the films you’ve made…

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In the Booth with Ruth – Lynn Robertson, Anti-Human Trafficking Activist and Advocate

“I began to read about victims and survivors of sex trafficking and my heart broke,” says Lynn Robertson, an anti-human trafficking activist and advocate. “ Especially when I realised that children were being sold for sex – little girls and little boys sold globally for sex trafficking…. I rarely slept. I knew I had to try to do something to end the horror of this nightmare.”

Ruth Jacobs's avatarRuth Jacobs

Lynn Robertson

How did you become involved in the movement against sex trafficking and sexual exploitation?

I don’t have any deep answers to that. In fact, I’m going to be very honest and put my cards on the table about this. I was just looking to have fun when I discovered social media (Twitter and Facebook). Eventually, I happened upon Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore talking about human trafficking. Frankly, I thought they were very cool people and I wanted them to think I was cool. So, I started following them. As I continued to read their comments, I was led to survivors, victims, activists and groups working to end human trafficking. And I totally lost my heart to the victims, and to this cause. Once you lose your heart in this, there is no turning back. The number of estimated sex and labor trafficking victims globally is at least 21 million. This was…

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