sex trafficking

In the Booth with Ruth – Ruthie ‘Angel’ Jones Patton, Anti-Human Trafficking Activist

“I feel that mainstream media refuses to address the problem because it’s so horrific that people would change the channel or not buy their papers, magazines etc. rather than see a reality they can’t deal with and I think that needs to change… No man, woman, or child should be forced into any type of slavery. Man should not own man.”

Ruth Jacobs's avatarRuth Jacobs

Ruthie Jones Patton

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

I became involved in the fight against human trafficking via Facebook. I belonged to several child abuse support groups as well as BAAK (Bikers Against Abusing Kids). I had just come out about my own history as an abused child and in discussing my situation on these sites, I started to notice articles about human trafficking. I was stunned to learn about the relationship between human and drug trafficking as well as illegal arms dealing and poaching. I started asking questions within the groups and it’s then that I came in contact with Yvonne, Lynn and Michele who gave me some websites to look into that better explained it all as a whole. One thing led to another and I found myself overwhelmed at just how serious and worldwide the problem is, which is up to and including…

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In the Booth with Ruth – Gemma Wilson, Anti-Human Trafficking Activist

“When people who were once trafficked are rescued and out of the hands of traffickers, they often recount the days and years spent in slavery as being worse than what they imagined death to be like,” says Gemma Wilson, part of Northern Ireland’s counter-trafficking movement. She continues, “I found out there are more slaves today than there ever have been… I couldn’t believe it and I couldn’t turn away…”

Ruth Jacobs's avatarRuth Jacobs

Gemma Wilson

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

I had what some would very rightly call a ridiculous fear of getting bored in the summer months between my undergrad and postgrad studies, so I gave myself a few projects. Having seen ‘Amazing Grace’, a film about the life and work of abolitionist William Wilberforce, I added researching slavery to my list of summer activities – which also included learning to enjoy running. Sadly, I have yet to tick that one off.

This project was based on the assumption that slavery was a thing of the past; I quickly found out there are more slaves today than there ever have been and was gripped by this new unveiled reality. I couldn’t believe it and I couldn’t turn away from it.

I spent the guts of the following year researching the global picture of slavery: its various forms, the…

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In the Booth with Ruth – Lise Bouvet, PhD Researcher in Gender Studies

“There is no such thing as the ‘right’ to prostitute oneself, only the one to never ever be reduced to become merchandise,” says Lise Bouvet in her interview for Human Trafficking Awareness Month. Lise has been studying prostitution for fifteen years. She has worked for NGOs, and has both field and academic experience. Her research has compared the situations in USA, England, France, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, Japan, Sweden, China and Thailand among other countries.

Ruth Jacobs's avatarRuth Jacobs

Lise Bouvet

How did you become involved in supporting the abolition of prostitution?

Well that’s very simple: I’ve been working on prostitution for fifteen years now, in social sciences, then philosophy. I’ve worked for NGOs too. I have both field and academic experience. I have researched and compared situations in many countries including USA, England, France, Germany, Netherlands of course, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, Japan, Sweden, China and Thailand.

Things are obvious: the only system that has seen prostitution decrease is the Nordic model for it is a true abolitionist policy. Any public policy that would leave out of its reach one of the three major parts of the prostitution system is bound to fail. Sweden has challenged the major part of the system, which is the john. No johns, no prostitutes, no trafficking, no pimps. It’s as simple as that – and it took me ten years to reach that conclusion!

Regulation…

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