International Justice Mission

"International Justice Mission is a human rights agency that secures justice for victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and other forms of violent oppression. IJM lawyers, investigators and aftercare professionals work with local governments to ensure victim rescue, to prosecute perpetrators and to strengthen the community and civic factors that promote functioning public justice systems."

IJM has been fighting for justice around the world since 1997. Learn how to get more involved by visiting their website.

How you can be involved :

Fundraising- host an event such as a benefit race, concert, etc, to raise support and money for IJM.

Documentary Screening - host a documentary screening in your home/school/church of IJM's

At the End of Slavery documentary.

Prayer - Sign up to become a prayer partner for IJM

Volunteer - Volunteer to serve on one of the many projects at IJM's headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Buy Stuff! - Shop at IJM's online store to buy t-shirts, books, DVDs, and more in order to benefit the great work they are doing around the world. You can also donate to them through their online store!

Update!

I apologize for the lack of posts recently - we are getting SO close to our benefit concert, FREEDOM FEST, and have been super busy finishing up the plans for it.

FREEDOM FEST 2010 will take place on August 29th, 2010

at Delaware County Christian School

in Newtown Square, PA

from 4pm-9pm

100% of the concert's proceeds will be directly donated to Free the Slaves

The concert will feature local musicians, actors, dancers, artists, and our special guest speaker, Lee McClure, from Free the Slaves! T-Shirts, bracelets, and other general merchandise will be available for purchase, as well as hoagies, chips, sodas/water, and baked goods! All of this for a small, $3.00 admission charge.

If you want to join in the fight against human trafficking, please come out and support this event! We hope to see ALL of you there!!! Bring friends and tell everyone you know about this! Look for our event page on Facebook for more information and to invite your friends!

Covenant House

Today's post is dedicated to the Covenant House in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for their awesome work fighting poverty, violence, and human rights violations to youth in the city.

Covenant House is a shelter home that provides services to homeless, at-risk youth. It is the largest private child welfare agency in its area (the Delaware Valley.) Their services include street outreach, education, job placement, legal services, and fighting human trafficking.

The street outreach team at the Covenant House is part of the Pennsylvania Anti-Human Trafficking Coalition. The team conducts training in various communities around the Philadelphia area, as well as working to identify places of trafficking in order to have them shut down.

Over 50 young people seek shelter at the Covenant House each and every night. Their stories are all different, yet the same. They are all searching for someone to show them that they care - to show them unconditional love and support no matter what. That is just what the Covenant House is set out to do.

Their work could not be possible without the financial support of individuals like you and me. If you are interested in more personal ways of donating, the house is always in need of in-kind donations in order to better serve the youth seeking shelter each night. Most importantly, keep the Covenant House and the youth in your thoughts and prayers!

NHTRC

The National Human Trafficking Resource Hotline is a national, toll-free hotline that is available to answer phone calls from anywhere in the country 24/7 365/year.

NHTRC is a program that is part of the Polaris Project; a non-profit, non-governmental organization based in Washington, D.C. that envisions and is actively working towards a world without slavery.

To report trafficking tips, find information for anti-trafficking services in your area, or to request training from NHTRC, call 1-800-373-7888

Visit NHTRC's Homepage for more information on the hotline, their services, and to find out how you can support their work.

Do Your Part in Pennsylvania!!

Did you know?

Pennsylvania is home to many U.S. and international victims of sex and labor trafficking. These victims include minors. Slavery in PA includes but is not limited to, street prostitution, closed-network residential brothels, and many disguised labor operations such as nail salons, massage parlors, agricultural businesses, and domestic servitude.

Not only does PA house many slave operations, but it also exists as a "pass-through" state, which is extremely valuable to human traffickers. This is due to the state's many interstate highways that connect to trafficking hot-spots like New York and Ohio. Many truck stops in the state are known to host sex traffickers - especially those along the "Miracle Mile" in Monroeville, PA.

In 2006, the Pennsylvania legislature made human trafficking a 2nd degree felony offense, unless the victim is under 18, in which case it would be a first degree felony. In addition, traffickers must forfeit any profit gained from their crimes. However, since enactment, the state has failed to utilize the law. As a result, two important bills are in the process of being passed to improve the state's response to trafficking offenses.

The first bill is a bipartisan legislation to enforce that certain agencies and organizations MUST post the National Human Trafficking Hotline - which is a response agency with call representatives speaking over 100 languages who will provide immediate response to urgent calls.

The second bill would establish the PA State Human Trafficking Task Force/Advisory Committee. The statewide task force would build off of already existing coalitions in cities such as Philadelphia and Pittsburgh and provide local, state, and federal participants.

What YOU can do...

Do you live in Pennsylvania?

Do you want to join in this fight against human trafficking?

Contact your state legislator to urge them to pass this bill and join the fight against human trafficking! Read more about the bill and how to contact your legislators here!

Enslaved : Human Trafficking by Margaret Bailey

Beautiful women travel from distant lands

for a better life,

They see the red, white and blue as relief,

Yet, when they arrive,

They are coerced into misery and grief,

Sold like cattle to the highest bidders,

Used repeatedly to launder dollars,

Innocent foreigners caught up in

slavery,
No one says anything because it boosts

the economy,

Flesh being traded and used over and over again,

Superceding drugs as monetary gain,

Human beings have become an expensive

commodity,

Enslaved and trapped for the use of their bodies,

Some are victims of their own comrades,

who have come to America and extracted

the debaucherous scherades,

Holding women hostage with the new games

they have learnt,

until they are demoralized and their souls are burnt,

Who watches over these atrocities?

When the "oldest profession" keeps those

in power happy,

Enslavement of foreign women is everywhere

imaginable,

It's time the World did something about it!

Instead of remaining silent as if it never happens......

Website!

You can now visit us at...

End Human Sales' Official Website!

The website is still under construction, but our emailing list is activated, so head over to the site and enter your email information to be on the list of the first to hear our updates and event news! Thank you all in advance for your support!