TraffickingWatch.org

From the Examiner:

Today's Providence Journal has a column by Ed Achorn that is so misguided, that it is difficult to figure out where to start.

From Straight.com:

With the 2010 Winter Olympic Games only seven months away, there is growing speculation that trafficking in women will increase significantly in Vancouver. A major new report lays these fears to rest by debunking the alleged link between a boom in sex trafficking and large sporting events.

An amended, compromise version of this landmark legislation has been passed. And by the looks of it so far (more after we have a chance to really digest the bill's language) the controversial labeling of all prostitution in the U.S. a s a form of sex trafficking has been left on the cutting room floor.

More here, here, and here.

The Congressional Research Service, a department within the Library of Congress, recently issued a report, "Trafficking in Persons: U.S. Policy and Issues for Congress." The report lays out the current trafficking problem in the United States. From a brief look of its contents, the report seems to strongly support H.R. 3887.The organization asserts that it takes a non-partisan approach to its research.

A sex worker in the UK Guardian speaks out against a recent report on sex workers, Like many of her counterparts in the U.S., she struggles to straighten the facts about the work conditions of sex workers. Specifically, she represents the group of sex workers who do not come from poverty. Instead, she is one of the several women who choose sex work to supplement her income.

The New York Times published today a letter to the editor from an anti-trafficking supporter opposing H.R. 3887. Finally--some discussion from those at the forefront of the trafficking issue. Published letters and articles such as this one are desperately needed. The news media must help re-balance the the discussion about H.R. 3887's controversial provisions.

"The federal anti-trafficking law, enacted in 2000, already defines anyone under 18 who is involved in commercial sex acts, and anyone in prostitution who experiences force, fraud or coercion as a victim of human trafficking. Changing the definition of trafficking so that law enforcement does not need to look at a person's age or experience of coercion (the heart of the trafficking crime) will put the focus squarely on prostitution, rather than on labor and prostitution situations in which people are living under a climate of fear and experiencing genuine human rights abuses."

The Windy Citizen recently published an article that seemed to support H.R. 3887. It made several arguments for the bill, pointing out the problems of prostitution in Chicago.

Trafficking Watch.org responded with a comment:

"This bill has several issues with it.

The bill has two provisions that would define prostitution and related activities a kind of "sex trafficking" crime. As such, the bill robs real trafficking victims of resources and protection.

The BBC News wrote an article on Amnesty International, detailing the findings of its new report on trafficking in Scotland. The report provided evidence that sex trafficking cases were not as common in Scotland as once believed.

The Baptist Press' article today misrepresents the reasons that the Department of Justice and several anti-trafficking advocates have opposed H.R. 3887. The writer attacks the DoJ and the Senate for backing S.3061 instead of H.R. 3887.