Art can say what the numbers can’t.

A quick Google search will reveal stomach-churning statistics about the number of victims and the high profitability of the sex trafficking industry on international, national and local levels.  But what the numbers can’t say is that the most devastating effects of trafficking happen on a personal level.  Modern slavery is not only about physical bonds; it’s about psychological ones.  Those most often ensnared are those who are most desperate and disenfranchised, including low-income women and underage runaways.  Once in ‘The Life’, victims believe there is no way out, or refuse to see that their relationship is abusive.  Even when rescued, many of the girls still maintain the sense of worthlessness that has been instilled in them:  “Once a ho always a ho.” The attack is to the core of human worth.

There are many organizations already fighting slavery through formal legal channels, but we believe that only art can address the cultural changes that need to take place in order to abolish modern slavery.  To this end, we propose a re-imagined Abolitionist movement: we want to use our craft to spread the word to young people about the myths of sex trafficking.  In raising this kind of awareness, we hope to prevent future manipulation and demand, as well as empower peers to speak for their friends and their generation.