One year ago today I posted our documentary about sex trafficking in Canada here at HFTS, beginning a wonderful journey of reading, writing, researching, and networking through this fascinating phenomenon called a blog!  It is hard to believe that a year has passed, and I have to send out a huge thank you today to my readers.

For those of you who are bloggers, you know how strange it is to write a post and send it into the mysterious cyberworld for everyone and anyone to see.  Some days it makes you feel vulnerable, and others it seems as if these invisible readers do not even exist.  But based on the comments and emails I have received this year, you are all very real and I am grateful for your support.

On this day of celebration I have compiled a list of stats to show you where the journey has taken us this year.  Know that it is YOU who have made this possible!

5 Numbers:

• Unique visitors: 13,816
• Page views:  38,139
• Countries viewed from:  141
• Blog posts:  114
• Facebook group members:  3,564

Top 5 Countries by Readership:

• Canada
• United States
• United Kingdom
• India
• Australia

5 Countries in which blog posts were written:

• Canada
• United States
• Costa Rica
• Belize
• Mexico

Top 5 Most Viewed Posts:

• More Than a Beauty Queen: Meet Miss BC Tara Teng
• A Swedish Sex Worker’s Thoughts on the Criminalization of Her Clients
• Costa Rica: A Hot Spot for Sexcapades
• The Ethnicity of Sex Trafficking: 29 Somalis Arrested in the US
• Book Review: The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson

Top 5 Most Liked/Commented on Posts:

• My Interview With the Mother of a Missing Victims of Trafficking
• Two Little Girls: Short Film About Sex Trafficking
• A Christmas Wish from Trafficking Survivor Timea Nagy
• Prostitution Law for Dummies: Ontario’s Recent Court Ruling in 9 Simple Points
• In Defense of MP Joy Smith & Countless Victims of Sex Trafficking

My 5 Personal Favorites:

• A Must See TED Talk: Sunitha Krishnan Speaks On Rescuing Victims of Sex Trafficking in India
• Capitalism & Sex Trafficking: My Musings on the Communist Manifesto
• When Misguided Optimism Makes Us Bad Global Citizens
• Film Review: The Candy Shop Documentary
• Controversy at the FIFA World Cup: Is There Really a Link Between Sporting Events and Trafficking?

To those of you who have followed HFTS this past year, THANK YOU! A special thanks to my husband Jay for letting me verbally process ideas, advising me regarding the blogosphere, taking care of the technical side of things, and making sure I don’t get lazy!

And to those who are just now venturing into the deep waters of this topic, I welcome you and look forward to journeying together as part of a modern-day abolition movement.  Let’s end human trafficking together!

Side note: A Freedom Week Promo video is coming up soon…check back here soon especially if you live in BC!

Michelle Brock