Wedding planning is a crazy season, and for those of you getting married this summer, these next few months will be ones of busy preparation. Something that is becoming increasingly common is for the bride and groom to make a charitable donation on behalf of their guests instead of sending them home with a wedding favour.  On our wedding day, Jay and I decided to give the gift of water through Rwanda Clean Water and placed a bookmark shaped card in everyone’s water glass with some details.

We recently had the honour of speaking at a spa and awareness event put together by Trade Sensation, an event planning company based out of Toronto.  They suggested we make “in lieu of wedding favours” available through Hope for the Sold. Here’s what I came up with:

If you would like to make a donation to Hope for the Sold in lieu of wedding favours, you can select which style of card you’d like to give your guests.  Once I have your information, I will then customize it with your names, wedding date, and picture, and send you the PDF file that you can get printed for those attending your wedding.

All the money from the donations will be going toward this project.  All donations will receive a charitable tax receipt (this is possible for U.S. donations as well).  You can find out how to give online or by cheque on the bottom of this page.  If you are interested in donating in lieu of wedding favours, please contact me here, with subject line “wedding favours” so we can get the ball rolling!

If you know of any people getting married, just copy this link to send this post their way: http://bit.ly/HFTSWeddingFavours

As promised in my last post, here are 12 things you can do to get started on the journey of fighting injustice.  Are you willing to pick up your pen?

1.  Find out how many slaves work for you. Think you’re off the hook?  That slavery was abolished years ago?  Take this survey to find out your slavery footprint.  It will take about 15 minutes, and is well worth it.  The key here is to be honest. The result may shock you – let that push you to reconsider your consumer habits because lives are actually on the line.

2.  Sign three petitions. Tell the government of Canada that: (a) Canada should adopt a national action plan to fight human trafficking, (b) that you do not support the legalization of prostitution, and  (c) that Canadians who traffic people outside of the country’s borders should be prosecuted for their crimes. Get more details about these anti-trafficking petitions and send a message to your representative!  For those of you in the U.S., you can find an amazing selection of petitions here.

3. Donate your old cell phones. Have a cellphone that is broken or is collecting dust on your shelf? Phones4Freedom reuses or recycles them to help warn remote villages in impoverished countries of trafficking operations.  Find our more about this innovative anti-trafficking program and send in your phones!

4.  Watch The Candy Shop. This short film uses beautiful but haunting metaphor to demonstrate how boys get lured into the business of trafficking girls and women.  Film length is approximately 30 minutes. Watch now.

5.  Get trained. Apply to the Not for Sale Abolitionist Academy, a program in San Francisco that offers intensive one week courses that prepare you to combat human trafficking effectively.  Do you want to learn about how to investigate trafficking situations or how to provide aftercare for victims?  Here is your chance.  The cost of attending the San Francisco Academy is $300 for the 5 day session or $575 for the investigative + aftercare package.  Dates are set in May and June, get more details here.  Who knows, it might be the first step to you fighting trafficking on the front lines, like my friend Saskia Wishart.

6.  Buy or borrow a book. Here are some ideas:

• Invisible Chains: Canada’s Underground World of Human Trafficking by Benjamin Perrin
• The Natashas: Inside The New Global Sex Trade by Victor Malarek
• Half the Sky: Turning Oppression Into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Nicholas Kristof & Sheryl WuDunn.

7.  The ten minute challenge. Set a timer and give yourself 10 minutes to check out these 10 organizations, spend one minute on each.  I have a sneaking suspicion you might end up shutting off the timer and spending more time, but start with the not-so-daunting challenge of just 10 minutes. (Bonus points: make a donation to the one that resonates with you most!)

• Transitions Global
• International Justice Mission
• Walk With Me
• Ratanak
• Love 146
• EVE (Formerly Exploited Voices Now Educating)
• Sextrade 101
• A21
• Stella’s House
• Free-them

8.  Buy a greeting card. Not only do survivors of sex trafficking undergo an extensive healing process physically and emotionally, but they also have to learn some life skills.  Sanctuary Spring offers some of these young women opportunities to rebuild their lives, one greeting card at a time.  Instead of heading to Hallmark for your next greeting card, why not get it through Sanctuary Spring, where sex trafficking survivors craft these beautiful cards.

9.  Movie night. Rent, borrow, or buy TRADE or The Whistleblower. Feature length movies are a good way to see a story unfold.  Really engaging – it was TRADE that got me into anti-trafficking activism. Don’t bother making popcorn, these are tough movies to watch.  The Whistleblower should be available on DVD later this month, and TRADE has been out for a a few years already.

10.  Stop supporting the commercial sex industry. Trafficked girls and women are often used in pornography, strip clubs & massage parlours.  If you are providing demand, traffickers will keep filling supply.  Economics 101.

11.  Know the hotlines. If you are in the U.S. and want to report a tip, call 1-888-373-7888.  It is a national, toll-free hotline, available to answer calls from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year.  Watch this clip to see how important it is.  In Canada, you can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 to report a tip, and if you are a victim of sexual exploitation and need to talk, call Canada’s national hotline at 1-866-528-7109.

12.  Support Hope for the Sold. We are working on an exciting project to help prevent sex trafficking on a massive scale.  We would love your help to make that a reality.  Learn more about this project and how you can support us here.

Once you’ve tried these action steps, let me know how they went and what you learned.  Let’s make this year count!

I hope you had a great weekend and that your Christmas plans are shaping up nicely!  My weekend was absolutely amazing, as The Best Christmas 2011 was a HUGE success that completely surpassed our hopes and expectations!  I will write a post with pictures later this week to fill you in on all the exciting details.  A big thanks to those of you who came out on Friday!

Christmas is coming fast, and this week is your last opportunity to make a gift catalogue purchase to support Hope for the Sold!  We’re making a documentary about the legalization of prostitution, its connection to sex trafficking, and some hopeful alternatives that could prevent the abuse of thousands of women and children.  Here are the options once again for those of you who are interested:

25 Minutes of Film Editing: $25.00

Your gift covers the cost of 25 minutes of editing footage: cutting, dubbing, scrubbing & animating.

Transportation to a Local Screening Event: $50.00

Once the film is complete, Hope for the Sold will be going on tour to show the film at various churches, schools, and community events. Your gift helps get the show on the road, by providing transportation to a local screening event.

An Afternoon of Shooting: $100.00

Your gift of an afternoon of shooting will help cover the costs of conducting interviews and capturing footage in multiple countries, requiring audio set-up, lighting, and lots of equipment!

1 Minute of Completed Film: $1000.00

Your gift creates 1 minute of completed film: shooting, editing, audio, animation, the whole kit and caboodle!

All Canadian gift catalogue purchases are eligible for tax receipts.  Let’s work together to bring sexual exploitation to an end this Christmas season.

If you are in the Greater Toronto Area, come join us for the Best Christmas Party in Burlington Ontario on Friday, December 16!   Why are we partying?  So that through this project we can help prevent scenarios like this:

Please add your name to the guest list if you are coming (let me know here if you don’t have facebook)! Hope to see you there!

Ready for Christmas yet? Each year Hope for the Sold selects ethical gift ideas that will support victims, empower survivors, traffic-proof communities, and spark social change.  Make sure to check out the picks I’ve already highlighted, which include Christmas cards made by sex trafficking survivors and 25 minutes of film editing to support our next documentary project.

Today’s gift idea, from the International Teams Christmas Catalogue, is another opportunity to support the film that Hope for the Sold is working on.  We love to be part of preventing trafficking and believe that film is a powerful way to impact legislation, shape opinion, and change how people choose to act and live.  Our next documentary is on legalization/decriminalization of prostitution and how that is connected to trafficking, which you can learn about here.  The goal is to make a compelling film that will help prevent the exploitation of thousands.

A gift of $100 covers an afternoon of shooting footage.  This really is the most important building block of a documentary, as without footage there is nothing to work with. The plan is to film in several countries, and you can be part of making this a reality!

This is a perfect gift for friends and family members who love movies, are interested in film-making, or are passionate about fighting for justice.  You will receive an International Teams Canada greeting card that you can print off and then use to let friends and family members know that a gift has been given in their name.  Tax receipts are issued (to the donor) for all Canadian donations whether you bought a gift in your own name or on behalf of someone else.

Please check out our pitch video, and if this vision is something you track with, get started by clicking below!

If you want to support a different component of our film, you can give the gift of 25 Minutes of Film Editing ($25.00), Transportation to a Local Screening Event ($50.00), or One Minute of Completed Film ($1,000).

If you want to support the project with a random amount, you can make a donation online here or get information on where to send cheques here.  Though American donations cannot receive a tax receipt for the gift catalogue items, donations or cheques that go through the International Teams U.S. office are tax deductible – get the details here.

Let’s all make choices this Christmas season that empower the downtrodden, vulnerable, and exploited.

This weekend I had the privilege of speaking with my good friend Tara Teng at a Meeting House small group in Oakville.  After screening our documentary about sex trafficking in Canada, we had an amazing time of discussion with the group.  Three things stood out to me during out time together: First, the conversation was full of action-based solutions.  Second, the men in the group really emphasized the responsibility they had as men to end demand.  Finally, some placed importance on grassroots approaches, and others sought government and leadership initiatives.

A multi-faceted approach is definitely necessary, giving each person a unique role to play in the fight against human trafficking.  At the end of the night, we set out three petitions for the group to sign.  If we want the government to take action on this issue, we must empower them to do so.  This is the type of thing where grassroots – the voice of the people – inspires action from the “top.”

If you want to make your voice heard, here are instructions in 3 steps on how you can sign and send in petitions:

READ THE PETITIONS

Petition # 1: National Plan to Combat Human Trafficking

Currently Canada does not have an action plan to fight trafficking.  Because human trafficking is run by organized crime,  it is absolutely crucial that countries get organized and develop action plans if they are to have an impact.  MP Joy Smith has put together an anti-trafficking plan called Connecting the Dots: A Proposal for a National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking, and signing this petition will help push that forward.  Download the petition here.

Petition # 2:  Prostitution and Sex Trafficking

In Canada right now, there is a push to have prostitution completely decriminalized.  This would make buying sex totally legal – which increases demand and provides traffickers with a risk-free opportunity to provide supply. This petition seeks to decriminalize the women and offer exit programs for the ones who want to leave the trade, but criminalize the men who pay for sex.  This approach has worked in Sweden to reduce trafficking.  You can read more about this issue here and download the petition here.  You can also support our next documentary, which focuses on this debate.

Petition # 3:  Extraterritorial Offenses & Definitions

This petition seeks to amend the Criminal Code so that Canadian citizens or permanent residents who are involved in human trafficking outside of Canada’s borders can be prosecuted for their crimes.  This petition also seeks to amend the Code to ensure that the definition of exploitation in Court will be enhanced to include clear examples such as the use of threats, violence, coercion, and fraudulent means.  Law enforcement, lawyers, and prosecutors have faced challenges demonstrating exploitation in trafficking in persons cases under the current definition.  Read more about this petition here and download it here.

PRINT & FILL!

Once you have downloaded the petitions, print them & get them filled with names and signatures of friends, family, and others in your community.  Each sheet has room for 25 names.

SEND THEM IN!

Though you can send the petitions to MP Joy Smith’s office, I would recommend sending them to your local Member of Parliament with a note requesting that they present the petitions in the House.  This way, MP Smith will not be the only one presenting the petitions, but there will be a wide representation from other MPs as well, demonstrating that Canadians all across the country see this as a priority.

Let’s show our government that we are serious about bringing exploitation to and end!

***You can keep sending these in until the bills pass and become law.  I will update this message when that has happened.  Until then, continue getting signatures!  We still have a ways to go!

December is almost upon us, and we’re on a roll here at Hope for the Sold with getting you ready for Christmas!  Today’s Christmas pick is greeting card themed, just in time for Holiday hello’s to friends and family!  Check out the cool Christmas cards below, each of which was made by a survivor of sex trafficking.  Remember to make your purchase soon to ensure on-time delivery. Prices do not include shipping costs.

Set of 6 festive blockprinted cards in 3 different designs, 4.5″ x 6″, hand made from renewable resources by survivors in Nepal.

Price:  $12.00

Pop-up card opens to reveal delightful holiday scene of five Christmas trees, (outside is plain red, white set is currently unavailable). Printed and hand-dyed on renewable, natural lokta paper. Set includes 6 cards + 6 envelopes, 4.5″ x 6″. Made by Survivors in Nepal.

Price:  $12.00

Batik Wise Men

Give the perfect gift at the perfect time. Send your holiday greetings with these three wise fellows!  Sanctuary Spring Batik Wise Men card is lovingly handcrafted in the Philippines by women survivors of sex trafficking. The card incorporates a variety of handmade, recycled papers, making it environmentally sustainable, too. Includes one card with envelope.

Price:  $4.99

Contemporary Candles

Bring some light to the dark winter nights with this card. It is lovingly handcrafted in the Philippines by women survivors of sex trafficking. The card incorporates a variety of handmade, recycled papers, making it environmentally sustainable, too. Includes one card with envelope.

Price:  $ 4.99

Write a chorus of holiday well-wishing through these cheerful carolers!  This card is lovingly handcrafted in the Philippines by women survivors of sex trafficking. The card incorporates a variety of handmade, recycled papers, making it environmentally sustainable, too. Includes one card with envelope.

Price:  $4.99

Holiday card set with 6 cards and 6 envelopes. 3 Snowman collage and 3 Santa Clause collage on natural lokta paper. Size: 11 cm — 15.5 cm. Handcrafted in Nepal.

Price:  $ 10.00

Set of 8 paper cards and envelopes in 3 designs, hand-cut and printed with skeleton leaves and sequin accents, made in Nepal from renewable resources.

Price:  $12.00

Slide your way into an exciting holiday season like these fun penguins!  This card is lovingly handcrafted in the Philippines by women survivors of sex trafficking. The card incorporates a variety of handmade, recycled papers, making it environmentally sustainable, too. Includes one card with envelope.

Price:  $4.99

What a great time of year to make purchases that actually make a difference!  You can check out the full assortment of cards at Sanctuary Spring and Made by Survivors.

Did you miss the previous Hope for the Sold Christmas Pick?  Click here to find out about how you can support our documentary film project this Christmas season!

Thanks to those of you who let me know that you participated in the first HFTS gift pick of the season and sent a Christmas box to orphans in Moldova!  Today I am sharing a second Christmas pick with you – one that is super exciting to me – because Hope for the Sold is in this year’s International Teams Gift Catalogue!

As many of you know, we are currently raising funds to make a documentary about the legalization of prostitution debate and how that ties in with sex trafficking.  You can learn more about that here.

The Christmas catalogue contains several gifts that cover different portions of the film project.  Today’s highlighted gift covers the cost of 25 minutes of editing footage: cutting, dubbing, scrubbing & animating.  This is a very important part of making a film, as without it you only have hours of unorganized footage.  Though the editing process can be nit-picky and tedious, it is what makes for a professional quality film.  Seeing the segments come together to tell an important story is a very exciting part of the process!

The cost of this gift is $25.00 and is perfect for people in your life who are interested in film editing, love artistic projects, or are passionate about social justice.  You will receive an International Teams Canada greeting card that you can print off and then use to let friends and family members know that a gift has been given in their name.  Want to purchase this gift? Get started by clicking below!

Tax receipts are issued to the donor for all donations whether you bought a gift in your own name or on behalf of someone else.

Interested in supporting another component of the film project?  Check out the complete listing of Hope for the Sold catalogue gifts, which I will be highlighting on this blog over the course of the next month.  If you want to support the film without selecting an item from the catalogue, you can do so here. For those of you in the U.S., donation information can be found on the HFTS About Page.

Over the next few weeks, I will be posting several Christmas picks from other organizations as well so that we can all help bring an end to sex trafficking this Christmas season!

Michelle Brock

For the majority of us, long road trips on North American highways are gloriously interrupted by crashing at a hotel or motel when our eyes get too heavy to keep driving.  But for the 3.5 million truck drivers in the U.S. and approximately 250,000 in Canada, truck stops serve as a place to fuel up, rest up, and meet up with other truckers.  Unfortunately, truck stops also provide the opportunity to pay for sex, often with minors and victims of trafficking.  Watch below:

If you know any truck drivers, send this video their way.  You can download the wallet card here and print some off to keep yourself or to hand out. That way, truck drivers know how to identify a victim of trafficking and have a number to call if they see something happening at a truck stop.  Currently the number on the card only works for the U.S., but I hear Canada is in the beginning stages of developing something similar.  I will keep you posted!  Even so, many Canadian truck drivers drive through the U.S., so in my opinion every one of them should have this card anyway.

Check out the Truckers Against Trafficking website here.

Michelle Brock

Do you have a son? Teach him that women have value and worth.
Do you have a brother? Show him that women have dreams and ambitions.
Do you have a nephew? Give him a lesson in what it means to be a man of integrity.
Do you have a cousin? Inspire him to stand up for what’s right.

How are you passing on the message today?

Michelle Brock