Yesterday, January 11, was National Human Trafficking Awareness Day and, as supporters and advocates of the A21 Campaign, we believe it important to help our readers understand the importance of backing and rallying alongside anti-trafficking organizations.
Human trafficking, also referred to as modern-day slavery, is a tragic and horrific crime happening all over the world. According to statistics shared by the Polaris Project, there are currently around 20.9 million victims of human trafficking globally; 26% of these victims are children. In the USA, between 14,500 and 17,500 people are trafficked each year.
The A21 Campaign defines human trafficking plainly: It’s the illegal trade of human beings. Moreover, “it’s the recruitment, control, and use of people for their bodies and for their labor. Through force, fraud, and coercion, people everywhere are being bought and sold against their will–right now in the 21st century.”
There is hope though. More and more organizations are stepping up to raise awareness about this ongoing crisis; celebrities continue to get involved and donate their time and finances. In 2017, actor and activist Ashton Kutcher addressed Congress in a compelling and moving anti-trafficking speech. He spoke about his organization, Thorn, explaining to Congress the need for technology-driven defense to rescue children from sexual abuse. He states,
“My day job is as the chairman and the co-founder of Thorn. We build software to fight human trafficking and the sexual exploitation of children. And that’s our core mission.”
At Vukoo, we also believe in fighting this terrible crime and helping men, women, and children all over the world to find freedom and safety. We want to do our part by giving back, by raising our voices, and by standing in solidarity with those on the front line of this battle. While we may not be able to assist in raids and rescue-ops, we can certainly show our support for the organizations that orchestrate and fund these missions. That is why, for every bar you purchase, a portion is donated to the A21 Campaign, helping them in their ongoing fight to raise awareness and stop human trafficking.
To learn more about the fight against human trafficking, or to get involved, consider joining an A-Team with the A21 Campaign. You can learn more here.
