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02-04-2013, 06:30 PM
http://ht.ly/hkwTW
Super Bowl is 'single largest magnet for sex trafficking, child prostitution in US
http://media2.newsnet5.com//photo/2013/01/31/HumanTraffickingWEB_20130131172733_320_240.JPG
CLEVELAND - There's much more to the Super Bowl than the rivalries, food and beer, or the fact it's the most watched television show of the year.
The Super Bowl (http://theresurgence.com/2012/02/02/sex-trafficking-at-the-super-bowl) is "the single largest human trafficking incident in the U.S.," explains Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/soraya-chemaly/super-bowl-sex-trade_b_1198168.html)
Experts say huge sporting events like the Super Bowl are targets for sex traffickers (http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/2011-01-31-child-prostitution-super-bowl_N.htm) because there are so many people, so many things happening, that traffickers and their victims become hidden in the crowds.
"It's not so much that you become a victim at the Super Bowl, but that many victims are brought in to be used for all the men at the Super Bowl," explained Stephanie Kilper, a representative for Operation Freedom Taskforce in Akron, an organization which aims to end the fastest growing criminal industry in the world.
A study by Traffick911, in conjunction with law enforcement, monitored the 2011 Super Bowl online escort ads. They found such ads increased steadily from 135 on a Saturday in mid-January to 367 on the Saturday before the Big Game.
Even worse, during the 2009 Super Bowl in Tampa, the Florida Commission Against Human Trafficking estimated that "tens of thousands of women and minors" (http://jezebel.com/5711322/super-bowl-sundays-sex-trafficking-underbelly) were trafficked in the Miami area, according to reports. One human trafficker was arrested and jailed for selling a 14 and 18-year-old for $300 as "a Super Bowl special." (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-w-whitehead/sex-trafficking-super-bowl_b_816618.html?)
The HuffPost reported (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/03/super-bowl-sex-trafficking_n_2607871.html?utm_hp_ref=impact) as of Friday, there have been eight human-trafficking related arrests in New Orleans and five women rescued.
Being aware of the problem and knowing that it's happening so you can keep your eyes open about what's going on around you are the first steps in helping end the criminal activity.
"Then, pray and give. Prayer is such a powerful way to combat trafficking. It accomplishes more than one might think," Kilper said. "And give. Give to the organizations that are fighting human trafficking. They have the ability to go in and save these men, women and children. But they need the funds to keep their organizations going."
Super Bowl is 'single largest magnet for sex trafficking, child prostitution in US
http://media2.newsnet5.com//photo/2013/01/31/HumanTraffickingWEB_20130131172733_320_240.JPG
CLEVELAND - There's much more to the Super Bowl than the rivalries, food and beer, or the fact it's the most watched television show of the year.
The Super Bowl (http://theresurgence.com/2012/02/02/sex-trafficking-at-the-super-bowl) is "the single largest human trafficking incident in the U.S.," explains Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/soraya-chemaly/super-bowl-sex-trade_b_1198168.html)
Experts say huge sporting events like the Super Bowl are targets for sex traffickers (http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/2011-01-31-child-prostitution-super-bowl_N.htm) because there are so many people, so many things happening, that traffickers and their victims become hidden in the crowds.
"It's not so much that you become a victim at the Super Bowl, but that many victims are brought in to be used for all the men at the Super Bowl," explained Stephanie Kilper, a representative for Operation Freedom Taskforce in Akron, an organization which aims to end the fastest growing criminal industry in the world.
A study by Traffick911, in conjunction with law enforcement, monitored the 2011 Super Bowl online escort ads. They found such ads increased steadily from 135 on a Saturday in mid-January to 367 on the Saturday before the Big Game.
Even worse, during the 2009 Super Bowl in Tampa, the Florida Commission Against Human Trafficking estimated that "tens of thousands of women and minors" (http://jezebel.com/5711322/super-bowl-sundays-sex-trafficking-underbelly) were trafficked in the Miami area, according to reports. One human trafficker was arrested and jailed for selling a 14 and 18-year-old for $300 as "a Super Bowl special." (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-w-whitehead/sex-trafficking-super-bowl_b_816618.html?)
The HuffPost reported (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/03/super-bowl-sex-trafficking_n_2607871.html?utm_hp_ref=impact) as of Friday, there have been eight human-trafficking related arrests in New Orleans and five women rescued.
Being aware of the problem and knowing that it's happening so you can keep your eyes open about what's going on around you are the first steps in helping end the criminal activity.
"Then, pray and give. Prayer is such a powerful way to combat trafficking. It accomplishes more than one might think," Kilper said. "And give. Give to the organizations that are fighting human trafficking. They have the ability to go in and save these men, women and children. But they need the funds to keep their organizations going."