Deborah Gibbs recently wrote a compelling opinion piece for The Hill in honor of Human Trafficking Awareness Day. Gibbs reminds us that U.S. law defines trafficking as labor, or the exchange of sexual acts, for something of value – under the conditions of force, fraud, or coercion. “Trafficking” refers to the act of buying and […]
Farmworkers Legal Services is a legal aid office that protects migrant and seasonal farmworkers throughout the state of Michigan. They have sounded the alarm on a dangerous new precedent in Michigan law which threatens the safety and dignity of piece-rate hand harvesters in Michigan who are at risk of exploitation. Below is an excerpt from […]
When we know better we do better. When we perpetuate myths about human trafficking we harm victims. This post is the first in a 3 part series that seeks to dispel some common myths about human trafficking that are frequently stated but always wrong. Myth #1: Human Trafficking = Sex Trafficking Truth: The phrases […]
As the Promoter of Justice for the Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids, I am charged with organizing my efforts and those of our Sisters, Associates, and friends around several justice issues including immigration, care of earth, human trafficking and others, while keeping in mind the root causes of racism, poverty, and violence. As I write […]
I wanted a pedicure before I left on my trip, but had forgotten to make an appointment at my regular nail salon. I decided to try a walk-in nail salon instead. The storeowner looked up as I entered and asked me how he could help. I responded I would like to get a pedicure. He […]
From the moment we are born, we begin to learn. What and how we learn changes over the months, days and years. We go from learning how to count on our fingers, to singing the ABCs, to learning how to add and subtract. As we age and our interests mature from Looney Tunes to Leo […]
Earlier this year while driving within our great state of Michigan, I saw the slogan ‘Save Money. Live Better.’ on the truck trailer of a large retailer. The slogan really bothered me because I just kept thinking, “What does that mean?” Is this what we have come to in the U.S. – saving money makes […]