U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder gave a speech on human trafficking this week, covered by NPR. He mentions that among the human trafficking cases that come across his desk, more than 40% involve children. Check out this radio piece and what the US Department of Justice is doing to curb this crime.

In his April 1st column, Nicholas Kristof describes Backpage.com’s connection to the commercial sexual exploitation of children and calls for holding the owners of this site accountable. The website Change.org has also created a petition, requesting that Village Voice Media shut down the adult section of Backpage.com. Each day there are more and more ways to get involved in the anti-trafficking movement – via advocacy, education, service, and philanthropy.

Stay tuned for more information on Free Austin 2012 to join ALLIES in demanding zero tolerance for exploitation and slavery in Austin.

NEXT ALLIES MEETING:

Date:  Saturday, March 31st

Time:  1:00pm – 3:00pm               

Place: Space12, 3121 E. 12th St.

Program:

• Learn from Coalition member and Allies partner, Casa Marianella
• Hear about volunteer opportunities
• Get the ball rolling on Free Austin 2012!

Join us to support a local documentary film project, Trade In Hope, as they showcase live music and a sneak peak of their short film. The film emphasizes survivor voices and local solutions, and features several Allies members.

Join UT-Austin’s Institute on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault in welcoming author and activist Rachel Lloyd talk about her new book Girls Like Us – a deeply moving story by a survivor of the commercial sex industry who has devoted her career to activism and helping other young girls escape “the life.”

March 8th at 7:30 pm

Utopia Theater

The University of Texas at Austin’s School of Social Work

1925 San Jacinto Blvd. (near corner of MLK and Trinity)

This event is free and open to the public. No RSVP is required.

PARKING: Visitor parking is available at UT’s Trinity and Manor garages, near the School of Social Work for $6 (up to 2 hours). There is also curbside metered city parking along Trinity and Red River near the School of Social Work. The School of Social Work is also accessible using Cap Metro buses (#1, #5, #7, #20, #101).

Nicholas Kristof: Stories of Survival and Courage From the Fight to End Human Trafficking

Monday, February 13  at 7 pm

Auditorium of the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum

Writing for the New York Times, Nick Kristof has travelled the globe to document the ongoing traffic of women and girls sold into sexual slavery. Through his Pulitzer Prize-winning column, Kristof has introduced readers to heroes fighting to end human trafficking, including survivors who have become activists themselves.

This event is free and open to the public. No RSVP is required. For more information, visit http://www.utexas.edu/cola/progs/plan2/ or call 512-471-1442.

The LBJ Library is located at 2313 Red River Street on the UT campus.

NEXT ALLIES MEETING:

Date:  This Saturday, February 4th

Time:  1:00pm – 3:00pm

Place: Space12, 3121 E. 12th St.

Program:

• Reconnect after the holidays

• Drop off in-kind donations for “Alexis”

• Get updated on activism/volunteer opportunities and coming events

• Presentation and Q&A with representatives from Lifeworks and Refugee Services of Texas, two Coalition members

HOLIDAY GATHERING

 

Join us at 5:30 pm on December 9th at Food Heads Cafe at 616 West 34th Street, for an informal gathering of ALLIES members.

 

This is an opportunity to get together informally with the ALLIES network to celebrate the community we’ve created together. It is also a time to build support for the Austin families who have survived slavery and exploitation. Please consider making an in-kind donation (HEB or Target gift cards in any amount) or tax-deductible cash donation. This is a tangible way you and your network can make a difference in the lives of Austin survivors.

Make checks out to Austin Community Foundation with ALLIES against Slavery in the memo line. Checks and gift cards can be mailed to ALLIES against Slavery, P.O. Box 684284, Austin TX 78768-4284 or brought in person to the Dec. 9th gathering.

The TVPA or Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 serves as the framework for much of the anti-slavery work in the United States today. It is coming up for reauthorization. Learn more about it and take action by contacting your elected officials.

 

ATEST is the Alliance to End Slavery and Trafficking and is made up of prominent human rights groups. Learn more about ATEST and the TVPA reauthorization here and here.

Free Austin is a community initiative coordinated by ALLIES Against Slavery. In strategic partnership with other local organizations and activists, we are working at one goal – to end human trafficking.

The first annual Free Austin event is a month-long campaign against human trafficking and will be held during September. Numerous events have been coordinated throughout Austin to raise awareness about human trafficking and educate the community on how to get involved. From movie screenings and panel discussions, to family-friendly walks and live concerts, Free Austin gives everyone an opportunity to deepen their knowledge about this global epidemic.

Join us for the FREE AUSTIN KICK-OFF EVENT on September 13th at 9:45 am at the Texas Capitol.

To learn more about human trafficking and local efforts, visit www.freeaustin.org.

Like us: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Free-Austin/225646907477817

Follow us: http://twitter.com/#!/freeatx