The Mexican actor Eugenio Derbez, face of the new campaign “Join the Solution” (#include the solution), to prevent and deal with the sexual trafficking of women and girls from Mexico and Latin America, sent in a new video a message inviting the Latin community of the United States to take action against this modern form of slavery that affects thousands of people, many of them minors, trapped by a semi-clandestine sex trafficking industry in the United States. Coordinated by the global organization Polaris in collaboration with Hispanic Communications Network (HCN), publicly known as La Red Hispana, the “Join the Solution” campaign includes multimedia messages on social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, as well as videos and announcements. Public Service on Radio (PSA), with the testimony of victims who shared their experience on this type of trafficking.
How can one end trafficking in persons? “We must become aware and we must also raise our voice because we do not know if one day it can happen to us and then who will watch over us?” That is part of the call and the invitation that Eugenio Derbez makes to the community to join and help spread the message. Through this campaign, Polaris seeks to sensitize the Hispanic community about the horrific reality of human trafficking, as well as provide them with the National Line Against Trafficking in Persons (1–888–373–7888) as a trusted resource that will help to anyone. According to Polaris data, 33% of victims have contact with friends or relatives who could help them.
“These women can be our cousins, friends, sisters, women and girls brought to the United States with false promises of a better life, or a better job or promises of love, but then they are forced to sell their bodies in canteens or bars , sites that we frequent, “explains Derbez in one of the videos, which will be published nationwide.
Únete a la Solución
Eugenio Derbez se une a una nueva campaña contra la trata sexual de mujeres y niñas de América Latina. Tú también #ÚneteAlaSolución.
https://goo.gl/DUpGCF
Posted by La Red Hispana on Thursday, October 26, 2017
Since 2007, when Polaris started operating the National Line Against Trafficking in Persons (1–888–373–7888), more than 4,300 victims of sexual trafficking of persons with a connection to Mexico or Central America have been identified. About 45% are women and girls, and almost half are minors, according to data from the calls.
“We have identified 25 types of trafficking in the United States through the National Line Against Trafficking in Persons and the sexual trafficking of women and girls in Mexico and other regions of Latin America is one of the most frequent, violent and organized forms of exploitation we’ve seen, “said Bradley Myles, CEO of Polaris.
“When communities are equipped to recognize the signs of sex trafficking and know that there is a reliable and free resource available to them 24 hours a day, seven days a week, it is when they can play a critical role in the fight against this crime, “said My Lo Cook, director of the Polaris Strategic Initiative in Mexico. “However, too often, people do not know that trafficking occurs in their own yard, nor that there is a National Line Against Trafficking in Persons”
The Line has received reports of 243 cases in canteen-type places and 351 cases in residential brothels throughout the US. In total, more than 36,000 cases of human trafficking have been identified nationwide. This campaign is a first step towards empowering vulnerable Latino communities to provide them with the knowledge and tools to join the solution.
Join the Solution “seeks to raise awareness among the Latino public about the criminal dimension of the phenomenon of sexual trafficking of persons and about the humanitarian nightmare of the victims, but it also offers key tools to be proactive and become part of the response of civil society to this problem.
Over several months and through links and interactive resources available on LaRedHispana.org/unetealasolución the campaign will keep open the invitation to the public to learn about the signs of trafficking and take action by calling the National Anti-Trafficking Persons Line (1 -888–373–7888), a reliable, anonymous and confidential resource operated by Polaris 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to obtain help or report possible cases.