In today's mass media, instant-gratification world, you can search, learn or buy anything with just the click of a button. If I want to learn how to boil water I can "Google-it" or if I need to order Trump toilet tissue, I can. (Yes, I attached a link for those of you who are now curious.) My point, you can search, learn or buy anything, thanks to the internet. This is a great asset to current generations and the future, until it is used to perpetuate a criminal enterprise.
Did you realize in this time of equality and freedom, there are more slaves today than in human history? It is estimated that there are 20.9 million slaves in the world today. Did you notice that girl who wouldn't make eye contact walking down the city street last night? No. Most don't. Just another girl. But she has a pimp. Someone exploiting her body while we won't give her the time of day. How could this be? It's because the sex industry is so easily accessible, and in high demand. Bet you also didn't know Amazon is allowing their customers to purchase "How-To" books for learning to be sex traffickers. Why shouldn't they, everything else is available on the internet.
According to the FBI, human trafficking is the fastest growing criminal enterprise in the world, which means our society needs to wake up and stop fueling this crime. Putting these books
into the hands of the public gives the opportunity for sex trafficking in
multiple ways. Quite possibly, someone may not have good intentions and they are looking to become a "pimp" and learn the in's and out's of the trafficking world. However, even if someone has the best intentions to not become a pimp, but maybe wants insight for educational purposes, by purchasing the books, they are funding known criminals who write these books.
Currently, there is a petition circulating on Change.org "Amazon, please stop selling sex trafficking how-to books" that is pleading for Amazon to stop selling books written by known and jailed traffickers.This petition is 10,000 signatures away from reaching it's 50,000 signature goal. Let's not stop there though, this petition is not going to end the selling of these books all together. Margaret Mead once said, "never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." This is your call to action to make a fuss and make a difference. If we stand up to Amazon, sign the petition, share it through your social media networks, write letters and continue this conversation; we can make a change.
