First (un-published) article I wrote

(Though it didn't get published, there is obligation to share it. Sorry if it is a bit unpolished.)

Head: Anti-Human Trafficking article

Connor Haugen: Staff writer

The anti-human trafficking club helps bring awareness to our school and the community about the atrocities of sex and labor trafficking. They hold events such as the purse and jean drives, and the recent music for change.

Sex and labor trafficking are defined by the National Human Trafficking Resource Center as “a form of modern-day slavery in which individuals perform [sex or labor] services through the use of force, fraud, or coercion. [sex or labor] trafficking includes situations of debt bondage, forced [sex or labor] and involuntary child [sex or labor]. Minors under the age of 18 engaging in commercial sex are considered to be victims of human trafficking.”

The president of the anti-human trafficking club, Heally Kirk, has networked and been a part of organizing many events within the community.  She has persisted and driven her passion into her work and service such as the purse drive, where purses are filled with basic necessities and contact information for abused/trafficked women to get help.

In an interview, Heally discussed how pornography is a gateway into human trafficking, and how the porn industry is worth billions of dollars. Heally told a story about a “family in Texas that had a website called ‘babyrape.com’, where it is just explicit videos of children being raped.”  She also stated how “thousands of people would put Visas and MasterCard’s to subscribe to this stuff.  child pornography alone makes $3 billion”

How trafficking starts is men and women are approached either in chat rooms or on the street and given gifts, clothing, money, or food. After a while they are then asked if they can perform sex or labor for what they are given and are now being trafficked. Most homeless men, women or children are typically approached within 72 hours following their time on the street.

 Laurin Crosson, a woman whom Haelly has worked with, runs a blog called “Rockstarr Ministries,” though the name is being changed soon. Laurin helps people who were or are being trafficked and has been on NPR, and interviewed by a French publication called “Revolution Feministe.” Laurin opened up a safe house for victims of sex trafficking here in Utah which Heally has helped with. Laurin has known Heally for three years and has called her a right-hand woman. Heally has not only helped with painting and furnishing for the refuge, but also with picking up women from the airport to take them there.

Kaylie Stewart, a freshman music major and victim of sexual assault, helps women who have been trafficked with the music she writes. She writes her music about her experience, saying it made her feel “used, broken, powerless and tainted, [but] those cracks in our broken souls can be mended and they make us beautiful.” Kaylie has been with the club before becoming a student at UVU. She also works with operation underground, which helps children escape from Trafficking. She has also met 2 extraordinary women whom she works with to help bring awareness to the cause.

This is not only happening in your state, but the city you live in as well. This club hopes to not only bring awareness to this subject, but to help ease and care for the people abused by this terrible crime.