JulesR's blog

The U.S. State Department recently released its 2008 Trafficking in Persons report. This document describes the efforts that 170 governments around the world are taking to eliminate various forms of trafficking in persons (including sex trafficking, child labor, and slavery) in their country.

Author: Allison

According to an article from CNN, on Wednesday, July 2, the body of Brook Bennett, a 12-year old girl from Vermont, was found. Her uncle, Michael Jacques, will face kidnapping charges and is suspected of sexually assaulting the girl. One of Brook's relatives has accused Jacques and Ray Gagnon, Brooke's former stepfather, of sexual assault. When the relative was 9, she became part of a program for sex called "Breckenridge". Jacques was her trainer and she was graded on her performance.  read more »

Society has been quick to place full blame on the women working as prostitutes in our cities. Although it is a crime, it should be understood that these women are highly exploited. Often times they are beaten, raped, drugged and trafficked into the profession against their will.  read more »

The FBI recently released an online report on human trafficking. Accompaning this story was this startling image (picture pending) showing an older white male negotiating with a Thai woman over the terrified little girl clinched to her arm. The caption read "the man left with the girl and the trafficker left with her payment" (Photo courtesy of the U.S. State Department).  read more »

April 29, 2008 - Evening Out Athens

INnocence ATLANTA partnered with the best of Athens restaurants to create the April 29th Event "Evening Out Athens". Students and members of the Athens community alike chose to support the work of INnocence ATLANTA by dining at local restaurants such as Chic-Fil-A, Bretts, Uncle Ottos, Speakeasy and Transmetropolitan. Restaurants agreed for 10% of their proceeds to be donated to INnocence ATLANTA's awareness raising campaigns.  read more »

To have a clear and concise understanding of what child sexual exploitation is and how it is effecting Atlanta, GA, please view this short video from CNN.

According to a recent AJC article, "Former wrestler to serve life for sex trafficking", Harrison Norris kept a strict list of rules that his victims had to follow, rules he called "Hardbody's 10 commandments". Some of the rules were as follows:

COMMANDMENT 1: Safety is always first. Egos are like eggs. They are going to get broken. Leave your problems in the streets. No Disrespecting.  read more »

FORMER WRESTLER SENTENCED TO LIFE
ON FEDERAL SEX TRAFFICKING & FORCED LABOR CHARGES
Ring-Leader In Human Trafficking Organization Sentenced

Atlanta, GA--Former professional wrestler HARRISON NORRIS, Jr., 42, a/k/a "Hardbody Harrison," of Cartersville, Georgia, was sentenced today to life in prison for committing multiple violations of federal sex trafficking and forced labor statutes in connection with a scheme to force women into prostitution.  read more »

A 13-year old girl has been detained by law enforcement for her involvement in a Dallas, TX prostitution ring. Allegedly, she coerced a classmate to participate in commercialized sex acts in a nearby night club. The journalistic spin on this event seems to place blame on the young girl, with this video from ABC news providing a seemingly accusatory viewpoint in regards to this young girl's involvement with the prostitution ring.  read more »

Myth 1: Prostitution is a natural expression of sexuality and necessity for inadequate sexual relationships.

This view supports a sexual myth that men have uncontrollable sexual urges that must be fulfilled. Herein lies a justification for prostitution. The juvenile prostitute is dehumanized by the implication that prostitutes serve a useful purpose as an object for sexual gratification.  read more »