Slavery is a subject none of us wants to think about - it is an abhorrent part of world history.  But unfortunately, slavery has not been eradicated - human trafficking persists.  An especially horrific form of slavery, sexual slavery is going on right in your own backyard.  Underground networks of international thugs make millions of dollars exploiting human cargo; the sex trade involves kidnapping, rape, and physical abuse.   Thousands of men, women, and children from around the world are brought into the country, often illegally, and forced into indentured slavery, sexual slavery, and abuse.

The statistics are staggering; various reports approximate that more than 18,000 foreign nationals are brought into the United States and forced into the sex trade every year.  Our State Department states that 80% of the sex slavery trade is made up of women and children.

The world of trafficked people is filled with horror; sadists, drug addicts and violence.  And it's not just happening 'over there.'  It's here.  We need to break the slave trade, by exposing it for what it is, and offer help and safety to its victims, and one student group at a high school in Los Angeles is trying to do just that.  Several students in my daughter's senior class have banded together to advocate against sexual slavery by forming an alliance, " Crossroads School against Trafficking Activism Club."  To raise awareness about this terrible crime and the plight of sexual slaves, the students have arranged to show a special screening of the film TRADE; a thrilling story of courage that exposes one of the world's most hideous crimes.

Raising awareness about sexual slavery is the first step.  Then we need to raise our voices and do something about it.