31 Days to Becoming an Abolitionist {Day Eleven} Prevention - Demand Side

Hello!  This Day 11 of a 31 Day series inspired by a group of wonderful women with really fun and terrific blogs.  Their blogs (and other bloggers joining in the commitment to post about a subject for 31 days) can all be found HERE.


Prevention starts with understanding what you are preventing.  There are many, many reasons slavery still exists.  The three we're talking about are probably the most fundamental - but this is really just my opinion.  This may be oversimplifying, but again, it's a starting point.


We started with one possible reason yesterday:  It Is Profitable.  We have to work as a community with lawmakers, media, and businesses to make the risk higher than the reward.
Another reason slavery exists......

It exists because there is a demand.

What exactly is demand?  The dictionary defines it as 1) a willingness to and ability to purchase a commodity or 2) an urgent need.

In some cases, the purchaser may not realize they are purchasing slave labor.  However, in most cases they are looking for the cheapest way to meet their need.

Who is creating the demand (these are just a few examples)?

In our own world, services are purchased to meet a need.  It's no different in the world of a person exploiting an enslaved person.  These are real people purchasing others; mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, neighbors and best friends.  Their thinking becomes broken in a way that makes them believe their need or demand is more valuable than another person's life.  I can imagine for many, this was a "slow fade"; they make one bad choice and suddenly they are miles away from where they want to be.

Some of the underlying needs being met in Demanders:
- Power

- Control
- Intimacy
- Status
- Convenience
- Security (more profit for themselves or their family).  

There are legitimate ways to achieve intimacy.  There are people that have fulfilling, valuable careers as nannies, housekeepers, farmhands, and construction workers.  All of the Demanders needs can be met in healthy and legal ways that don't exploit other human beings.

Education, Awareness, and Outreach Can Eliminate the "DEMAND".

Unfortunately, to a trafficker, a perceived desire can be enough of a demand.  The trafficker is smart and greedy.  They believe there is a never-ending supply of vulnerable people.  They market these people to those that may have a need.  If a society's attitude toward slavery is apathetic or ignorant, they will find people to sell the vulnerable person to. 

One way to eliminate the demand is by shining a light on it through education and awareness.  

* Educate the demander.  Raise awareness in the common markets listed above - make sure consumers know they may be purchasing labor or services from a trafficked, enslaved person.  Define what this means for the person being sold.  Some organizations are doing this through John Schools.

* Educate the public.  The general public is still largely unaware that trafficking exists to the scale that it does.  If our society is made aware, I believe they will agree that this as completely unacceptable.  With education comes a sense of urgency and responsibility; as resources are allocated to the problem our law enforcement and government officials will begin to take more notice and prosecutions will be more likely.  Screen movies, talk to others, have garage sales, become a trainer, suggest books.

Another way is outreach.

* Provide counseling for the demander.  As I said earlier, these are all real people that are creating the demand.  We need to be open to loving them and walking through their overwhelming needs with them. I am a Christian and I believe they are ultimately trying to fulfill the same need we all have - relationship with our Father.  However, I completely understand if you don't believe the same way.  This issue needs everyone on board.

While this was long post (kind of got away from me) - I feel like it may have oversimplified the issue....  I'll try to find some good links to add with more information.

Thanks!