Lured to the United States with the promise of a better life, many women find themselves exploited against their will instead.
To stop the abuse and exploitation, the Center for the Women of New York (CWNY) will ask local newspapers to remove the advertisements of businesses subtly involved in such perversions.
“The problem of sex trafficking is horrendous and we need to focus on what we as citizens – particularly women – can do,” said Ann Jawin, founder and chair of the CWNY. “You’re looking at your little league statistics and are a page away from these advertisements.”
An estimated 17,500 foreign nationals become victims of sex trafficking each year in the United States and another 244,000 U.S. citizens are exploited, according to a report by the National Human Trafficking Resource Center.
Queens has gained notoriety as a gateway for this exploitation due to its two international airports and its diversity of cultures.
At Borough Hall on Wednesday, April 7, Jawin explained that some community newspapers advertise massage parlors, escort services and spas, which at times have blatant messages. In other cases, women hired as waitresses, nannies and hotel workers end up abused, with their passports withheld.
The CWNY plans to send an informative letter to mainstream and ethnic newspaper publishers along with a request to sign a pledge to refuse ads in print and online that cater to the victimization or exploitation of women.
To report a suspected case or to provide information, call the Human Trafficking Resource Center at 888-373-7888 or visit www.nhtrc.polarisproject.org.
