Men In The Fight Against Human Trafficking

A friend shared this call to action with me. It's worth a read:

"Gentlemen, You are needed at the state capital this Saturday at 3:00pm. And I mean needed! According to the United States Department of Justice and the United States Attorney’s Office, the Minneapolis and St. Paul metropolitan arearepresents one of the fifteen worst metropolitan areas for sex trafficking in the country. But it just
doesn’t happen in the twin cities.

This report from WCCO TV News
<http://video.minneapolis.cbslocal.com/global/video/popup/pop_playerLaunch.asp?vt1=v&clipFormat=flv&clipId1=5823164&at1=News&h1=Sex%20Trafficking%20On%20The%20North%20Shore&flvUri=&partnerclipid=>
highlights the extent of the problem in Duluth as well. The Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center released Shattered Hearts <http://www.miwrc.org/about-us-section-shattered-hearts-report> in November 2009 outlining the sexual trafficking of American Indian women and girls throughout the state. The Advocates For Human Rights
<http://www.mncasa.org/Documents/svji_facts_17_3570942294.pdf> fact sheet estimates the average age for a girl to enter into prostitution/sex trafficking in Minnesota is between 12 and 14 years old. That is the average age. A report from A Future Not a Past <http://afnap.org/research/state-counts/> indicates that in February of 2010, in Minnesota:80 adolescent girls were commercially sexually exploited through internet websites and escort services in February, 2010, 85% of adolescent girls are commercially sexually exploited through internet websites and 15% of adolescent girls are being exploited through escort services.15 adolescent girls are commercially sexually exploited in the state every day online.It is time we stop the demand for sexually exploited women and children. This is men’s
work! And all you need to do right now is show up on Saturday, at the capital, at 3:00.Please see the information below!! Thank you for caring.

We invite you to the first ever, first annual Demand Change Project, a groundbreaking event that will take place for the purpose of educating and engaging men and the general public about the issue of sex-trafficking to bring awareness to the issue, celebrate the work that is being done, honor the survivors, unite the men's and women's anti-human trafficking movements, raise desperately needed funds to help victims and end the demand for commercial sex."