IJM investigator with rescued victims

As you saw – or will see – in At the End of Slavery, the work of IJM’s investigators can be dangerous. But, it is a core component to IJM’s four-fold purpose:

1. Victim Relief

2. Perpetrator Accountability

3. Victim Aftercare

4. Structural Transformation

You may have further questions on the motives, fears, hopes and work of IJM’s investigators, so we would like to offer you an opportunity to go even further undercover with these brave men and women.

If you would like to hear what makes IJM’s VP of Investigations, Jeff Blom, do this dangerous and life-changing work, please click here.

If you would like to see a photo/audio slide show that highlights the work of IJM’s investigators around the world, please do so here.

Did anything you heard stand out to you? Please share your thoughts with us, below.

With over 300 screenings of At the End of Slavery and more than 13,000 people who attended, The Weekend to End Slavery was a success in helping to catalyze individuals and communities to fight against this very real injustice.

Here’s a sneak peak into two watch parties that took place over the weekend:

1. Derek Webb and wife Sandra McCracken’s watch party in Nashville, TN:

• Here’s a tweet: “RT @derekwebb: here you go RT @uglymugs: http://twitpic.com/pkg17 – People watching “At the End of Slavery” // AMAZING! Thx so much! ~DL”
• Click for a twitpic of their watch party!

2. One house party in southeast Germany:

• Click for 4 photos from the house party!

If you attended a screening of “At the End of Slavery,” what’s one new fact YOU learned about human trafficking or modern-day slavery?

Did anything said or shown in the film come as a surprise to you?

What is one way you think your community can help end slavery, TODAY?

Please share your comments with us, below.

You can also give us an inside look into the screening you attended by sending a tweet to @IJMHQ with your thoughts and photos. We’d love to get your feedback!

5. Check to make sure your TV and DVD player are working properly.

4. Prepare drinks and food of your choice beforehand, or ask friends to contribute. If you’d like a few fun recipes, please click here.

3. If you think name tags would be helpful for your group of attendees, pair these with pens in a convenient location.

2. Become more equipped and confident by reviewing the informational cards provided by International Justice Mission – pay particular attention to card numbers 1, 2, 6, 7, 8 and 9.

1. Relax and enjoy your At the End of Slavery house party experience. You can be confident your hard work and passion will be evident to all who attend!

Thank you for partnering with International Justice Mission in the movement to end modern-day slavery.

BBC – Bangalore baby allegedly rented out to beggars to net cash

“Child welfare officials are investigating the case of a baby who was reportedly rented out to beggars in the southern Indian city of Bangalore. The nanny reportedly told the parents she would ‘rent’ the baby for 100 rupees ($2) a day to beggars who attract more sympathy with an infant. She was found out when the mother came home early to find her child missing.”

NYUNews.com – Michael Bloomberg, actress Emma Thompson open ‘provocative’ exhibit on sex trafficking

“Many people know Emma Thompson as Nanny McPhee or Professor Sybil Trelawney from the Harry Potter films. But yesterday the British actress took a break from film and joined New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and NYU President John Sexton outside the Silver Center to open an art installation intended to raise awareness about sex trafficking.”

“The exhibition, titled ‘Journey,’ is installed inside seven industrial crates, set up on the south side of Washington Place. Each crate takes viewers through a range of emotions that sex slaves feel throughout their journey, ranging from hope to desperation.”

AP – US officials initiate new push against human trafficking

“Fourteen cities are being targeted in a new campaign aimed at alerting people about human trafficking, federal immigration officials have announced.”

“The ‘Hidden in Plain Sight’ initiative, sponsored by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, features billboards highlighting ‘the horrors and the prevalence of human trafficking,’ which the agency says is equivalent to ‘modern-day slavery.’”

Ria Novosti – Russia’s Federal Security Service detains 14 suspected human traffickers

“Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has detained, in cooperation with the Investigation Committee and foreign law enforcement bodies, 14 suspected human traffickers, the service reported Tuesday. The FSB said it had prevented the activities of ‘an organized criminal group that traded in humans for a long time using channels of illegal migration to Western Europe.’”

Examiner.com – Child sex traffickers sentenced to federal prison:

“Two Fort Lauderdale, Florida residents were sentenced to federal prison for running a sex-trafficking operation, disguised as an escort service, using children in South Florida, according to court documents obtained by the National Association of Chiefs of Police.”

The Malaysia Star - Stateless at greater risk of sex trafficking, slavery:

“For thousands of people living along the Thai-Myanmar border, citizenship is a major issue. So major that it could determine whether they end up being trafficked as sex prisoners, child slaves or forced labour. Every year, an estimated 1.2 million child victims are trafficked for sexual exploitation or cheap labour (ILO and Unicef).”

Human Rights Brief – IJM mobilizes supporters to pass child trafficking law:

“Approximately 1.2 million children worldwide are victims of child trafficking each year. Children are trafficked primarily for purposes of domestic labor and sexual exploitation. Although the majority of countries where child trafficking occurs have outlawed the practice, they often lack the necessary resources and training to successfully enforce their laws. This gap in enforcement has moved the International Justice Mission (IJM) to launch a new campaign to raise public awareness and advocate the passage of the U.S. Child Protection Compact Act of 2009 (CPCA).”

AllAfrica.com – Zambia president vows to end gender-based discrimination and violence, supported by IJM Zambia:

“President Rupiah Banda has described violence against women and children as the worst form of human rights violation and said the Government will do everything within its means to end the crime. … Mr Banda paid tribute to United Nations Children Fund, United States for International Development , World Vision, Care International and International Justice Mission for the support.”

Huffington Post (blog) – HRW condemns MONUC in Congo:

“In a damning and stunning statement today, Human Rights Watch (HRW) charged that the United Nations peacekeeping force (MONUC) in the Democratic Republic of Congo ‘knowingly supports abusive military operations’ by the regular Congolese Army (FARDC).”

We invite you to take a look at the Soundslides presentation below, which highlights the rescue and ongoing restoration of one formerly enslaved family.

To play, please click the triangular button to the left of the scrubber. Also, if you would like to scroll through the photos at your leisure, please feel free to use the arrows to the right of the scrubber.

Viswanathan is a young boy who, along with members of his family was enslaved in a rock quarry in South Asia where he labored under dangerous conditions.

This inhumane situation reached its tipping point when a local government official enlisted the help of International Justice Mission in order to free Viswanathan and the other slaves.

IJM investigators conducted a reconnaissance mission and determined that the facility was actually two separate but connected quarries controlled by powerful perpetrators – one formerly a state-level politician.

Avoiding a tip-off required sweeping, yet precise, simultaneous operations at both quarries. The perpetrators were dangerous, and the plan was logistically challenging, but it worked. In coordinated dual operations, IJM and local authorities rescued 13 families from slavery. Today, the families – including Viswanathan’s – live in freedom.

For more stories of hope, please click here.