International Justice Mission met with Brad Riley, Founder/CEO of iEmpathize, to discuss the important role the arts can play in raising awareness of modern-day slavery.

iEmpathize is an Arts and Advocacy non-profit created to help people learn more about, and fight against, violent forms of oppression – particularly child trafficking.

According to Riley, telling stories of hope that oftentimes go unnoticed is key.

To learn more about how you can use your creative gifts to combat modern-day slavery, please visit iEmpathize.org.

For stories of rescue and restoration, we invite you to visit ijm.org.

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).”

This week, we’re visiting two blogs that raise awareness about modern-day slavery:

The first blog is from an emerging, small business called Shift6Threads. The company’s goal is to be a force for good by supporting the work of organizations that combat modern-day slavery, including the Not for Sale Campaign and International Justice Mission.

The second blog is called, “The Truth About Polygamy and Human Trafficking,” which discusses the various issues surrounding religion, polygamy and human trafficking for sexual exploitation.

Please visit the above sites to get these bloggers’ perspectives on At the End of Slavery, and to learn more about what you can do to help combat this modern-day injustice.