Monday, September 13, 2010

A Great Place to Start : Trafficking & Prostitution Reconsidered by Kamala Kempadoo

A few months ago I made one of the best decisions as a Sex Workers Right's Advocate I could have made. I took the advice of friend and blogger iamcuriousblue and bought a book called Trafficking and Prostitution Reconsidered by Kamala Kempadoo from Amazon.com.

Book Summery

Trafficking and prostitution are widely believed to be synonymous, and to be leading international crimes. This collection argues against such sensationalism and advances carefully considered and grounded alternatives for understanding transnational migrations, forced labor, sex work, and livelihood strategies under new forms of globalization. From their long-term engagements as anti-trafficking advocates, the authors unpack the contemporary international debate on trafficking. They maintain that rather than a new 'white slave trade,' we are witnessing today, more broadly, an increase in the violation of the rights of freedom of movement, decent employment, and social and economic security. Critical examinations of state anti-trafficking interventions, including the US-led War on Trafficking, also reveal links to a broader attack on undocumented migrants, tribal and aboriginal peoples, poor women, men and children, and sex workers. The book sheds new light on everyday circumstances, popular discourses, and strategies for survival under twenty-first century economic and political conditions, with a focus on Asia, but with lessons globally.
From the Publisher
Contributors: Natasha Ahmed, Vachararutai Boontinand, Lin Chew, Melissa Ditmore, John Frederick, Matthew S. Friedman, Josephine Ho, Jagori, Ratna Kapur, Phil Marshall, Jyoti Sanghera, Susu Thatun


This is an A-MAZ-IN book and anyone who wants a better perspective on Prostitution and Human Trafficking then the propaganda the media, politicians, and the abolitionist feminists have to offer should definitely invest in it.


I have found it not only informative but following the work of the people who contributed to this book has lead me to many great resources. The other night I picked a name at random-Jyoti Sanghera-from the book and just googled it. Low and behold I was lead to a gold mine of corroboration for the views I and my fellow Sex Workers Rights Advocates have been presenting on YouTube in the form of transcripts and Audio from the Symposium on Human Trafficking by the Council on Foreign Relations.


I then made the following video proving that anyone telling you they know the whole story when it comes to human trafficking is a liar.






Thanks iamcuriousblue.

May the force be with you...always.

(nerd laugh fades to silence)

2 comments:

  1. A very sobering video. The questions it made me ask myself is:

    (a) there's trafficking of men and boys? for what purpose? (say, work as slave laborers in farms?)

    (b) what about trafficking for sectors other than the sex industry? Is there anyone doing something about it? Is there a web site on 'slave labor' in general (not just sex work)?

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  2. @Asehpe

    Funny you should ask. My latest video mentions it as does my blog post "Trafficking you DON'T hear about."

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