Let's Talk: Human Trafficking

Join Loop 21 on Twitter 1/29 at 1pm ET to discuss the realities of human trafficking.

January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Human trafficking may sound far-fetched and unlikely but approximately 21 million people are trafficked annually, according to the United Nations International Labor Organization. Twenty-two percent of them end up in prostitution or pornography.

The U.S. Department of State estimates that at least 600,000 women, men and children are trafficked across international borders each year—whether for involuntary sex, slavery, or labor.

Trafficking does not necessarily involve traveling from one place to the other. It is a contemporary form of slavery where individuals are coerced to perform an act of labor or service—at any age. At last September’s Clinton Global Initiative, President Barack Obama gave the longest speech on human trafficking by a sitting president since Abraham Lincoln.

It may not be the most reported on or easily seen issue, but it affects everyone and every community. Organizations like the Polaris Project have lead the global fight against human trafficking and modern-day slavery but more awareness and support is needed.

Let's talk about it! Follow Loop 21 on Twitter to join a TweetUp Tuesday, Jan. 29 at 1 p.m. EST when we'll talk about human trafficking, how it affects our communities, and how to combat it. The hashtag is #L21SexTrafficking.

Haiti: Three Years After the Earthquake

A young girl hangs clothes to dry outside the damaged National Cathedral. An estimated 350,000 people died in the earthquake on January 12, 2010. (January 2010) Andre Lambertson/Loop21

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January 12 marked three years since a devastating quake hit the island nation.

Check Out These Galleries:

Haiti Hit Hard By Tropical Storm Isaac

'Baby Doc,' Aristide and Haiti's New President Meet To Rebuild Haiti

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