Welcome to the January 2010 Edition
IN THIS ISSUE BOOK OF THE MONTH
The Slave Next Door: Human Trafficking and Slavery in America Today Most Americans believe that slavery in our country ended with the Emancipation
Proclamation. They are wrong. As Kevin Bales and Ron Soodalter document in
this excellent volume, human bondage is a reality for thousands of children,
women and men living in the United States. The Slave Next Door exposes slavery
in today’s America in all its forms, and sounds a call to arms to government,
corporations and private citizens alike. POLITICAL ACTION FORUM Trafficking of Women and Children
Slavery is a form of human bondage, of forced labor in which humans are treated as the property of others. Slaves are held captive against their will and are deprived of basic human rights. This definition of slavery is aptly applied to the present day crime of human trafficking. Human trafficking is a form of modern day slavery and is one of the world’s most depraved criminal practices. It involves victims who are forced, defrauded or coerced into labor or sexual exploitation. The U.S. State Department estimates that 600,000 to 800,000 victims are trafficked annually across international boarders. (1) Approximately 80 percent of these victims worldwide are female and 50 percent are children. (2) Some 14,000 to 17,000 of these victims are believed to enter the United States each year. (3) These figures do not include the estimated 200,000 incidents of sexually exploited U.S. children within our own borders. (4) Certainly, a large number of men are coerced or forced into forms of labor exploitation such as migrant agricultural work, restaurant work, janitorial or factory work. Human traffickers, however, prey mostly on women and children, forcing them to work as prostitutes, in sweat shops , in domestic servitude and in sex entertainment. Women are trafficked into the United States from Asia, Central and South America, Russia and other Eastern European countries. Desperate women and girls are lured into this country with promises of a new life, marriage, education or gainful employment. Once in this country, their passports, visas or other identification documents are confiscated. (5) They are isolated from the public, and, should they try to make outside contact with authorities, they are threatened by their captors with imprisonment or deportation for immigration violations. Any monies earned through their forced labor are held for “safe keeping”. The majority of American victims of trafficking tend to be runaways or “throwaways,” young people who are recruited by pimps and traffickers on the streets or at bus stops for the purpose of commercial sex exploitation. Often they are abandoned or come from abusive homes. Still others are victims of forced abductions, pressure from economically deprived or drug addicted parents, or deceptive agreements between traffickers and parents. (6) Victims are moved far away from their homes and any support networks. It is estimated that one-fifth of these children are forced into nationally organized crime networks. The average age of girl victims at first involvement is 12 to 14. (7) It is extremely difficult to identify victims of trafficking because they are closely guarded by their captors. Often the child victim becomes dependent on her trafficker and views him as her protector and, therefore, no longer sees herself as a victim. Law enforcement officers and others trying to help are perceived as enemies. The federal government through the Department of Justice and the Department of Labor has made concerted efforts to combat this horrendous crime. Congress passed The Victims of Trafficking Act in 2002 to address these issues. In 2003, The Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act shifted a greater amount of responsibility to law enforcement. (8) The law was redefined again in 2005 to authorize new funds and the additional tools necessary to combat this crime worldwide. Today the federal government has furthered these efforts by allocating nearly $25 million for domestic programs to promote anti-human trafficking task forces across the United States. Human trafficking is a multi-dimensional threat as it deprives victims of their basic human rights, is a global health risk and fuels the growth of organized crime. If you wish to learn more about this issue or would like to get involved in combating human trafficking, see the suggestions listed below. TAKE ACTION Read:
Bales, Kevin & Soodatter, Ron, The Slave Next Door: Human Trafficking and Slavery in America Today, 2009. Batstone, David, Not For Sale: The Return of the Global Slave Trade – And How We Can Fight It, 2007. Skinner , Benjamin, A Crime So Monstrous: Face to Face with Modern day Slavery, 2008. Get Involved: Donate: Footnotes: The Laconneau Sentier de Vermont ONLY FOUR SPACES LEFT!!! This February, we will once again offer The Sentier de Vermont, a full residential retreat at the beautiful Fox Creek Inn at Chittenden in the heart of Vermont’s Green Mountains from Sunday, February 21 to Saturday, February 27. The Inn will be closed to all other guests during the period of our stay. Each day will start with a group meditation followed by breakfast. The group will then meet for teaching until midday. Afternoons will be spent either hiking or visiting some of the interesting local sites. The group will meet again for an evening meditation before dinner. After dinner for those interested there will be group discussions and traditional music, should the mood take us. For those of you unfamiliar with it, there will also be instruction in voie d’épée, Laconneau’s own traditional form of exercise. Retreat Fee: $1990.00 Accommodation: will be two people sharing. (Limited Single occupancy is available for a small supplement on a first come basis.) All rooms are fitted with private bathroom and shower. Meals: Dinner and breakfast are included in the fee. All food will be in keeping with Tradition dietary rules. For information or to make a reservation: Please contact Alex at (770) 235-5447 or alex@laconneau.org. As space is limited to twelve people, a deposit of $500.00 is required at time of booking. All reservations will be on a first come basis. SENTIER DE LA MADELEINE
The Laconneau Sentier de la Madeleine March 20 – March 27, 2010
After the death of Yeshua, did Mary Magdalene really flee from Jerusalem to travel to Southern France with her sister Martha, her brother Lazarus, Joseph of Arimathea, and other disciples, to work and preach among the people of Gaul, and eventually to found the Celtic Church before supposedly retiring from public life to spend the last thirty years of her life in a hermit’s cave in the mountains of Ste. Baume? Is there any evidence to support the popular theories and legends behind the life of this mysterious woman? What was it about this mysterious woman that led her followers, Cathar and others like them, to die in their thousands during the holocaust of the Albigensian crusade rather than deny their faith and belief? Join with us as we travel through the magnificent country of Southern France to make a spiritual journey back in time to explore this fascinating legend, and attempt to find answers to some of these questions. Marvel with us as we seek to understand the wondrous power of this extraordinary yet enigmatic woman who left behind such a rich spiritual heritage, and yet with whom history has dealt so harshly, and with such premeditated injustice. Pilgrimage Fee: $2900.00 Accommodation & Meals: Bed and breakfast are included in the pilgrimage fee. All prices are based on double occupancy. Single supplements may be available on request. For information or to make a reservation: Please contact Alex at (770) 235-5447 or alex@laconneau.org. Space is limited to ten people. A deposit of $1000 is required at time of booking. All reservations will be on a first come basis. REGIONAL NEWS
France News: News from the Carolinas: The Greenville Circle has monthly book reviews, film screenings, meditations, and community meals. Through these efforts, we continue to build a community of strong women dedicated to changing themselves and the communities in which they live. All women who are interested in learning more about our activities are invited to attend. For more information, please contact Elaine at carolinas@laconneau.org. Georgia News: The Georgia circle offers meditation groups in Marietta, North Decatur, East Decatur and Gainesville on an ongoing basis. Please check the Georgia calendar for specific dates and times. The Georgia Circle continues to welcome all women who desire to work together to heal our communities, our country, and our world. Please contact Deb at Georgia@laconneau.org for additional information regarding courses, Women’s Circles and Georgia Laconneau events/activities or call her at 770-718-6078. Pennsylvania News: The Philadelphia circle welcomes all women to our classes, meditations, and film screenings as we continue to build a strong foundation for this community of women. The only way to bring balance back to our world is through empowering women. To bring true feminine values back to this world, each woman must find the strength that lies within her own heart to stand up for everything she knows to be right. If you would like to attend any events or if you would like more information, please contact Anna at Pennsylvania@laconneau.org. Washington, DC News: This month’s film screening and dinner is scheduled for Friday, January 22 at 6:30PM. The featured film is Pray the Devil Back to Hell, which documents the story of a Liberian woman, Leymah Gbowee, who inspired other women to band together in a nonviolent grassroots movement to bring an end to the bloody war that was destroying their country. The New York Times calls the film, “uplifting, disheartening, inspiring, enraging.” FRANCE: Upcoming Events
Saturday, March 20 to Saturday, March 27, 2010 GEORGIA: December Events
Monday January 4, 2010 Wednesday January 6, 2010 Sunday January 10, 2010 Monday January 11, 2010 Friday January 15, 2010 Sunday January 17, 2010 Monday January 18, 2010 Tuesday January 19, 2010 Monday January 25, 2010 Sunday January 31, 2010 Georgia Calendar Online: http://www.laconneau.com/CalendarAtlantaGA.html Georgia Region Coordinator: Deb - georgia@laconneau.org NORTH CAROLINA: December Events
GREENVILLE, NC Thursday, January 7, 2010 Friday, January 8, 2010 Friday, January 15, 2010 Saturday, January 23, 2010 Sunday, January 24, 2010 Saturday, January 30, 2010 ASHEVILLE, NC Friday January 15, 2010 Saturday January 30, 2010 North Carolina Calendar Online: http://www.laconneau.com/CalendarGreenvilleNC.html Carolinas Region Coordinator: Elaine – carolinas@laconneau.org PENNSYLVANIA: December Events
Monday, January 4, 2010 Wednesday, January 13, 2010 Thursday, January 21, 2010 Thursday, January 28, 2010 Philadelphia Calendar Online: http://www.laconneau.com/CalendarPhiladelphiaPA.html Philadelphia Region Coordinator: Anna - Pennsylvania@laconneau.org SOUTH CAROLINA: December Events
Thursday, January 14, 2010 Thursday, January 28, 2010 South Carolina Calendar Online: http://www.laconneau.org/CalendarSC.html Carolinas Region Coordinator: Elaine – carolinas@laconneau.org WASHINGTON, DC: December Events
Sunday, January 3, 2010 Friday, January 8, 2010 Saturday, January 9, 2010 Sunday, January 10, 2010 Friday, January 15, 2010 Friday, January 22, 2010 Saturday, January 30, 2010 Washington, DC Calendar Online: http://www.laconneau.com/CalendarWashingtonDC.html Washington, DC Region Coordinator: Lorely - dc@laconneau.org CONTACT LACONNEAU In France: Jehanne - jehanne@laconneau.org In California: Alex - alex@laconneau.org In the Carolinas: Elaine - carolinas@laconneau.org In Georgia: Deb - georgia@laconneau.org In Pennsylvania: Anna - pennsylvania@laconneau.org In Washington, DC: Lorely - dc@laconneau.org Contact Information Online: http://www.laconneau.com/Contact.html Laconneau Newsletter Archive: http://www.laconneau.com/NewsletterArchive.html Please visit our website, http://www.laconneau.org, for the complete calendar, further articles, Laconneau’s history and additional information. You are receiving this newsletter because you attended a Laconneau course or seminar. If you would prefer not to receive the monthly newsletter, please email Alex at alex@laconneau.org to request removal from our mailing list.
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