ATLANTA, GA — (Marketwired) — 04/09/13 — The END IT Movement, a coalition of seven non-profit organizations united to expose the reality that there are more people trapped in slavery around the world today than at any other time in history,(1) declared today, April 9, as Shine a Light on Slavery Day and the culmination of its national awareness campaign. END IT is asking everyone in America to draw a “red X” on their hands on April 9 to represent the 27 million people enslaved around the world(2) and to share this symbol virally.
The END IT Movement launched officially February 1 with a full-page ad in USA Today. The goal of the movement is to galvanize Americans from every aspect of culture — including entertainment, media, sports and faith — and challenge them to lend their voices to a synchronized global movement to stop modern-day slavery. Backed by a national network PSA and week-long advertisement in Times Square featuring America-s Got Talent host, Nick Cannon, the campaign has generated a massive groundswell of support.
“Most people think slavery ended with the Civil War, but the truth is that slavery is still very much a part of our present day,” said Bryson Vogeltanz, Chief Steward of END IT. “By drawing the red X on our hands and sharing it virally using the hashtag, #enditmovement, we can help shine a light on slavery across this nation. Awareness is not the only step to ending this global problem, but it is the first.”
END IT recognizes slavery as one person completely controlling another person, using violence or the threat of violence to maintain that control. Human trafficking, the modern-day slave trade, refers to the illegal trade of human beings through abduction, the use of threat or force, deception, fraud, or -sale- for the purposes of sexual exploitation or forced labor.(3) The U.S. Government estimates that between 14,500 and 17,500 victims are trafficked into the United States annually and there are currently 200,000 people in America who have been trafficked.(4)
END IT is a coalition of seven non-profit organizations aimed to shine a light on slavery and show the world that the practice still exists. Its members include A21Campaign, Free the Slaves, Made in A Free World, Love146, International Justice Mission (IJM), Not For Sale and Polaris Project, all of which are working around the globe to rescue, restore and prevent human trafficking. For more information about these partners, visit .
The A21 Campaign prevents trafficking through awareness, education and protection of those who have been trafficked in addition to prosecuting traffickers.
Free the Slaves helps slaves break free and stay free in global trafficking hotspots, while changing systems that allow slavery to exist.
IJM is comprised of lawyers, investigators and aftercare professionals, who work with local officials to rescue victims, prosecute perpetrators and protect the poor.
Made In a Free World provides businesses and consumers solutions to remove slavery from supply chains and uses the free market to free people.
Love 146 works to abolish child trafficking and exploitation through prevention and aftercare while contributing to a growing abolition movement.
Polaris Project is one of the leading organizations in the fight against modern-day slavery and strives to transform the way the world responds to human trafficking.
Not for Sale uses work on the ground and in mainstream supply chains and targets the root causes of slavery while equipping the movement for freedom.
Sources:
1. International Labor Organization, The Cost of Coercion Report (2009) retrieved from
2. National Association of Social Workers, Human Trafficking and Modern Day Slavery (2006) retrieved from:
3. The CNN Freedom Project, The Facts: Slavery, human trafficking definitions (2011) retrieved from:
4. National Association of Social Workers, Human Trafficking and Modern Day Slavery (2006) retrieved from:
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Charley Fitzwilliam
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Stephanie Lambrakis
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