Special thanks to director Andy Levine for providing this film.
The Day My God Died, April 7, 7:00 p.m.
Presentation of the film will be followed by discussion led by a Mountain Crisis Services staff member.
Every day, 2,500 women and children around the world are sold
into sexual slavery. Entering the brothels of Bombay with hidden
cameras, The Day My God Died documents the tragedy of the child sex trade, exposing human rights violations and profiling the courageous abolitionists who are working toward change.
The Day My God Died is a feature-length documentary that presents the stories of young girls whose lives have been shattered by the child sex trade. They describe the day they were abducted from their village and sold into sexual servitude as, “the day my God died.”
The film provides actual footage from the brothels of Bombay, known even to tourists as “The Cages,” captured with “spy camera” technology. It weaves the stories of girls, and their stolen hopes and dreams, into an unforgettable examination of the growing plague of child sex slavery.
Through the film we come to know victims such as Gina, sold into sex slavery at age 7 and beaten with sticks and aluminum rods. Anita, lured by a friend then drugged and sold at age 12, was beaten and threatened that she would be buried alive. Girls are gang-raped, beaten and forced to service up to 20 clients a day as they are held in perpetual sexual servitude.
The film also introduces us to the heroes of the movement to abolish child sex slavery – non-profit organizations which rescue and care for former sex slaves. Some victims have emerged to form their own underground railway out of slavery. Maili, trafficked at 19 along with her infant daughter, risks her life to help other girls. We see Jyoti, sold at age12, lead a raid on a brothel resulting in the rescue of seven girls and the arrest of two brothel owners.
Children are the commodity consumed by the voracious and sophisticated international sex trade. Recruiters capture them, smugglers transport them, brothel owners enslave them, corrupt police betray them and customers rape and infect them. Every person in the chain profits except for the girls, who pay the price with their lives. Sexual servitude is a virtual death sentence. In Bombay alone, 90 new cases of HIV are reported every hour and the girls suffer an 80% HIV/AIDS infection rate.
The Day My God Died documents the tragedy of child sexual slavery and profiles the courageous abolitionists that need our support.
Presentation of this film was made possible by a grant from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Links and Resources
Official site
What can I do? (from the official site)
Write your government reprentatives. (Below are sample letters for Maripoa-area representatives. You will have to copy and paste them into a word processing program to personalize it.)
Sample Letter to George Radanovich
Sample letter to Senator Barbara Boxer
Sample Letter to Senator Dianne Feinstein
Sample Letter to President Bush
US Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women
A comprehensive detailing of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA). (In legal-ese. See below for the English version.)
Trafficking Victims Protections Act
In understandable language from SaveASlave.com
The U.S. Department of States Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000: Trafficking in Persons Report
An excellent report on what the U.S. is doing to prevent trafficking of persons.
Trafficking in Persons Interim Assessment
From the US State Department, the most recent (2005) assessment of the government's prevention activities.
Trafficking in Politics
An article on the Bush administration's actions regarding the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA).
Organizations working to end trafficking of persons and to help its victims
Maiti Nepal
A rescue organization featured in the film
Friends of Maiti Nepal
Learn more about their work, and contribute to their cause.
International Justice Mission
An incredible organization that is working to end all forms of slavery throughout the world. (Also featured in the film)
Dawalka Foundation
he Daywalka Foundation is a US based INGO committed to ending human trafficking and modern day slavery. Daywalka builds capacity among local stakeholders to advance the rule of law and equity for women and children in South Asia.
Global Alliance Against Trafficking in Women
The Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women (GAATW) is a non-governmental human rights network comprising individuals and organizations worldwide. Since its formation in 1994, GAATW has coordinated, organized and facilitated work on issues related to trafficking in women and women's labor migration in virtually every region of the world
Coalition Against Trafficking in Women
A non-governmental organization that promotes women's human rights by working internationally to combat sexual exploitation in all its forms.
The SAGE Project
SAGE Online is the online center for The SAGE Project—Standing Against Global Exploitation. SAGE Online is the primary web resource for information about commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) of both children and adults, and the efforts to end it. SAGE Online also includes information for CSE survivors and their families.
Prostitution Research & Education
Prostitution Research & Education (PRE) is sponsored by the San Francisco Women's Centers, a nonprofit corporation. PRE develops research and educational programs to document the experiences of people in prostitution.
The purpose of Prostitution Research & Education is to organize against the institution of prostitution and advocate for alternatives to prostitution - including emotional and physical healthcare for women in prostitution.
Free the Slaves
An international anti-slavery organization founded and spearheaded by Kevin Bales, sociologist and entrepreneur, as well as author of the acclaimed book, Disposable People.
HumanTrafficking.org
Works to end sex trafficking, labor trafficking and economic sexual exploitation.
International Needs Ghana
Works to eradicate poverty, disease and oppression around the world. One of its many projects is the Trokosi Liberation Project developed to free ritual slave girls and support them in their efforts to build a new life.
WHRNet
Women's Human Rights Network provides comprehensive information and analysis on women's human rights and global issues
Articles and Resources
FAQ about sex slavery (from the official site)
Nicolas Kristof columns in the New York Times
In 2004, award-winning journalist Nicolas Kristof traveled to Asia to investigate sex trafficking. He wound up "buying" two teenage girls and sending them back to their villages to reclaim their lives. Download these interactive features. (This is a link to all of Kristof's features, so you will have to and scroll down to find them. You must register, for free, with the New York Times.)
Freeing Sex Slaves
In this op-ed special report, Nicholas D. Kristof travels to Cambodia to buy the freedom of two child prostitutes and return them to their families
Freeing Sex Slaves: A Year Later
What has happened to Srey Neth and Srey in the year since Nicholas D. Kristof purchased the freedom of the teenage Cambodian prostitutes?
Freeing Sex Slaves: Inside the Brothels
Nicholas D. Kristof examines the relationship between prostitutes and brothel owners.
Freeing Sex Slaves: Solutions
Nicholas D. Kristof describes two approaches that can save lives. This feature includes audio and video.
Spotlight on: Sex tourism
"Have you tired of the U.S. singles scene? Do you take singles vacations pumped with the fantasy of meeting women who desire discrete, pleasurable vacation interactions--only to come home disappointed and let down? B___ Men's club's [sic] adult vacations provides discrete liberal liasons with the most beautiful women in Thailand. Your B____ Erotic Vacation comes complete with a American host and Guide [sic] who will provide the introductions to your companion, and make sure that all goes well with your vacation. You will enjoy the special private company of beautiful Thai women. And you will make your choice from an incredible array of beautiful women that will satisfy even the most active imagination in one of the world's great adult travel vacation destinations for men. Complete erotic vacations with private introductions to friendly beautiful women, only $1695 for men desiring fun, pleasure, and beautiful, young, adult women companions as part of their vacation experience." from one tour company's brochure offering tours to Costa Rica and Thailand.
A Google search for "erotic vacations" turned up over 1 million hits.
Globalized Female Slavery
Brief article that makes the connections between globalization and the exploitation of women in prostitution.
International Trafficking in Women to the United States: A Contemporary Manifestation of Slavery and Organized Crime.
1999 federal report discussing rapid rise in human trafficking, especially of females, into the United States during the 1990s. (PDF)
Sex Slavery Around the World
An article from CNN.com published in 2001.
Global Sex Slavery
An article discussing sex slavery in the United States.
Sex Slaves' Slow Freedom
An article from Christianity Today about temple prostitution of children in Ghana.
Lured from Latvia, Sex Slave Tells Story
An article on sex slavery in Eastern Europe
Kosovo: Trafficked Women and Girls have Human Rights
From Amnesty International
Sex-slave Trade Flourishes in Thailand
From WorldNet Daily
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