Soroptimist International of Newcastle upon Tyne Stand up for Women against trafficking and modern day slavery. Traffickers say openly that their trade is more lucrative than drugs or arms sales because people can be sold and resold time and again.
During our 16 days of activism against violence against women Soroptimists in Newcastle upon Tyne shine a spotlight on this barbaric and pernicious trade. Some 800,000 women and children are trafficked across borders annually, many of them for sexual exploitation, as sex workers, sex slaves or for pornography
In 2016 it was estimated that 28 million women were in slavery worldwide, including forced labour, enforced prostitution or forced marriage. Women and girls account for 99% of victims in the commercial sex industry, and 58% of other sectors of forced labour.
Working for poor or no wages, kept as domestic or sex slaves, fearful to speak out against their abusers, kept imprisoned or in a country where they do not speak the language – Soroptimists stand with them. No woman or girl should be a slave in 2019.
This year, Newcastle soroptimists have supported trafficked women by providing New Start bags, activity equipment and Christmas boxes for those rescued from trafficking.