Living in the Shadowlands of Earth, Slavery 2010
Sunday 9th May, 2010
Slavery is a fundamental violation of our dignity and is thriving in our globalised world. Like other forms of abuse in our world, slavery, especially sexual slavery, has become a part of our culture of silence. To help give voice to those who can’t be heard, and in support of those courageous individuals who have dedicated their lives to battle this outrage, I have created this 5 part journal, Living in The Shadowlands of Earth, Slavery 2010.
The Art2Healing Project is founded by visionary art therapist Lydia Tan. I met Lydia when she participated in programs with me some years ago. In support of her work with trafficked women and children in Asia, I am presenting an overview of her organisation and what they do as the first entry, The Art2Healing Project.
If you are moved by what she does please visit her website and go to volunteers and donations to learn how you can help, even from home.
The second entry, Breaking the Culture of Silence, is about a courageous Indian woman, Sunitha Krishnan, who has formed prajwalaindia.org and to date she has rescued more than 3,200 girls, some as young as three and four years old. Her stories are some of the most heart wrenching I have ever heard, her message is compelling.
Combating Modern Slavery, entry 3, is about Kevin Bales and the organisation Free the Slaves. Focusing through the economic lens the organisation reveals chilling facts about slavery and globalisation, including the legacy we are creating with our human rights and the destruction of our environment.
What I have written about both Sunitha and Kevin is based on talks presented at the 2009 & 2010 TED conference.
The 4th entry, The Grey Man, is dedicated to an Australian organisation that operates commando style, to rescue children and place traffickers in the hands of the authorities, as well as providing programs of support in villages where children are at a high risk of being trafficked.
Part 5 features Maiti Nepal, an organisation that operates across multi levels, from rescue, to border patrol, to education, after care in shelters, awareness raising programs, political activism and very importantly, seeding ideas for other anti slavery movements to get started with projects that are needed. To highlight the power of how things can happen, how others actions can inform and inspire, I have also included the story of another organisation that came about as a result of Maiti Nepal and the movie, The Day My God Died. The Emancipation Network is a not for profit that has created an amazing business for survivors, providing healing, training and ongoing support, and works in partnership with 18 anti trafficking shelters in 9 countries including Nepal, India and the Ukraine. The way they have structured the organisation also creates ongoing opportunities to continue to raise awareness about the issue of human trafficking.
One of the greatest contributing factors to slavery today is ignorance.
Part 1: The Art2Healing Project
Every year over one million people, mostly women and children, are trafficked around the world. Trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings and is the fastest growing criminal industry in the world. Through abduction, the use of threat or force, deception, fraud or sale, for purposes of sexual exploitation or forced labour, servitude or slavery, the world of trafficking has tendrils everywhere. Australia is listed in the top ten destinations for trafficked people. The total revenue for trafficking in persons is reputedly between US$5 billion and $9 billion. The United Nations estimates that nearly 2.5 million people from 127 different countries are being trafficked around the world (Wikipedia).
Slaverymap.org suggests a chilling 27 million live in bondage today.
Visionary Melbourne art therapist Lydia Tan has created The Art2Healing Project to work with survivors of trafficking and their social workers. At the heart of the project are programs dedicated to assisting and empowering individuals at risk, particularly women and children who are victims of trauma caused through human and sex trafficking. The Project provides psychological support, education and growth through the creative arts therapies and awareness based practices such as yoga and meditation. The main focus is to work with women and children who have been raped and exploited, and are suffering severe trauma, as well as to provide a powerful complimentary training for the trainee social workers.
Sex workers, especially children and women from vulnerable backgrounds, are pushed or lured into the trade by numerous and complex reasons such as poverty, well organised crime rings, inadequate law enforcement and the breakdown in family and community support systems. This is compounded for girls by their low status. In the brothels, victims are subjected to physical, emotional and psychological abuse and torture. After being raped many believe that they have bad karma and that the only way to redemption is by supporting their families through prostitution.
The objectives of The Art2Healing Project aim to empower women and children through creativity and awareness practices and, by providing creative and practical tools, to facilitate change and growth, inspiring and guiding them to honour and reclaim their bodies and their lives.
Lydia and the Art2Healing Project require on going support to continue this vital humanitarian work. There are a small core group of dedicated volunteers and the Project always welcomes new volunteers who can help in various capacities both from home and in the field. Funding is also an on going concern.
Through The Art2Healing Project Lydia has developed The Women's Empowerment Projects in Cambodia, the Thai-Burma Border, Japan, Laos PDR, Nepal, Mongolia and Korea. Forging connections with grass roots local organisations and caregivers in these locations who provide rehabilitation, education and care to the victims of trafficking but who are lacking adequate resources, support and training, Lydia is establishing relationships of trust and hope. The Projects aim is to work with both victims and trainee social workers - often survivors of trafficking themselves, with a focus on the healing and re education of trafficked women and children who suffer from a range of emotional, psychological and behavioural problems due to trauma, grief, loss and sexual abuse. The Projects also have a profound importance in expanding the capacity and support systems for the social workers.
The current focus of the Project is in Laos PDR and Nepal. The Nepal project is in desperate need of funding if it is to continue.
Art2Healing has established a partnership with the Nepalese grass roots anti trafficking organisation Shakti Samuha and has a series of 4 workshops planned for 2010, the first of which was run in March.
Through the training, I have learnt how to understand myself, my body, how
to help myself and how to help other women too.... The training has built up
my capacity, and has also built up my confidence in myself and my abilities...
I also had the opportunity to express my pain and grief. The training will help
me to provide counseling to other women and trafficking survivors.
Nepalese Trafficked Survivor 2008.
Please visit the website to read more, including stories and examples of the artwork produced during the workshops.
A very interesting read and a great post alltogether. thanks for sharing this information.
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Elaine
17 August 2011
It was a wonderful chance to visit this kind of site and I am happy to know.
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