Countertrafficers and those that work to help free the mind.

[thorbiorn]

There was this article April the 29th: The Countertraffickers: rescuing the victims of the global sex trade.

Most incidentally I happened to watch a documentary with a similar subject on CNN the 26-27th of April 2008 in their weekly program "World's Untold Story" transmitted at 0000-0030 (- 2 GMT).

On the link _http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/02/16/untold.stories/index.html?iref=newssearch there is a resume and links to the videos:

"You can run, but you can't hide" say the girls, who night after night sell themselves to an endless stream of men. They ply their soulless trade in filthy brothels or parked cars. This film captures first hand the violence and eeriness of life working on European streets for young African women and girls who were tricked into leaving their villages with promises of a better life. Michelle Mildwater specializes in trauma. Her exceptional sensitivity allows two women -- Anna and Joy -- to tell their horrific stories. In "Trapped: Part One" we hear their tales of life on the streets of Europe. "Trapped: Part Two" will be seen on TV at the same times next week, follows their shameful deportation home.

Each year an estimated 2 million women and children are tricked, beaten, raped and forced by threat of death into the world's growing sex industry. "Trapped: Part One" followed Anna and Joy as they helplessly resisted being forced into prostitution on the streets of Europe. In this, "Trapped: Part Two," we follow them home to Nigeria, ruined and ashamed. We also get a rare glimpse of how desperate families are tricked into giving up their children to strangers from Europe who promise them riches, then sell them as sex slaves.

(part two will be broadcast this Saturday/Sunday that is 3-4th of May 2008)

Apparently one can watch the programmes online. So far I only watched the first part on TV which made some impression; mostly because I have been in the country in which part of the filming had been done, I am also familiar with how intense African poverty can be, and knowing the difference in culture and traditions I can imagine that the suffering is very intense. Therefore when somewhere they say, that some of the people/victims are traumatized then I can believe it.

First I was thinking, that it is just an isolated issue and is irrelevant to what else is happening, but then there was this: Connecting the Dots: Shortage of Food and Signs of War; the Future is Now Now if this last scenario goes ahead, which it in fact is well on the way of doing, then there are a great number of people who might end up traumatized.

I can not help seeing a parallel betwee a person whose MIND sold itself into the ILLUSION that there always will be enough money, cheap food, energy and a stable terrestial environment and the poor African girl who sold herself unwittingly (more or less) into a situation of dependency and slavery.

There are those that delude, manipulate and control the minds of people and there are those who go one step further and forcibly control the body too. The first type traffic in minds, the second in bodies. Sadly enough the difference is much less than one might think at first, just as the treatment of the two cases eventually might not be that different. In either case if one does not recognize the problem, does not try to get free, does not try to work with others to become free, then it is very difficult.

What would be the equivalent of a "Countertrafficker" in the situation where it is the mind that is in need of freeing? I am sure there are different names, but whatever the name the person or group must be in possesion of knowledge and a desire to help others if they ask, and many don't do that.