Human Trafficking in Indy

By Bradley Levi

Everyone’s excited about the Super Bowl coming to Indianapolis. However, what many people don’t consider is that human trafficking, the modern-day slavery that affects mainly young women, occurs not even ten miles from Marian University.

According to the U.S. Department of State, “approximately 800,000 to 900,000 victims annually are trafficked across international borders worldwide, and between 18,000 and 20,000 of those victims are trafficked into the United States.” Approximately 9.5 billion dollars are made by human trafficking and slavery, according to the FBI.

Female trafficking has become one of the fastest growing “businesses” in the world. Over two million women and girls are taken from their homes, forced to do work, serve the traffickers’ home, and have sex. Human trafficking is linked to drug trafficking, money laundering, rape, and other horrible crimes.

Human trafficking has been going on for years. It is going on right now, just weeks before the Super Bowl in Indianapolis. The FBI notes that “at this very moment 100,000 girls are being trafficked.” There are approximately 29 million sex slaves throughout the world, many here in our USA, and those who force girls and even boys into this life make millions of dollars. Trafficking increases greatly at events like the Super Bowl, which is mostly attended by men. In Germany, where the World Cup was last held in 2006 an extra barrack was built to house the men wanting the pleasure.

According to the article, Indiana states facts human trafficking law since its enactment in 2007. Smiley was found guilty of human trafficking, promoting prostitution, battery, intimidation and strangulation of a 19 year old victim and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Since then, there have been many others who have been caught doing this illegal act.

“Because I believe in and strongly up hold the dignity of each human being and abhor the greed which is ruining our country and the world, I see this inhumane practice as one to be fiercely opposed. As long as women and children are viewed as ‘things’ to make money, we will never have a world of peace and justice,” said Sr. Norma Rocklage.

The same article states that “Human trafficking is a Class C felony punishable by two to eight years imprisonment and possible fine of up to $10,000. Human traffickers are subject to asset forfeiture and a trafficker may be ordered to pay restitution.”

Danger is seen as one which many people can give energy, action, and prayer to oppose and feel in doing so, they are helping a little to make the world a better place where everyone has equal rights.

What can students do? Through the many community service opportunities available we can raise human awareness. Our mission is to ensure that everyone knows they are loved and have worth.

It would be an excellent way for Marian students to be involved and live all four of our Franciscan Sponsorship values. Simple ways of doing so include: taking time to be educated about the issue; sharing information with others; learning to detect possible signs of trafficking; being aware of groups which will take definite action (our attorney general has been working for several years to provide all kinds of professional help and security); helping as some have done to deliver packages of information to hotels /motels requesting information; delivering soap with hotline numbers to hotels/motels over the Super Bowl weekend (information is on the tables in Ruth Lilly Center), SFH hall and the Library and PRAYING. “We need to pray for the victims as well as those who are keeping them as slaves so that their hearts will be changed,” said Sr. Norma Rocklage.

The same article says that “Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller and the Super Bowl Host Committee are preparing law enforcement and other first responders to identify and respond to an anticipated increase in trafficking during the 2012 Super Bowl that will be hosted in Indianapolis. The Human Trafficking and Child Solicitation Study mandated by House Bill 1083 signed into law by the Governor May 10, 2011 established a committee to consider whether Indiana’s criminal penalty for child solicitation should be revised, or if a new criminal offence of child trafficking should be asses to the Indiana code in response to the law enforcement agencies’ wor¬ries about the growing problem of domestic minor sex trafficking.”