The difference between human smuggling and human trafficking

Human trafficking is a modern-day form of slavery. It's a criminal business that profits from enslaving people for sexual servitude and forced labor. Victims of trafficking are subjected to force, fraud, or coercion, for the purpose of sexual exploitation or forced labor. Victims are young children, teenagers, men and women.

Many people don't know the difference between human smuggling and human trafficking, there are major differences.

Smuggling
Is a crime against the national boarders
It requires illegal crossing of the U.S. border
Smugglers are paid and their business relationship with immigrants terminates at the boarder
It can become trafficking, once a person is forced to provide labor or services

Trafficking
Is a crime against a person
It involves compelled labor or service
Traffickers may use smuggling debt as a means to control victims, even after they cross the border.

Please help stop human trafficking.

National Human Trafficking Resource Center - 1-888-3737-888


http://nhtrc.polarisproject.org/

Recognizing the signs of human trafficking

Victims of human trafficking can be found in our neighborhoods. They are living amongst us but are hard to recognize. There are two types of victims: commercial sex victims and forced labor victims.

Finding and helping victims is all about recognizing the signs and indicators. Some of the indicators of forced labor are:

People are living on their work premises
There is restricted or controlled communications and transportations
There are a large number of occupants for the living space
There is a lack of private space, personal possessions or financial records
They have a limited knowledge of the community
Security is intended to keep victims confined


Victims can be working in: domestic servitude, sweatshops/factories, construction, farming or landscaping, hotel or tourist industries, panhandling, janitorial services, and restaurant services.

Victims in commercial sex can be resistant to help because they may be physically or emotionally coerced. They may be coached to have a fear of law enforcement, a fear of deportation or a fear of retaliation. There may be indicators like injuries from beatings or self-inflicted injuries. There may be branding, scarring or tattooing to indicating ownership.

If you recognize any of these indicators please contact your local law enforcement or the National Human Trafficking Resource Center.

National Human Trafficking Resource Center - 1-888-3737-888

http://nhtrc.polarisproject.org/

Human trafficking back in the news in Los Angeles

News reports: "The LAPD seeks other victims of alleged child pimp"

www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/oct/04/lapd-seeks-other-victims-of-alleged-child-pimp/

Police say there may be dozens of victims of a man they suspect of kidnapping two teenage girls and forcing them into prostitution.

According to San Diego Deputy District Attorney Gretchen Means," human trafficking is the new crack". Gang members are jumping into the human trafficking of minors because it's safer than drugs and very profitable. Human trafficking is just behind the drug trade for profits worldwide.

Means says, "a gang member is much safer driving around with a couple of girls and a laptop in the back seat as opposed to driving around with drugs". This is a growth business for gangs and they are recruiting young women and teenagers from local neighborhoods. This is not the importation of women from other counties but children recruited from our own communities.

Children are extremely vulnerable to recruitment and victimization. They can be runaways, escaping from abusive homes. They can be homeless living on the street or just looking for work.

Minors can be recruited by other victims, friends, family, employment agencies and modeling agencies. They can be recruited on the internet, by romance or seduction and even by gang members. Children are often recruited from juvenile camps, shelters and foster homes

Raising awareness of human trafficking and the trafficking of children for the sex trade is the key to helping these children.

Don't settle for traditional time lapse, kick it up a notch

Time lapse photography is still very popular in all media from the web to broadcast networks. I have been shooting time lapse for about 20 years. Back in the day, the only way to shoot TL was with film. My 35mm Arriflex did a superb job, still hard to beat 35mm film for quality. Today I am still shooting time lapse but several years ago moved to digital. But the bigger issue is how it's done.

Traditional time lapse is one camera angle showing an event from start to finish. I am contacted all the time to provide a camera to capture an event or construction project. I usually don't do that type of work because anyone can and it's all about price.

A better approach is with a sequence of time lapse shots. I use multiple cameras and many different angles to create a story. Telling a story can be done in many ways and time lapse is a unique and exciting way. This goes beyond a couple of time lapse shots to spice up a video but telling the whole story with time lapse. Of course it's not right for every project but it can be extremely effective under the right circumstances. It can be the entire video or a part of a video, depending on the concept.

I have a couple of my projects on YouTube that show how it works. It's an exciting use of time lapse and it really kicks it up a notch adding a unique look to any project.

Decorator crabs at LEGOLAND, VNR
Model builders at LEGOLAND, VNR
Footbridge being assembled
Welcome to Barcelona - uses some TL to kick it up a notch

www.youtube.com/user/dpmikek

It's time to change the stereotypical image of human trafficking

When people think of human trafficking everyone seems to think of a cargo container full of Chinese immigrants hiding from US customs agents. This is a stereotype that we have to break. Yes people do get smuggled into the US from Asia. But the real problem is young girls who are recruited into the sex trade right here in our own communities.

Television shows about human trafficking seem to keep this stereotype alive. Hawaii Five-O, the new series on CBS Television, started the season with just such an episode. I would imagine smuggling Asians into Hawaii is probably more common than the mainland, but it keeps the incorrect image in the eye of the general public.

The more compelling issue on child sex trafficking can be found in this ABC News report on trafficking of minors in Portland.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/child-sex-trafficking-resources-victims/story?id=11700413

This report looks at young girls in the Portland sex trade, where many have been forced into lives of prostitution. They use the technique of romancing young girls to lure them into the sex trade

We have to change our thinking about these young people. They may be breaking the law and be participating in criminal behavior but in reality they are victims and we need to see them as such.

Video test of my new Android smartphone

I wanted a good test for my HTC EVO 4G smartphone and Lucy seemed like a good one. We have a standard poodle named Lucy and she is a fun dog. My wife, Lucy's mom, has done a terrific job training Lucy. To go outside she does not bark, she is training to ring a bell that hangs on the door. It's a very civilized approach to going potty. To get back into the house she is trained not to bark or jump on the door. So Lucy has taken to jumping up and down so we know she wants back in. video shot with my HTC Android smartphone

She does get airborne !!

Going for the Gold

We competed last weekend in the San Diego Senior Olympics, I won two bronze medals and my wife Shannon won a gold medal. We compete with precision air guns in events the mirror the regular Olympics, air rifle and air pistol. The real difference is we are much older than most regular Olympic competitors.

The San Diego Senior Olympics has many different events. For more information check out their website and you can get started at age 50.

www.sdseniorgames.org

It's always great to see a large turnout of seniors who are active and engaged in life. In past years at the opening ceremony, I have always been impressed with the group. People who want to compete in their favorite sports seem to stay in shape and are generally fit. I am very proud of the seniors who make the competitive effort to win.

I only wish I had done better this year, next year more practice!