A major issue in the novel Bazo is child sex-trafficking. This is not a concern concocted to make a good story. In reality it is a horrendous problem . . . in particular for the females in bondage to this sick phenomenon.
Many people unthinkingly assume that girls and women involved in the sex-for-money trade are doing to voluntarily. Not so. Absolutely not so. For some it is an act of desperation when they feel alternatives are nonexistent. In many other cases, the female has either been tricked or forced into this practice. In any event, a sense of helplessness dominates their lives, and it’s a rare case where escape happens without outside assistance.
WARN is the acronym for The Washington Anti-trafficking Response Network, a coalition of organizations in Washington State that provide direct assistance to victims of trafficking. They also provide contact information for reporting suspected abuses and additional victim assistance resources.
There are information and action resources where you live. For instance, the Office of the Indiana Attorney General provides a bounty of said info/resources. Governmental and private organizations that address this evil exist in every state. Something everyone can do is learn how to recognize the signs of victimization, and where to report it.
A healthy society is one where concerned citizens help one another . . . especially when the injustice is so blatant and the victim is so helpless.
