American Corner Constanta

Events

Workshop Human Trafficking: A Modern Form of Slavery

American Corner Constanta, with the support of U.S. Embassy Bucharest, has organized on September 23 a four hours seminar with the title: HUMAN TRAFFICKING: A MODERN FORM OF SLAVERY. This seminar consisted of the screening of "Frontline: Sex Slaves" documentary, followed by opened discussions moderated by AC coordinator Senia Babaiani and Katherine Ferguson – Mahan, Peace Corps volunteer.

About 30 participants attended among which high school students from "Mircea cel Batran" High School, university students from Constanta Ovidius University and Bucharest University), ONG activists and representatives of local public institutions fighting human trafficking.

The special guests: Ms. Maria Frangeti, President of the Women's League Constanta, Ms. Serhan Osman, President of the Muslim Women's League Constanta, Ms. Sanda Maria Lazar , representing the National Agency for Combating Human Trafficking, Ms. Cornelia Iacob, inspector at the Public Health Authority Constanta, representatives of the Mufti and of the Muslim Community of Constanta, expressed their opinions on the topic and tried to answer the students' questions.

This way after watching this very impressive documentary, the special guests tried to identify the elements and the causes of human trafficking, but also methods to prevent such tragedies from happening in their communities.

This event was very well received by everyone and enjoyed good coverage in the local media: article in the daily “Telegraf” newspaper on September 25 and news article during prime time evening news at "TV Neptun" on September 23, 2006.

Workshop Program

Human Trafficking: A Modern Form of Slavery

American Corner Constanta, din cadrul Universitatii "Ovidius" Constanta, cu sprijinul Ambasadei S.U.A din Bucuresti, a organizat sâmbata, 23 septembrie a.c., ora 13, la sediul de la etajul 2 al campusului universitar, un seminar de 4 ore pe tema HUMAN TRAFFICKING : A MODERN FORM OF SLAVERY, care a constat in vizionarea unui film documentar pe tema traficului de fiinte umane, urmat de discutii libere, gazdele intalnirii fiind Senia Babaiani, American Corner Constanta si Katherine Ferguson – Mahan , voluntara Peace Corps.

Au fost invitati la acest eveniment elevi de liceu ( Colegiul National "Mircea cel Batran" ), studenti ( Universitatea Ovidius Constanta si Universitatea Bucuresti ), reprezentanti ai ONG-urilor si institutiilor publice locale care lucreaza în domeniu, de asemenea, orice alte persoane interesate si implicate in combaterea traficului de fiinte umane.

Dintre invitati, in numar de aproximativ 35, au luat cuvantul d-na Maria Frangeti, Presedinta Ligii Femeilor Constanta, d-na Serhan Osman, Presedinta Ligii Femeilor Musulmane Constanta, d-soara Sanda Maria Lazar , reprezentanta Agentiei Nationale Impotriva Traficului de Persoane, d-na Cornelia Iacob, inspector Autoritatea de Sanatate Publica Constanta, reprezentantii Muftiului si al Comunitatii Musulmane din Constanta , incercand sa raspunda intrebarilor elevilor si studentilor prezenti la intalnire.

Astfel, dupa vizionarea timp de 1 ora a unui emotionant film documentar despre victime ale traficului de carne vie, invitatii au incercat sa stabileasca elementele si cauzele traficului de persoane, dar si metode de prevenire a acestei adevarate drame in cadrul comunitatilor lor.

Conferinta a fost bine primita de publicul larg , bucurandu-se si de o mediatizare buna, despre activitate aparand un articol in cotidianul "Telegraf", pe data de 25 septembrie ; de asemenea, aceasta a fost mentionata si la Stirile principale de seara "Reporter" ,la postul de televiziune local "TV Neptun" , pe data de 23 septembrie 2006.

WORKSHOP PROGRAM
September 23, 2006
AMERICAN CORNER CONSTANTA

Frontline: "Sex Slaves", a painful but extremely informative documentary that delves into the cruel world of sex trafficking through the eyes of survivors and traffickers caught in the act.

This film (57 minutes) is one of the few films in which viewers watch the trafficking scheme unfold through three perspectives: the perverse mind of the trafficker, a female victim who endures brutality in prostitution, and the families who are desperate to save loved ones.

An unwitting pregnant wife and mother, Katya, is trafficked from Moldova by a family acquaintance, and sold to a notoriously violent pimp. Katya is enslaved in the seaside city of Antalya, Turkey, known for its underground brothels. Viorel, Katya’s husband, travels to Turkey, and goes undercover (with cameras rolling) in a hopeless attempt to rescue his wife. He finds that the police tip off the traffickers and put both Viorel’s and Katya’s life in danger. In another account, the viewer watches Turkish officials who stand idly as women are shuttled between traffickers.

NOTE:

First and foremost, American Corner Constanta would like to explain that this video is not designed to discourage the viewers from travelling to Turkey .

American Corner would also like to make clear that the showing of the video is in no way meant to suggest that Turkey is the main place where people are trafficked. Human trafficking is not a Turkish issue, it is of global concern; sexual trafficking occurs throughout Europe, Asia, Latin America and even the United States.

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