The problem of human trafficking has become unimaginably rampant especially in the age of the internet. Although laws are in place to protect the citizens from falling prey to such illegal trade, there is one simple solution that if done collectively can successfully curb the problem – being connected.
“I think we should all connect,” said Called to Rescue Philippines President Anthony Pangilinan on the Art of Advocacy program of Diana Dayao on Kumu.
As for Pangilinan, he now has a larger room to lend help because now more than ever, he is more connected to more personalities and institutions authority to cases involving human trafficking.
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According to Kumu research, the Philippines now is the global epicenter of livestream sexual abuse trade and sadly, many of the victims are children. In fact, about 400,000 women are trafficked annually within the country according to a US State Department’s Human Rights Report.
Meanwhile globally, over 10 million Filipino men, women, and children are subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor. This is because sex trafficking is the world’s third most profitable organized crime, generating about $32 billion a year.
“When parents are disconnected with their kids, when employers are disconnected with their employees, when some government institutions are not connected with each other, trafficking thrives,” he explained.
“Kasi hahanapin yan ng mga sindikato, makakahanap ng vulnerability. They will be very patient, they will get to know you, they will post like somebody else online and eventually kapag nahulog na ang puso mo sa kanila then they strike you,” said Pangilinan.
For him the only way to combat trafficking is through extensive connection to people and authorities to make sure actions will be done.
“[If] Something is reported to me, I’d call somebody I know in government, eh dahil nagte-training ako sa PNP at sa AFP, sa DOJ, tatawagan ko yung isang heneral dito, and then magpopost sa social media ng isang warning na celebrity and then after a while you realize wow this is working,” he said, referring to the Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and the Department of Justice.
By staying connected, citizens can be educated about the schemes of traffickers. At the onset of an incident, victims can be quickly accorded needed help especially therapy, counseling and legal needs.
Victims are the best conveyors of message
Pangilinan shared that when he was starting out in his advocacy, he felt frustrated because they were only able to help a handful, often one or two at a time.
To further reach people, they thought of tapping the help of rescued survivors so they could share their stories to people enduring the same plight and influence them to eventually come out.
“Sila ang magiging best advocates mo, sila ang nakakalaam eh. Sila ang mag-i-influnece ng iba,” Pangilinan said.
“Do not be discouraged. Dati, nadi-discourage ako kasi paisa-isa lang ‘yung mga tinutulungan namin. Then we realized, wait wag na tayo mag-rescue, tulungan natin ‘yung mga narescue marecover tapos gawin natin silang kasama natin dito,” he said.
“Now they’re influencing so many others,” he added.
For Pangilinan, “online connectivity has been more negative than positive, unfortunately.”
The motivational speaker believes that harnessing the power of the connection both online and offline will give way to massive and collective correspondence that would channel immediate help to victims in distress.
