Image: Ning, who was trafficked to Australia from Thailand aged 13

Chris Knight is SISWP Friendship Link
Coordinator and a member of SI Moreton North Inc (Australia). She describes
herself as a passionate human rights and social justice advocate and in this
week’s blog she shares her continued involvement with raising awareness of the
global issues of human trafficking and in particular the recent death in May
2014 of Jetsadophorn Chaladone, Nikkie or “Ning”.

Ning was just 13 years old when she was trafficked
into Australia in 1995 from her small village in NE Thailand and sold to a
Sydney brothel owner as a sex slave. This beautiful young woman had the courage
to share her life story in a two part documentary after being found by former
Australian Federal Police Officer Chris Payne who led the raid on the brothel
where she was located. Thanks to the dedication of Australian Fair Trade Film 
Directors Luigi Acquistro and Stella Zammataro who worked with Chris Payne and
with the financial support from Film Commissions in Australia they were able to
highlight the events that lead to Ning’s trafficking into Australia, her
deportation back to Thailand and their relentless efforts to bring her case
before the High Court in Australia, seeking compensation in recognition of the
multiple child rapes committed against her while working in the brothel and the
follow-up investigation that led to the identification of the brothel owner who
has since eluded police prosecution.

Sadly Ning represents just one person in the reported in excess of 2.5
million people (predominately women and children) who continue to be victims of
human trafficking globally. As John Ashe, President of the UN General Assemblyreported in a media release on 14 July 2014 "human
trafficking is a lucrative business estimated to be worth over $36 billion and
ranks third in the world as one of the most "profitable" businesses
behind illicit drugs and arms trafficking."

 These statistics are simply mind boggling when
you consider the number of victims, families and communities that are impacted
as well as those that have come to rely on an income from human trafficking
whether it be to simply survive or to ultimately become wealthy.

I have to wonder about who are these "consumers" or
"customers" that are prepared to pay for these illegal and illicit
"services". They appear to show so little consideration for what a
human life is worth? What responsibility do they take? Perhaps we are
approaching this from the wrong angle? Perhaps we should be prosecuting these
people?

Wednesday, 30 July 2014
is the first ever UN World Day Against
Trafficking in Persons. It provides an opportunity to acknowledge the
efforts of the global community, transnational co-operations between
Governments and importantly the United Nations for establishing the UN
Convention against Transnational Organised Crime, the UN Global Plan for Action
to Combat Trafficking in Persons and the UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of
Human Trafficking.

For each Soroptimist International Member, it is a day where we can
collectively promote and be proud of the contributions we make to eliminate
human trafficking by sharing our SI Position Statement on Where We Stand Women
and Human Trafficking 
and raising awareness through our local print and social media.

From a quick scan of the Soroptimist International database there are
over 1278 Programme Focus Reports that have been submitted on human trafficking
since 2008 raising over $1,155,839 and benefitting over 168,608 people. These
reports provide positive examples of how members of Soroptimist International
are making a difference. I would encourage Clubs to consider even greater
participation through our SI Friendship Links and inter-country / Federation /
UN collaborations.

I congratulate our Soroptimist Clubs, Members and our SI United Nations
Representatives for their ongoing commitment to raise public awareness, to
prevent, detect, intervene and advocate for the protection of survivors of
human trafficking and for implementing affirmative action within your own
countries to ensure that perpetrators are prosecuted.

As a Soroptimist Member my life has been changed significantly through
sharing the life of young Ning with others and I dedicate this blog to her son
Pond, her family and the tireless efforts of those that have the courage to
speak out and not let the impact of human trafficking remain hidden. We must
maintain the momentum to continue to be the catalysts for the changes we seek
in our civil society.

Namaste Ning

“Your life has
not diminished but transcends the arch of time. In our hearts you will always
abide”.