To the editor,
Bipartisan issues are a rare commodity in today's polarizing political climate, but there is one that increasingly draws proponents from both sides of the aisle - sex trafficking.
Collaboration among politicians is reflective of the anti-trafficking movement as a whole with advocates, activists and professionals drawn from the feminist left to the evangelical right and everywhere in between. Such broad collaboration will be a boon to the anti-trafficking movement, so long as its proponents are informed about and attentive to the root causes and many nuances of sex trafficking.
Among the best sources of such information are survivors. As was the case in the 19th-century abolitionist movement, survivors of modern-day slavery are at the forefront of the anti-trafficking effort, not only because of their passion and leadership, but also because no one understands the complex nature of human trafficking better than they do.
With this in mind, I hope Grand Forks residents will take the opportunity to learn from internationally-recognized survivor leader, performing artist, and anti-trafficking trainer Stacy Jewell at 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 11, in the UND Memorial Union Lecture Bowl. "Understanding the Layers of Captivity in Sex Trafficking" is an interactive performance and workshop that is free and open to the public. Drawing upon her award-winning play "7 Layers Captive," Jewell will help the audience understand the various methods of manipulation used by traffickers to create "layers of captivity" for sex trafficking victims. Jewell's expertise is invaluable, her artistry is captivating and the nuanced knowledge she imparts is imperative to all of us engaged in the fight against human trafficking.
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Nikki Berg Burin
Grand Forks
