- Thread starter Lone Wolf
- Start date
Jenea was 18 and living in Moldova, one of Europe’s poorest countries, when she was promised a job as a cleaning lady in Moscow. Instead she was sold for $1,500 to a brothel in Istanbul, Turkey.
Her story is one of many told by photojournalist Mimi Chakarova in “The Price of Sex,” a documentary film about Eastern European women who have been forced into sex trafficking.
“My objective was to reveal their faces and to strip away the shame and stigma that trafficked victims have carried for decades,” Chakarova says.
Starting in 2003, she spent seven years reporting on the European sex trade and profiling some of its survivors. Chakarova, 35, was born in Bulgaria and says many of the women of her generation ended up sold into prostitution after the fall of the Soviet Union.
“I grew up in the region and therefore understand the culture,” she says. “I was able to build trust with the women I interviewed and photographed, but it took many years.”
During the course of her investigation, she posed as a prostitute and used hidden cameras to expose what went on inside of sex clubs in Istanbul’s red-light district. She also pretended to be a trafficked woman and staged a potential sale in order to witness negotiations firsthand.
“I had a young woman from Ukraine tell me that her pimp buys her cigarettes and that if I worked for him, that’s one of the perks I could look forward to,” Chakarova says. “At a certain point, nothing surprises you anymore.”
Some of the girls she met said they were as young as 12 when they were first trafficked for sex. Many told her they were locked in a room, raped, beaten, and made to believe that the only way out was to work until they paid off their debt. Even those who were able to escape were left broken.
“The degradation of the human spirit, especially when it’s in a young person who hasn’t fully developed an identity yet, is terrible to witness,” Chakarova says. “It leaves its mark on your consciousness.”
As many as 27 million people are victims of human trafficking worldwide, according to a 2011 State Department report, and January 11 is Human Trafficking Awareness Day in the United States. Chakarova hopes that by showing some of the victims, more will be encouraged to speak up.
“Once you know what happens to others, it is your duty as a human being to take a position,” she says. “Pretending that what’s right in front of you doesn’t exist just because it disrupts your comfort zone is unacceptable.”
– Brett Roegiers, CNN
Visit priceofsex.org to learn more about Chakarova’s award-winning documentary, which is currently being screened around the world.
Her story is one of many told by photojournalist Mimi Chakarova in “The Price of Sex,” a documentary film about Eastern European women who have been forced into sex trafficking.
“My objective was to reveal their faces and to strip away the shame and stigma that trafficked victims have carried for decades,” Chakarova says.
Starting in 2003, she spent seven years reporting on the European sex trade and profiling some of its survivors. Chakarova, 35, was born in Bulgaria and says many of the women of her generation ended up sold into prostitution after the fall of the Soviet Union.
“I grew up in the region and therefore understand the culture,” she says. “I was able to build trust with the women I interviewed and photographed, but it took many years.”
During the course of her investigation, she posed as a prostitute and used hidden cameras to expose what went on inside of sex clubs in Istanbul’s red-light district. She also pretended to be a trafficked woman and staged a potential sale in order to witness negotiations firsthand.
“I had a young woman from Ukraine tell me that her pimp buys her cigarettes and that if I worked for him, that’s one of the perks I could look forward to,” Chakarova says. “At a certain point, nothing surprises you anymore.”
Some of the girls she met said they were as young as 12 when they were first trafficked for sex. Many told her they were locked in a room, raped, beaten, and made to believe that the only way out was to work until they paid off their debt. Even those who were able to escape were left broken.
“The degradation of the human spirit, especially when it’s in a young person who hasn’t fully developed an identity yet, is terrible to witness,” Chakarova says. “It leaves its mark on your consciousness.”
As many as 27 million people are victims of human trafficking worldwide, according to a 2011 State Department report, and January 11 is Human Trafficking Awareness Day in the United States. Chakarova hopes that by showing some of the victims, more will be encouraged to speak up.
“Once you know what happens to others, it is your duty as a human being to take a position,” she says. “Pretending that what’s right in front of you doesn’t exist just because it disrupts your comfort zone is unacceptable.”
– Brett Roegiers, CNN
Visit priceofsex.org to learn more about Chakarova’s award-winning documentary, which is currently being screened around the world.
LickingGravity
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I can honestly say that I am 100 % sure I have not seen this in my little corner of the hobbyist world. If I thought any of my money was going to these criminals I would quit.
This is pretty ugly stuff, trouble is that John Q believes this is the norm for the sex trade in North America
This is pretty ugly stuff, trouble is that John Q believes this is the norm for the sex trade in North America
jumpingjackflash
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I haven't seen any woman that seemed forced into it. I admit my hobby experience is very limited but the few I've seen were more like sharp business women than forced victims. The problem with these documentaries is they only show ladies being abused which should be helped but they never show the ladies doing well and doing it voluntarily.
I've seen that film a number of times and it is disgusting the way the women have been treated AND the way the woman doing the trafficing acted. Totally without remorse or guilt in any way shape or form. In addition, the apathy the authorities showed towards solving the problem, just sick.
As Repo says: I have yet to see any woman who is being forced into this business by another person. Now has there been some who feel they are forced into the business due to economics? I can say possibly. There have been some who you know just aren't into it at all....For the most part, even the EE women I've seen, seem to be doing it of their own accord and this comes across in their attitude.
As Repo says: I have yet to see any woman who is being forced into this business by another person. Now has there been some who feel they are forced into the business due to economics? I can say possibly. There have been some who you know just aren't into it at all....For the most part, even the EE women I've seen, seem to be doing it of their own accord and this comes across in their attitude.
I think that once the movement here become stronger
they should start working over sea to stop this kind of crime
I think an organization of all Sex Trade Workers, banning together world wide would
help stop this kind of abuse.....As some of the members would have knowledge
on how it happens, where and who......
Helping each other is the only way to stop this......
they should start working over sea to stop this kind of crime
I think an organization of all Sex Trade Workers, banning together world wide would
help stop this kind of abuse.....As some of the members would have knowledge
on how it happens, where and who......
Helping each other is the only way to stop this......
Madman
Reviewer
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- Aug 12, 2011
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- 17,534
I agree with this statement. Let's face it, the money is better than working behind the counter of some fast food joint. No woman should be forced into it by another person and this is when the authorities should step in with a big hammer. If it's for economic reasons and it's by choice then it's really nobodies business.
Nothingtodo
Senior Member
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2010
- Messages
- 357
This is really shocking.
As many as 27 million people are victims of human trafficking worldwide
As many as 27 million people are victims of human trafficking worldwide
That number seems a little high. That's almost the entire population of Canada....I wonder if that includes those people who pay someone to ship them over here in containers? You know, people like Bliss's relatives.......
Spy vs Spy
Senior Member
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2011
- Messages
- 269
Cruel world.
Not all human trafficking is sex work trafficking. In fact, in Canada it is a very small percentage of that, and for the majority, trafficking is defined only as a willing participant getting assistance in traveling arrangements. Whether that is from China to Vancouver, or Toronto to Calgary, if the woman is a sex worker, anyone helping it becomes 'trafficking'.
However, don't kid yourselves that you have never ever met any exploited women, including the EEs that you claim seem willing. The fact is that an sp that is pimped out or has a gangster running the show is HIGHLY motivated to give you a good time and not let you see any of that. They can't afford to have you leave unhappy, and them appearing unhappy is the easiest way for that to happen, so they don't.
A lot of your Toronto independent sps would likely be able to tell you what they go thru when newly independent, with all the threats and intimidation and 'offers' from pimps wanting to represent them. Using an agency isn't protecting you from seeing pimped sps either, nor is an mp. One recent quote I'd heard from an MA at an mp is calling home to see if she was 'allowed' to leave for the day because she wasn't feeling well, and being denied until she made a certain $$ amount.
We've got the occasional TO sp who comes to work out here, and the clients puzzled by her checking to make sure they aren't black. Her assumption being any black guy coming to see her is going to shake her down and make her work for him can only be based on what she experienced in TO, right? cuz it isn't that same way out here for sure, so the black and mixed clients are taken aback by it, and assume its a racist thing. The asian sps, indy or not, have to watch out for asian guys who make appts, but are from rival asian set ups, and assault and rob them, because i guess business is slow and they are trying to drive out the perceived competition. These same guys haven't ever done the same thing to non-asian sps.
However, don't kid yourselves that you have never ever met any exploited women, including the EEs that you claim seem willing. The fact is that an sp that is pimped out or has a gangster running the show is HIGHLY motivated to give you a good time and not let you see any of that. They can't afford to have you leave unhappy, and them appearing unhappy is the easiest way for that to happen, so they don't.
A lot of your Toronto independent sps would likely be able to tell you what they go thru when newly independent, with all the threats and intimidation and 'offers' from pimps wanting to represent them. Using an agency isn't protecting you from seeing pimped sps either, nor is an mp. One recent quote I'd heard from an MA at an mp is calling home to see if she was 'allowed' to leave for the day because she wasn't feeling well, and being denied until she made a certain $$ amount.
We've got the occasional TO sp who comes to work out here, and the clients puzzled by her checking to make sure they aren't black. Her assumption being any black guy coming to see her is going to shake her down and make her work for him can only be based on what she experienced in TO, right? cuz it isn't that same way out here for sure, so the black and mixed clients are taken aback by it, and assume its a racist thing. The asian sps, indy or not, have to watch out for asian guys who make appts, but are from rival asian set ups, and assault and rob them, because i guess business is slow and they are trying to drive out the perceived competition. These same guys haven't ever done the same thing to non-asian sps.
Shadow:
While you make some very valid points. I'd like to think that, unless they are award winning actors, you can kind of tell if a woman is being forced to fuck me, or is doing so willingly. I mean, if they are good enough to fake erect nipples, flushing of the body, and a liberal amount of vaginal lubrication, they should REALLY be in Hollywood because if they can fake that, they can win an oscar every time they have a part in a picture.
As for the MP asking if she can go home....well, I have been in a similar situation, gotten sick while at the office and been told "no, you have to finish x before you can go"......that's the life of someone working for someone else.
As for the pimp comments, sure, you could say that any agency owner is really nothing more than a pimp but with that label comes certain stigma and believe me, seeing some agency owners with their ladies, they sure aren't pimps!!!!
While you make some very valid points. I'd like to think that, unless they are award winning actors, you can kind of tell if a woman is being forced to fuck me, or is doing so willingly. I mean, if they are good enough to fake erect nipples, flushing of the body, and a liberal amount of vaginal lubrication, they should REALLY be in Hollywood because if they can fake that, they can win an oscar every time they have a part in a picture.
As for the MP asking if she can go home....well, I have been in a similar situation, gotten sick while at the office and been told "no, you have to finish x before you can go"......that's the life of someone working for someone else.
As for the pimp comments, sure, you could say that any agency owner is really nothing more than a pimp but with that label comes certain stigma and believe me, seeing some agency owners with their ladies, they sure aren't pimps!!!!
