Issue date: 10/2/09 Section: News

It's been called the new slave trade, a human rights issue that is happening now in your own backyard.
Child prostitution is running rampant in parts of the world, but there are people trying to stop it.
The Global Hope (GH) club with picket signs, bullhorns; armed with flyers and pamphlets are spreading awareness on campus for this new human rights issue.
Global Hope is a branch of the Nationwide Sold Project.
The Sold Project is a grassroots organization dedicated to inspiring and empowering individuals to stop child prostitution before it begins.
The club created last spring has approximately 15 members.
The students at LPC felt compelled to champion this cause as a way to bring attention to the existence of human trafficking.
California is the top destination in the US for people who force women and girls into hard labor and sex trade reported Nannette Miranda from ABC news.
"My grandmother had 12 children and escaped from Cambodia with only three of them fearing that they would some how be stolen and end up in a slave trade of some sort," Global Hope Secretary Roberta Martinelli said.
Human trafficking is the fastest growing criminal industry in the world.
It is second only to the illegal drug market, according to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center.
"Las Positas Student Body has the true ability to come together," Martinelli said, "and raise awareness about a cause bigger than ourselves. We believe that a change can be made through our surroundings and with each other. We are open, and passionate, welcoming all who share our common belief of human rights and happiness. Being young is no excuse. We want to share its possible through Global Hope."
HumanTrafficking.org estimates that there is at least $42 billion globally coming from this underworld crime.
They also reported cases are being reported in all 50 states in a variety of environments. Cities and suburbs, wealthy and low-income areas are affected by this development.
"We are now working closer than ever with officials in other nations and concerned private parties to take every effort we can to identify and prosecute sex tourist, US Attorney Thomas P. O'Brien told CNN, as well as to promote every protection we can to the world's children."
Sex trade can mask itself as prostitution so the public may not feel outraged or empathetic towards these children. They may be perceived as criminals rather then victims of their environment.
"The Global Hope website reported that trafficker's target ages for sex slaves is between 12-17 years old," said Vicki Bui president of Global Hope. Adolescents above any other group appear to be the preference. Statistics show that 80 percent of the sex trade trafficking industry are women and children, children making 50 percent of that number," Bui said.
"There are a lot of people who want to help but don't know where to start, I believe Global Hope can be that beginning," Global Hope member Bethany Avila said.

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