Academy award winner and activist Susan Sarandon is lending a hand to help children trafficked for sex with the launch of The Body Shop®, the Somaly Mam Foundation and ECPAT USA Stop Sex Trafficking of Children and Young People Petition. The petition encourages Americans to lend their signatures to help lobby for ‘Safe Harbor” laws, protecting victims of sex trafficking from being arrested and prosecuted for prostitution. To help bring an end to sex trafficking, The Body Shop is asking customers and supporters to go to their local The Body Shop store or online at www.thebodyshop.com/stop to sign the petition starting August 2nd. Celebrity supporters also signed on to lead the charge against child sex trafficking include Robert Pattinson, Laura Dern, Mark Ronson, Nate Berkus, Ben Harper, Cat Cora, Mario Lopez, Yoko Ono, Rob Lowe and Sienna Miller.
Every year more than 1.2 million children and young people are trafficked around the world becoming victims of sexual exploitation and abuse, even right here in the U.S. Sex trafficking is now the third-largest and fastest-growing criminal industry in the world after illegal drugs and arms trafficking. Strong laws and enforcement at a state level are crucial to protect children and young people. Currently, child victims of trafficking are only protected in New York, Connecticut and Washington State. The goal of the petition is to collect the largest number of signatures in our campaign history to lobby to help change U.S. laws so all people under the age of 18 are protected and prevented from being charged, prosecuted or incarcerated for prostitution.
“It exists in every continent, region and country the world over from the poorest to the richest. The Body Shop has never shied away from tackling controversial issues and causes that others would avoid. Indeed it was one of the last wishes of our late founder, Dame Anita Roddick that this ‘modern-day slave trade’ be brought to an end,” said Shelley Simmons, Director of Values.
In addition to raising awareness of the issue, the ‘Stop Sex Trafficking of Children and Young People’ campaign also seeks to help those requiring immediate support by raising vital funds. The Body Shop special edition Soft Hands, Kind Heart Hand Cream is selling at a rate of one product globally every thirty seconds. The proceeds from the hand cream are being used to help change the lives of millions of children and young people through the work of ECPAT groups in countries around the world. Funds raised from sales of The Body Shop Bag for Life and gift bags go to the Somaly Mam Foundation to support anti-trafficking activities and survivor rescue, shelter, recovery, and empowerment programs in Southeast Asia and around the world. Over the past ten years, Somaly Mam has rescued over 6,000 young women and girls across Southeast Asia. The Somaly Mam Foundation’s global awareness and advocacy efforts have reached millions.
In the first phase of the campaign, The Body Shop has raised over $1.5 million in funds. ECPAT USA has been able to increase their lobbying efforts and help pass laws to protect vulnerable children. They have also created grant programs to provide specialized support services for child trafficking victims. Shelters supported by the Somaly Mam Foundation in Cambodia and Laos did not face a single day of food shortages in 2009 and 2010. At one of these shelters, home to survivors as young as 4, girls are enjoying a new building featuring a counseling center, computer training center, and improved medical facilities.
To find out more please visit: – www.thebodyshop.com/stop – www.ecpatusa.org – www.somaly.org
