Soldiers in a War: Anti-trafficking as Abolitionism

It’s language to thrill to: like Onward, Christian Soldiers, many people’s favourite hymn, calls to join the anti-trafficking movement propose to rouse people from their stupor of unknowing and uncaring. Quite early in my own study of this phenomenon I understood that campaigners wanted to manifest indignation, show people what ‘caring’ should look like. Some contemporary folk call this The Abolitionist Movement to end Modern Day Slavery.

We are those who will not sit by while others are denied the basic right of freedom. Join the abolitionist movement. Speak for those who cannot. Fight for those who cannot.

But just as with the hymn, the language is combative, the movement is a military crusade.

Become a soldier in the War on Internet Trafficking.

The Battle against Craigslist’s Adult Services Section has been won!!!!!

However, we may have won that battle but the war has just begun!!!!

How is it suggested you join the war?

Skip your Starbucks for two days and use that money to free a slave.

I wonder how many people fall for such a line and send money in –  and if they ever know where it went, I couldn’t easily find any explanation. The website where all this appears, which I don’t link to because it is hideous, noisy and full of spelling errors, is called With More Than Purpose.

-Laura Agustín, the Naked Anthropologist

3 thoughts on “Soldiers in a War: Anti-trafficking as Abolitionism

  1. LH

    I happen to know of one US soldier, who called the money earned through Craigslist, ‘blood money’. He’s a higher up in the AfPak war. Some people seem to believe, killing people is less bad than paying for sex.

    Reply
  2. Dave

    I prefer to refer to them not as abolitionists, but prohibitionists. And we all know how well prohibition has worked out.

    Reply
  3. Pingback: Anti-trafficking | Abolitionism | Crusade | War | Slavery | Border … college university

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