by Minsoo Bae
She was an 11-year-old girl. He was a legless man. 5 dollars was left in exchange for her virginity; this marked the beginning of her depraved career. (Tang)
Sex trafficking-- the vice that is both the cancer and the vital heartbeat to the Afghanistan society. Despite the contradicting Islamic values that the country prides itself in, poverty has established sex industry as a hushed, albeit acknowledged, occurrence. Much like the aforementioned girl who continued to exchange her body for bread to feed her 10 siblings, women and children nationwide have no choice but to utilize their bodies as their only source of income (Tang).
An approach that could be tentatively implemented in order to cut the cycle of sex trafficking is the availability of education to a wider range of the population, eventually built up to be accessible to all. This would eliminate the need to succumb to sex labour due to the lack of practical skills applicable for income. Most trafficked victims are, indeed, pushed into the industry by the omnipotent hands of poverty. In a country where only 43.1 percent of males and 12.6 percent of females are literate, it is hard to expect many academic-based occupations to be common. A mere five percent of Afghan girls will receive education beyond the sixth grade, a statistic made possible by the oppressive patriarchic view of women donned by society (Trust). I believe that education is comprised of not only the attainment of knowledge but also the acquiring of the ability to think independently. Without this aptitude, as well as the menial skills like writing and reading, it is impossible to expect citizens to earn income with something other than their inborn assets. Education will, gradually, also trigger the creation of new businesses and therefore jobs, as more citizens begin to think more diversely and at a higher level of intelligence. Edification is a long-term goal that may not be so instantaneous and tangible, but is one that will ensure a lasting shift in the integrity of the Afghan citizens.
A more immediate solution would be to form and fund an organization that directly helps prostitutes in Afghanistan. This would consist of immediate shelter and protection for those released from bondage, but more importantly, a center for teaching the victims another skill through which they could earn pay. This idea could be modeled upon the non-profit organization NightLight, which strives to end prostitution in several areas; it runs a company named Nightlight Design in Bangkok, which enables the victims to acquire business dexterities such as marketing and producing products such as jewelry (Bangkok). These jewelries, hand-made by the women that prior served as prostitutes, are sold at the center and produce a reliable source of income. This would provide them with a way to keep their families financed while also learn to develop expedient skills.
No reason could ever be labeled as sufficient for knowing an evil of this magnitude and failing to stop it. Especially when the matter concerns children robbed of a future, we should strive for a change regardless of the amount of time and resources required. Afghanistan is stuck in a labyrinth of corruption, social stigmas and poverty; we must reform the core problems and give the Afghanistan women and children the life they deserve.
She was an 11-year-old girl. He was a legless man. 5 dollars was left in exchange for her virginity; this marked the beginning of her depraved career. (Tang)
Sex trafficking-- the vice that is both the cancer and the vital heartbeat to the Afghanistan society. Despite the contradicting Islamic values that the country prides itself in, poverty has established sex industry as a hushed, albeit acknowledged, occurrence. Much like the aforementioned girl who continued to exchange her body for bread to feed her 10 siblings, women and children nationwide have no choice but to utilize their bodies as their only source of income (Tang).
An approach that could be tentatively implemented in order to cut the cycle of sex trafficking is the availability of education to a wider range of the population, eventually built up to be accessible to all. This would eliminate the need to succumb to sex labour due to the lack of practical skills applicable for income. Most trafficked victims are, indeed, pushed into the industry by the omnipotent hands of poverty. In a country where only 43.1 percent of males and 12.6 percent of females are literate, it is hard to expect many academic-based occupations to be common. A mere five percent of Afghan girls will receive education beyond the sixth grade, a statistic made possible by the oppressive patriarchic view of women donned by society (Trust). I believe that education is comprised of not only the attainment of knowledge but also the acquiring of the ability to think independently. Without this aptitude, as well as the menial skills like writing and reading, it is impossible to expect citizens to earn income with something other than their inborn assets. Education will, gradually, also trigger the creation of new businesses and therefore jobs, as more citizens begin to think more diversely and at a higher level of intelligence. Edification is a long-term goal that may not be so instantaneous and tangible, but is one that will ensure a lasting shift in the integrity of the Afghan citizens.
A more immediate solution would be to form and fund an organization that directly helps prostitutes in Afghanistan. This would consist of immediate shelter and protection for those released from bondage, but more importantly, a center for teaching the victims another skill through which they could earn pay. This idea could be modeled upon the non-profit organization NightLight, which strives to end prostitution in several areas; it runs a company named Nightlight Design in Bangkok, which enables the victims to acquire business dexterities such as marketing and producing products such as jewelry (Bangkok). These jewelries, hand-made by the women that prior served as prostitutes, are sold at the center and produce a reliable source of income. This would provide them with a way to keep their families financed while also learn to develop expedient skills.
No reason could ever be labeled as sufficient for knowing an evil of this magnitude and failing to stop it. Especially when the matter concerns children robbed of a future, we should strive for a change regardless of the amount of time and resources required. Afghanistan is stuck in a labyrinth of corruption, social stigmas and poverty; we must reform the core problems and give the Afghanistan women and children the life they deserve.