Coalition helps 'stop' human trafficking

One hundred and fifty people helped raise $500 in donations at the Rutgers University Campus Coalition Against Trafficking March 12 benefit concert Stop the Traffick Jam, which joined the global effort to free slaves.
Co-sponsored by Oxfam and Amnesty International, RU-Air and Reach Out and Read, the concert was held in the Multipurpose Room of the Rutgers Student Center.
At the admission price of $5 a ticket, RUCCAT’s President Diana Won said all proceeds will be donated toward the non-profit organization Free The Slaves, which works with the government, grassroots organizations and consumers to bring an end to human trafficking.
 “We were hoping to raise a lot of money and we’re really glad that so many people came out,” said Won, a School of Arts and Sciences sophomore.
The benefit concert featured musical performances by the bands Deep Treble, Drive Family, High Life, 100% Cotton and The N Result, along with slam poetry by former members of Loser Slam Team.
Despite the performances, the purpose of the concert was not lost.
To kick off the show, Free the Slaves representative Aashika Damodar spoke about the importance of bringing an end to modern-day slavery. Videos focusing on the effects of human trafficking were shown in between performances and portraits of slavery survivors were hung around the room.
“Human trafficking or modern-day slavery is something that affects 27 million people around the world. It is the third largest criminal industry after drugs and arms trafficking,” Won said. “It not only encompasses sexual exploitation but also debt bondage and domestic servitude.”
She said as the world becomes more interconnected, it becomes easier for traffickers to take advantage of people for capital gain.
Although most think sex trafficking is an issue that only affects people in developing nations, it does happen here at home, Won said.
“Human trafficking is prevalent in New Jersey because there are so many major ports in our state,” she said. “Rutgers students should know that slavery happens in New Brunswick, Plainfield, Newark, Philadelphia and New York City, not just in places like Thailand or Sudan. It’s important to know that slavery still exists so that we can do something to stop it.”
RUCCAT’s Event Coordinator Todd Messer said the event achieved their overall goals.
“I think everyone enjoyed themselves and became more knowledgeable about the world of trafficking,” said Messer, a School of Arts and Sciences first-year student.
Many students who attended the event echoed this sentiment.
“It was great to see so many people around me that cared so much about serious problems in our world like slavery and trafficking,” said Sera Bayruns, a School of Arts and Sciences sophomore.
Like Bayruns, School of Arts and Sciences sophomore Ali Intravatola said she enjoyed the show’s variety.
“It was also interesting to hear how they found people trafficking so close to home,” she said. “I did not expect that.”