| Your Nike shoes that cost you 150 dollar and your | | | | persons are trafficked into the US and are held |
| 70 dollar pair of Levi Strauss jeans were most | | | | under slave like conditions. This is a gross and |
| likely made by a young person from the age of | | | | escalating human rights violation and a worldwide |
| 5-14 living in Indonesia, Honduras, China or Haiti. | | | | problem that must be addressed in the US, even |
| They are forced to work with no benefits, low | | | | as the US government continues to fight it on the |
| wages, long hours, and unsanitary conditions. They | | | | international front. I therefore ask you to support |
| are basically slaves. Some factory management | | | | the Bill S.2449 by Senator Wellstone to combat |
| assault, rape, and abuse the workers. | | | | trafficking of women and children. The Trafficking |
| Children are the majority that dies from this | | | | Victims Act 2000 strikes at a domestic and |
| immoral exploitation. According to Children are | | | | international problem which has been neglected for |
| forced to work up to 15 hours a day, seven days | | | | too long. In a recent report on trafficking, the CIA |
| a week in factories and in fields. These children | | | | estimated that every year more than 50,000 |
| are deprived of schooling, beaten, sexually abused, | | | | women and children are brought to the United |
| engorged and forced to work in dangerous | | | | States and are forced to work as prostitutes, |
| unsanitary conditions. The children are sold to | | | | forced laborers or servants. Worldwide, trafficking |
| employers who pay families for the use of their | | | | affects up to 2 million persons each year. This is a |
| child. | | | | gross human rights violation. |
| 211 million children from the ages of 5-14 work | | | | The Bill S.2449 by Senator Paul Wellstone aims to |
| worldwide in sweatshops. The U.S. government | | | | prevent trafficking in persons, provide protection |
| estimated that, 50,000 to 100,000 each year | | | | and assistance to those who have been |
| women and children are trafficked in the United | | | | trafficked, and punish those responsible for |
| States, half of which are trafficked into domestic | | | | trafficking. It will ensure that the State |
| servitude and sweatshop labors from various | | | | Department and U.S. law enforcement agencies |
| countries. Trafficking is a slavery-like practice that | | | | are fully engaged in the issue, that our immigration |
| must be eliminated. Trafficking in women and | | | | laws do not encourage rapid deportation of |
| children is now considered the third largest source | | | | victims, and that trafficking victims receive |
| of profits for organized crime, behind only drugs | | | | needed services and safe shelter. In addition, the |
| and guns," An estimated 200,000 Bangladeshi | | | | Bill toughens criminal penalties, and provides |
| women have been trafficked to Pakistan over | | | | substantial resources to programs assisting |
| the last 10 years, the majority being young | | | | victims at home and abroad. |
| women. | | | | I urgently ask you to sign on as a co-sponsor for |
| According to a Press Release March 2005 | | | | Senator Wellstone's Bill and to vote in favor of it. |
| With an estimated 600,000-800,000 people | | | | Sincerely, |
| trafficked worldwide in 2004 alone, human | | | | Your Name |
| trafficking is a $5.7 billion a year industry | | | | Your Address |
| The Lawyers Committee for Human Rights urges | | | | Free the Children is an international network of |
| you to take the following actions: | | | | children helping children at a local, national and |
| "Help End Sweatshop Practices" Action Alert on | | | | international level through representation, |
| US Senator Paul Wellstone (D-MN), a member of | | | | leadership and action. |
| the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, | | | | Sweatshops.org |
| introduced a comprehensive legislation to tackle | | | | Co-op America's Sweatshops.org aims to end |
| the violations of human rights in the context of | | | | sweatshops and child labor; supports fair trade, |
| the trafficking of persons, particularly women and | | | | international human and labor rights. |
| children, for purposes of forced labor and sexual | | | | Download "Ending Public Subsidies of Sweatshop |
| exploitation. Please send the following message to | | | | Abuses: A Guide to 'Sweatfree' Procurement |
| your state representative asking him or her to | | | | Laws," a manual by the group No More |
| support the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of | | | | Sweatshops! |
| 2000. To review the Act, go to; and type in the | | | | Children are being stripped of their rights and |
| following Bill Number: S. 2449. | | | | forced to work long hours in harsh sweatshop |
| Dear NAME OF YOUR SENATOR HERE: | | | | conditions for wages of 20-30¢ an hour. It's |
| I write to you as a concerned citizen and I am | | | | time to work together and end child labor. |
| asking for your support. Each year thousands of | | | | |