The Defenders USA Archives - Page 4 of 12 - Shared Hope International

August 7, 2013 by SHI Staff

Dreamworks “Turbo” – ‘Pimp My Shell’ Activism Victory

Recently, one of our Defenders Captains, Richard Aronson, sent a letter to DreamWorks Animation Studios asking them to stop using the term “pimp my shell” in the promotion, trailers, and animated film “Turbo”. This is a great example of how one person, or a small group of people, can make significant social and cultural change. Thanks for being a stand up Defender, Richard!

Here is his initial letter:

Hello Miss Rawlings,

I am writing to voice my concern over the use of the term ‘Pimp my shell’ in DreamWorks Animation’s upcoming release, “Turbo.” I am one of many advocates fighting against sex trafficking here in the U.S. and hope that you will hear me out.

DreamWorks Animation is undoubtedly unaware of the vast problem we have in this country. Over 100,000 kids, every year, are forced into prostitution. Those kids are terribly aware what the word pimp means. Now, with your help, another generation of children will learn how cool it is to be a pimp. I know DreamWorks does not mean to do that but it will be the result. MTV is not who you want to emulate. To show you how wrong the term ‘pimp my shell’ is let me make a statement. I will let you pimp my shell if you will let me pimp your kids. You can tear that statement down and use semantics to bend its meaning but the word ‘pimp’ only means one thing: a pimp is nothing more than a modern day slave owner and whether you pimp a car, house or woman, you are treating all like objects.

I would appreciate it if DreamWorks Animation remove the statement ‘pimp my shell’ from the movie “Turbo.” I would also like you to stop using that term in any marketing, including the “Turbo Racing League” app.

Before you write me off as some Lone Ranger or isolated voice I would like you to know that I currently work with the following organizations in the fight against sex trafficking:
Shared Hope International
Forsaken Generation
Roadmap to Redemption
Trafficking Hope
WA Engage

We are people in the fight against modern day slavery. I am not the only one that thinks this way. To hear another person’s perspective please read the following article: Pimp My Shell

I have been in the media industry for over 20 years so please do not respond by telling me it is to late to remove that term from the film. I have seen many movies make last minute post changes a week before release and in today’s digital distribution age I know how easy it is to create new release prints.

Thank you for your consideration in this matter.

Richard Aronson

Here is DreamWorks response:

Hi Richard,

We appreciate your thoughtful note on this matter. As you allude to in your letter, it is not DreamWorks’ intent to cause any harm.

We have removed the language in the Turbo Racing League Mobile Game – the game now highlights a player’s ability to show off his/her customized shell. In regards to the rest of our ad campaign, the phrase was initially used in minimal marketing materials, but we will not produce any spots going forward that contain the language. Please know that the use of the word pimp is not in the film, and that any reference to the snails’ customized shells is meant as a comment on car culture versus anything else.

Sincerely,

Allison Rawlings

DreamWorks Animation Public Relations

July 24, 2013 by SHI Staff

Don’t Ever Stop Fighting

Blog Post by Ethan Morrow

In the midst of pain, and what appears to be failure, what do you do? How do you get up and keep fighting? I had to ask myself that question last month when the Oregon House passed a very tough bill.

After weeks of fighting to avoid passing this bill via an online petition, the bill was passed. For me, this was a devastating blow to my gut. I felt like I had been punched multiple times. Because of this bill, it was still a misdemeanor to pay for sex with a minor in Oregon. Because of this bill, I still felt like our children could not be protected like they should be. As a dedicated Defender, there couldn’t be any worse feeling.

For a while, I couldn’t get up. I couldn’t motivate myself. After all, what was the point of continuing the fight? Was I even making a difference? So, for a while there, in my mind, I had given up. I had lost hope. It may not seem like a big deal, but for me it was. The Oregon Senate not passing this bill was extremely discouraging, because it was a very simple bill that protected children. That’s a no-brainer, right? If the Senate won’t pass a simple bill, then how will we do anything else?

But then, out of nowhere, an internal voice spoke to me. You are a Defender, Ethan. You are a Defender. Defenders do not give up. Then I was reminded how we did make a difference. In just over 5 days, almost 800 people from all over the US had signed that petition. Nationwide, people stood in agreement with me. Nationwide, people stood up and supported young girls. And people did notice. The press noticed. Nationwide, people cared.

So, do you want to know what I did?

I got back up. I got back up, made the simple choice to go to work, and kept fighting. I turned my deep disappointment into deep motivation. And to my surprise, a few days after that, all of the fighting paid off. I watched the miraculous happen as Senator Floyd Prozanski stood up and made a movement to take the bill back to committee so it could be re-amended, making it a felony on the first offense to purchase sex from minors. An article on this event can be found here.

Because we kept fighting, life change happened. Because we kept fighting, Oregon is properly protecting trafficked children. And I now I realize something: If we had stopped fighting after a devastating setback, it would still be a misdemeanor in Oregon to purchase sex from a minor.

So I have one simple message to say to all of you today. Defenders, don’t ever stop fighting. Keep fighting, and never give up. Because if we stop fighting, what are all of the young girls who are still being trafficked going to do? Who is going to defend them, through thick and thin? That’s our job, men. That is our job.

Don’t. Ever. Stop. Fighting.

July 16, 2013 by SHI Staff

Fighting Slavery For Christ

Guest Blog Post by Pastor Angi

What does fighting slavery for Christ mean? How does fighting “slavery” for Christ and the issue of modern day slavery go together? For those who consider themselves, non-Christian that may be a puzzling question. But for those who consider themselves Christian it is the only way to fight slavery.

Slavery comes in many forms. We all realize this. It can mean drug or alcohol addiction. It may mean sex addiction through pornography. It could quite possibly mean addiction to things such as food, relationships, even work. But for today’s discussion let’s narrow it down to the buying of PEOPLE, HUMAN BEINGS for ones own gratification for the fulfillment of the basest crimes in nature. Crimes that one could never speak of in public. Crimes that defy normal thinking faculties. Crimes that leave the average human being running to protect their own trembling child within.

One would fight a “slavery” of any kind with the principles found in the Bible. Those principles would vary from addiction to addiction. For the sake of today’s argument, lets use the slavery that is near and dear all our hearts: THE SLAVERY OF HUMAN BEINGS via continental trade and modern warfare. It is not just limited to “third world” countries anymore. This is also an intercontinental crime of drastic proportions that we could now call a PANDEMIC.

Warfare and slavery go together in that it is a WAR against society that is being waged in the trenches known as our streets. Yes the very streets you call home are effected by this every single day. The sad fact is that most people do not even realize this is going on right under their noses. That is precisely WHY this pandemic has grown to the proportions that it has at this point. Now we must ask ourselves, each and every one of us what we can do? (2 Cor 10:4)

PRAY for starters. That will be the floodgate through which you can become enlightened and educated about where it would be right for YOU to start. (James 5:16-18a) When you are aware of the dismal depths to which this atrocity has plummeted it is only then that you can arise with a passion to be part of the cause as only you yourself can. For each and every one of us have a calling on our lives. If you are reading this it is by no accident for YOU have been called to the Kingdom “for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14)

We all have spiritual gifts whether you have discovered them yet or not. Ask and He will be faithful to reveal what YOU have to offer this fight. (Matt 7:7) Intercession is a very simple step to be taken by one who may feel overwhelmed and not be sure where they should step in. The next step is equally as simple. Fasting. Fasting is Biblical and PROVEN to get results. If that is a new concept to you, consider Jonah 3:5-10.

Allow the Lord to enlighten and educate you on this very necessary endeavor. The endeavor of liberating a society that otherwise would remain enslaved if it were not for the spirit of EVERYONE involved to bring an end to modern day slavery.

BIO: Pastor Angi is a stay at home mother of 4 also working in full time ministry. Her heart’s desire is to see an end to all human trafficking. She founded Angel’s Ministry as well as P.A.V.E.D which caters to the empowerment of women. As an author, evangelist, pastor and mother, her heart is to touch women the world over.

June 20, 2013 by SHI Staff

No Girl Left Behind

Guest Blog Post by Dale Rylander

Abolishing the Demand for commercial sex is not about the legality or morality of commercial sex. At one extreme, there are countries like the Netherlands where prostitution is legal. Guess what? Too few women “want” to be prostituted women, so the supply is being met by women that are trafficked. At the other extreme, making all forms of sensual public displays by women illegal would require women to be fully covered anytime they are outside their home (Islamic Shar’iah laws).

Both extremes ignore the source of the problem – men’s inability to control themselves. The problem is the Demand. Reducing the Demand will have a dramatic impact on commercial sex because it reduces the number of buyers and thus removes the economic incentive. Furthermore, that Demand will not be reduced or abolished by laws.

The Demand can only be reduced when men and women individually decide to hold men accountable for their attitudes and actions. Yes, Women. Women must stop dismissing the behavior of their sons (and husbands) as “boys will be boys.”

How should we hold each other accountable? I am not a psychologist, but my typical reaction of destroying sexually explicit material in a burst of embarrassment, anger and shame is probably not the right answer. Neither is calmly sitting down to discuss my reaction to each image. To be honest, I am still struggling to find the best intervention strategy. What I do know is I have no problem talking about, even showing my children, friends and peers, how to do many things. Sex is not one of those things.

Surprise, surprise. There are people willing to fill the void left by my silence for a profit. For large profits because the Demand is so big. Profits so huge that people are even willing to commit crimes to meet the Demand.

Is every prostituted woman trafficked? Some reports suggest they are, if not overtly, then they are systemically forced into commercial sex by our society because women do not have equal employment opportunities.

Are there any women that want to be a prostituted woman? My daughter just returned from a semester studying abroad. She was in the Netherlands enrolled in a gender-study course approved by a respected and accredited US College. As part of her course she talked with some prostituted women. They told her they choose their profession.

There are many sides to this issue and our society needs to address them. But no matter what my opinion is regarding these issues, I have the power to do something about the fuel that is driving this Demand. I publicly pledge to not buy commercial sex and to hold everyone I know accountable for their attitudes and actions with respect to commercial sex. I challenge you to do the same.

If just one girl anywhere in the world is trafficked into commercial sex then a crime has been committed. If I know a crime has been, is being or could be committed and I do not do what I can to stop it – under US law I would be a criminal accessory.

We are proud our armed forces believe and practice “No Man Left Behind.” As American citizens we should be proud to pledge and practice “No Girl Left Behind.”

Dale Rylander is a professional technology consultant. He is married with three adult children. His wife challenged him to take the Defenders Pledge. Motivated by the enormous scope of this issue, he is working as the first Defenders Captain in Dallas to educate and challenge men in Dallas, in Texas, in the United States and around the world to change their attitudes and actions about commercial sex.

June 5, 2013 by SHI Staff

Music + Defenders

Music + Defenders. During the month of June, Shared Hope specifically focuses in on what men are doing to fight trafficking.

On June 1, 2013 the Defenders USA hosted an awareness/benefit concert featuring bands James Younger and Ninth & Final. The point of the evening of music was to not only raise funds for the Defenders program within Shared Hope (we raised over $300), but also to educate youth and families about this issue — from a the male perspective. Over 70 individuals came out for the concert, and local nonprofits MST Project, Forward Edge, Abolition Now, and the NW Marriage Institute all set up booths at the event as well.

The evening started out with Coldplay-esque music from the very talented James Younger. After James finished his set, Defenders Manager Ed Ouellette took the stage to speak about the issue of domestic minor sex trafficking, and specifically what men can do to fight the issue. (For more ways to take action, click here.)

After the speaker, Ninth & Final played 10 original alternative rock songs.

This is just one of many events planned for this summer, and a great example of how talented individuals can partner with anti-trafficking organizations to make a difference.

How are YOU planning on fighting sex trafficking in your nation, state, and community this summer? Share your thoughts with us on Facebook, Twitter, and by emailing edwin@sharedhope.org

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