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Home>Archives for brothel

September 25, 2012 by SHI Staff

Return to India: A Warm Welcome at the Brothel

The oppression of the brothel is palpable, assaulting all the senses in unison.  The stench of the street mingles with the sickening sweet mask of incense, the dank narrow staircases feel like upward winding tunnels, each floor reveals clusters of women—lovely, dressed  for work, bejeweled bodies, empty gazes staring.  Quiet, there is no chatter.  They languish.  It’s hot; it is the slow season.

Each floor is owned by a separate brothel owner and we wind our way to the topmost floor where Reshma is the brothel owner.  Timothy is welcome there, a rare visitor gaining entrance through trust.   Like many of the brothel owners, Reshma herself was trafficked and her only memories are contained there.  She wanted her own children to have a life away from that place, so entrusted them to Sparsh’s care.  Two years ago along with Reshma we met one of her ladies, a very beautiful and sad Rekah, who also had given her two children into Sparsh’s care. Later that day at Sparsh we see Rekah again—now a transformed woman!  She smiles broadly as she describes her new life reunited with her children, helping in the home and going to cosmetology school.

Reshma is more compassionate than most brothel owners and says she will come out as soon as her debts are paid.  On this day we visit with four ladies that work for her.  Haseena  looks very downcast and holds her naked nine month baby boy as she pours water into his bird mouth from a plastic bottle top .  How will baby Imran grow up there?  What chance does he have?  Rupa tells us she worked in a sari factory very long hours and made $2 or $3 for a 12 hour day; when she was offered the opportunity for similar work at higher pay in Pune she seized the moment… that ended up here.  She will stay, she says, because she cannot read or write and she has three children somewhere.

Is there something you would like to do if you were freed from this place? Rupa and another girl giggle nervously.   Puzzled by a question that called for a vision of a future beyond these walls, Rupa asks us how learning to read and write could help someone.  Each of the ladies’ stories were the similar—they were tricked or sold into this life.  Now here, with children to care for, with no education, they are trapped.  We look on as Reshma helps dress Rupa for work, carefully folding the beautiful sequined sari and fastening a sparkling necklace.  They urge Elizabeth to try on a sari—turquoise to match her t-shirt…everyone laughs and takes pictures of Rupa and Elizabeth together.   But Elizabeth gets to leave.

To view the complete facebook photo album, click here.

April 9, 2012 by SHI Staff

Back to Our Beginning

Two American women and one Indian man navigated their way through the heart of the brothel district in India. They entered one particularly dismal building, climbed four flights of dark and narrow staircases, and pushed their way through the choking stench of body odors vainly masked by incense.  Every room they passed on the way up was in use, or was framed by a vacant-eyed girl or woman … waiting, waiting, for the next humiliation.

When they reached the top floor two mothers were anxious to receive them. One was the brothel owner; the other was Hanna, a very young mom who was debt-bonded to her.

These two ladies had begged our restoration partners in India to take their precious children away from the horrors of the life in the brothel. They were overjoyed to see their children’s rescuers had actually arrived. Their children would finally be free. Yet they remained enslaved.

We had no idea this covert meeting in 2010 sparked a hope and determination in Hanna that would eventually empower her escape the chains of exploitation and flee to join her child at our partner’s restoration home.

Hanna never knew her birth date, so when her loving new family realized it had been a year since she was set free, they blessed her by celebrating the one year anniversary of her rebirth into freedom, complete with a surprise party.

In the next two months, our team will travel to Jamaica, India and Nepal to engage face-to-face with local restoration partners that have matured and expanded because of our support. We look forward to sharing an update on Hanna’s story and others from our partners in Jamaica, India, and Nepal once our team returns with pictures and stories of God’s provision.

February 24, 2011 by webdesigner

Sen. Reid Stirs Up More than a Little Dust

On Tuesday, February 22, legal prostitution looked death in the face. On that day, Harry Reid, US senator of Nevada, spoke to Nevada state legislature about education, clean energy, term limits, and outlawing prostitution.  Although this final subject only amounted to about 6.5% of hisentire speech, it exploded into news coverage, chit-chat, the blogosphere, and heated debate across the country.  While Sen. Reid was concerned that this portion of his speech elicited so much attention, he deserves public support for the strong stance he took, stating that “the time has come for us to outlaw prostitution.”

Why would Sen. Reid risk saying such a bold statement? He insisted it was because he wanted to “prove that we’re [Nevada is] a 21st-century state” revealing that he believes legal prostitution mars the reputation of Nevada.  He followed with an anecdote about meeting a company who chooses not to move to Nevada over this very concern. Sen. Reid reasoned, “Nevada needs to be known as the first place for innovation and investment – not as the last place where prostitution is still legal.”

Sen. Harry Reid is correct.  Legal prostitution does give Nevada a bad name, but that is not the only effect this industry has had on its state.  According to Shared Hope International’sresearch, Las Vegas, only 60 miles from a legal brothel establishment, is a major destination for trafficked children in the United States. But how do we know that legal prostitution actually encourages illegal human trafficking? The truth is that Las Vegas has become America’s capitol for prostitution and trafficking.  This is supported by the fact that while brothels do not set up shop in the city, they and other escort services pay hefty fees to advertise in Las Vegas, creating a culture that accepts and supports the sex trade, and ultimately paves the way for illegal activity.  Vegas residents and tourists are exposed to legal prostitution through advertisements and encouraged to participate in the industry.  As a result, demand for commercial sex increases in high population areas. Where there is demand, there is supply.

In response to Sen. Harry Reid’s comments on outlawing prostitution, many brothel owners have either reacted in anger—like Dennis Hof who was interviewed by CNN—or dismissed the position entirely in hopes that Reid’s words will not inspire Nevada residents and legislators to institute a ban on prostitution. Lance Gilman, owner of the Wild Horse and Mustang Ranch brothels in Storey County said, “It is one thing for Harry Reid to say we ought to outlaw brothels. It is quite another for our Legislature to decide to take up a bill. If that happens then it is a whole different scenario.”  Lance Gilman bluffs that he feels no threat.

Mr. Gilman created the opportunity for us to prove him wrong.  And now we hold the power to perpetuate change and make a difference.  Reid took the first step in sparking discussion, and we the people can unite taking the next step by creating legislation that outlaws prostitution in America for good.  Spread the news to those in Nevada. Tell them to pick up their pens and write their legislators about the issue at hand. If lawmakers are ever going to make change, they’ll do it by the sheer will and determination of their constituents.

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