Documentary in Thailand

Different Ways Women Fall Into the Sex Trade

2009-06-03T23:20:00.000-07:00

What we've found out so far and would like to determine once we are there is:
It comes down to choice. A smaller percentage of women are actually kidnapped and forced to participate in the sex trade.

1. Surprisingly many women enter into the sex trade willingly.
-Perhaps these women see it as a fast pace life in the cities with money to buy the luxuries of life. This, to some, may seem a more desirable lifestyle than working in the fields or living in the small mountain villages their entire lives.
-Others are befriended by human traffickers who promise them jobs in the cities. Most of the time the women are aware that as payment to their friend for finding them a job, they must work off the debt through prostitution of some type for a short period of time. Of course, in reality the debt can never be repaid and the women find themselves trapped into a miserable life of prostitution and drugs.

2. Families will actually sell their children into the sex trade. In some cases, they also may have been lied to or taken advantage of by the human traffickers.

3. Women are kidnapped and shipped to different parts of the world where they are forced into drugs and prostitution.

We hope to either confirm or discount some of the reasons women find themselves in the sex trade. As complex as each individual life is, I'm sure we will discover many other possible reasons human trafficking continues to spread in Thailand.

Mimi's thoughts and motivation for this documentary

2009-05-08T19:55:00.000-07:00

-As soon as I heard about Winnie Cain and her efforts in Thailand I wanted to make a documentary about the Akha Women's Foundation focusing mainly on the village women, the atrocious presence of human trafficking in their lives, and how their families are being affected.

-I am always impressed with stories of "strong" women who create their own movements to better their lives, their families and their communities. For example a woman who is able to:

-step out of abuse

-express herself openly, expecting and receiving respectful audiences for

her ability and insight.

-create and beautify her surroundings

-improve the livelihood of others

-value education

-promote equality

-make the most out of the smallest opportunities and therefore create

greater opportunities for herself and others to follow.

-search for truth, stand for it, and then fight for the

rights of others that they may also choose to live by truth.

Human trafficking of any form goes against these ideals and everything that is basically right.

-As a woman of opportunity, who holds a deep passion for human rights and the promotion of basic moral values that all humankind has in common, I cannot dismiss this opportunity to create a movement toward a better world.

-I believe the moral worth of every life is sacred and precious and that there is an awful power that works continously to pervert, hide, and debase the virtue, honesty, and love that is invaluable life itself.

-Winnie Cain, an inconspicuous Thai massage therapist from Arizona, saw a need on the opposite side of her world and has worked more than most would in her position to fill that need. At the very least, she has created hope. I want to inform people about her efforts to:

- inspire others to follow their instincts for good

- inform people of the needs in this distant corner of their world

- open a discussion about why? How? What has been done? What can be

done? What will that do? Will its positive effects outweigh any negative?

Thoughts

-Why would the Akha choose prostitution for themselves or even their children?

-With the prevalence of the sex trade in their community, how can they not see through the lies and the manipulation of human traffickers?

-Is it because when poverty prevails and education is an elusive luxury, people feel they are enslaved to the reality of having only a few lifetime options of hard labor to choose from which offer little or no payoff? If this is what they believe, then opportunity would seem absent.

-In that case, would human trafficking offer hope or opportunity?

-I believe incorporated with humankind’s innate will to survive, is the innate will to progress.

-Perhaps to the Akha, human trafficking = Money which buys them food, basic medical needs, and possibly an education or a business which = Opportunity.

-Human trafficking promises Money, but in reality it = Slavery or False Ideas about Opportunity.

Film Fund

2009-05-01T20:38:00.001-07:00

Thanks to everyone who is interested in and willing to help out.
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