'Modern-Day Slavery' Case Throws Light on Human Trafficking

The women were branded, terrorized, and forced into prostitution

A horrifying case of human enslavement recently ended in Chicago with a life sentence in prison. Alex Campbell beat, raped, and imprisoned some 20 young women, forced them into prostitution, and branded them in visible places, including horseshoe brands on the neck and a 60-word tattoo on one woman's back (pictured).

"It still hurts so bad" said one victim of her brands. Identified only as "Sarah," she told NBC that Campbell had controlled her completely, convincing her that he'd kill her if she failed to obey him.

Campbell preyed on young women whose immigration status had expired. Four of the women entered the US to work for "Au Pair in America" but the jobs had fallen through. Campbell offered them work and started relationships with them. He took their passports and visas, and when he branded them, he told them that meant he owned them and had a right to all money they earned. Prosecutors describe the women's plight as "modern-day slavery."

One woman paid $25,000 to leave. Another testified that Campbell raped her, kept her child from her, gave her drugs, took all her earnings, and beat her if she didn't make $1,500 per day.

Meanwhile, Congress has failed to renew the Trafficking Victims and Protection Act, which expired in Sept 2011 and funds law enforcement and recovery care for victims. "The more time goes by the more it puts into jeopardy the funding for trafficking survivors," explains Cory Smith, legal counsel for the Alliance to End Slavery and Trafficking.

The trafficking bill has bipartisan support. It passed the Senate 93-5, and both Marco Rubio and Obama spoke out in its favor. But it's stalled in the House, where some Republicans object to provisions concerning abortion and religious health care providers.

NBC provides a list of "Indicators of Human Trafficking" and urges you to call the Department of Homeland Security at 1-866-347-2423 if you have evidence that human trafficking is occuring.

Via NBC and the Chicago Tribune. H/T Politix user JesseJaymes.

Should the government do more to combat human trafficking?

[PNWest]

"The trafficking bill has bipartisan support. It passed the Senate 93-5, and both Marco Rubio and Obama spoke out in its favor. But it's stalled in the House, where some Republicans object to provisions concerning abortion and religious health care providers." - Leave it to the Baggers to be in favor of modern day slavery. Any wonder why congress has a 15% approval rating?

[AnnieO]

I'll have to agree with you on this one. These victims need protection and healthcare. No question about that. As far as the abortion situation, that's a personal dilemma for the individual. I believe in pro-life but there are some cases where it may be necessary.

[Thunderchicken]

Not saying it wasn't Tea Partiers, but how do know is was?

[PNWest]

@Thunderchicken In the Senate these republicans voted against the amendment, Mike Lee (Utah), Jeff Sessions (Ala.), James Inhofe (Okla.), Ron Johnson (Wis.) and Tom Coburn (Okla.). In the house it is up to Boehner to bring it up for a vote or not. Until he does the people who against it don't have to have their names known. Boehner is the only one standing in the way.

[martydotcom]

We need Neo's and all the other Baggers Tea Party justification for blocking the bill. Ever notice the Neo Bot doesn't work weekends for Politix?

[Jack-Black]

@PNWest Last time I checked Boehner was not someone the people who belive in the principles of the Tea Party support. So Your tea Bagger reference does not hold water.

[Jack-Black]

There is not much worse than a "pimp". Life in prision is too good for this scum. I say chain him up and let all the women effected beat him and brand him till he takes his last breath.

[AntiPorcheria]

The swift execution of the death penalty is a deterrent.

(Not just for this but for mother-raping-father-stabbers and child-molesters and all the other scummy things we let pass through the revolving door penal system.)

The long, drawn-out, 50 appeals and 30 years on death row style of punishment isn't much of a deterrent.

[Robbo03712]

Nah I say leave him in prison but don't allow him in solitary let him be someone's slave for the rest of his life

[Robbo03712]

@AntiPorcheria be cheaper just to let him serve consecutive life sentences believe me a slaver like that will have a horrible short life

[kirbstomp1]

Wrote a research paper in my 1102 writing class on human trafficking. Its sickening how many people have to suffer this lifestyle.

[Cheenoguy]

I wonder how many posts before someone starts defending the douchebags who are holding this up. My guess is less then 10 more.

[PNWest]

I don't' know how long it will take but here's a list of the Pimp Daddies in the Senate that voted against it - Mike Lee (Utah), Jeff Sessions (Ala.), James Inhofe (Okla.), Ron Johnson (Wis.) and Tom Coburn (Okla.). All republicans of course.

[Cheenoguy]

@PNWest
And they can't figure out why they lost the female vote.

[PNWest]

@Cheenoguy Apparently they love women and feel that every guy should own one.

[Cheenoguy]

@PNWest
Well you know what they say "if you outlaw human trafficking only criminals will own sex slaves".

[tomincali]

@PNWest depends on what else was slithered into the bill that has nothing to do with this certain issue. could be like far too many when something is slipped in only to get another agenda.

[wonka45ACP]

Faild justice system from day one.

[keyfitter]

Washington is full of rich and clueless parasites from both parties that care more about political posturing than they do about the reason why they are there. The
whole system is broken and a third party is needed to fix it.

[BossTweed]

If the victims entered American legally we should stand up for them against this Trafficking crap.

[PNWest]

How about if they entered illegally? Would it be OK to enslave them then?

[Fishbone345]

Did it cross your mind they might have been brought here illegally specifically for slavery?

[jessejaymes]

@Fishbone345 Many of them are illegally brought here for that exact purpose. The cartels don't jut deal in drugs.

[Fishbone345]

@jessejaymes Yah, so according to this guy we shouldn't do anything for them.

[jessejaymes]

@Fishbone345 I don't really understand people who can't make the distinction between coming here illegally and being forced to come here illegally. Or from being brought here here by deception for illegal purposes. I guess the world has not one bit of shading to it for some.

[AlexMIA]

Amazing that it could still happen here, but why excactly does law enforcement need "special" funding to stop something specific and already illegal?

[Drake_Burrwood]

I'm not sure it is to stop it but to help support the victims. Its nice to say free the slaves but the damage it does takes a toll, even to where will the ex-slave stay after being freed. Since they likely own nothing and may have no one.

[FollowTheMoney]

The same thought accrued to me. Money is at the core, always is.

[wonka45ACP]

@Drake_Burrwood by support do you mean psychological support?

[AlexMIA]

@Drake_Burrwood I can agree with that, but how often do they catch a guy with sex slaves in this country and how much funding are we talking about?

[whataGOVwehave]

Slide a little of that drug war money over.

[jessejaymes]

best pot of the day. Hands down.

[jessejaymes]

@jessejaymes post

[stepped_in_it]

@jessejaymes "best pot of the day"....HMMM.....Freudian slip there, you long haired, over fed leaping (criminal) gnome? ;-)

[jessejaymes]

@stepped_in_it And your point is what?

[stepped_in_it]

@jessejaymes Wait a minute <taking a deep "hit".....exhaling >........ummmm, I forget. LMAO

[SmedleyButler]

Hard to get governments on board. The US, UN, it's subordinates and contractors have all been caught in human trafficking. http://rense.com/general28/dyn.htm
http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/january2...

[miketost]

Another good reason besides the murder rate not to live in Chicago.

[ErnestPayne]

Absolutely bizarre that anyone would vote against this. A "shining" example of the mental paralysis that infects america.

[Jim49418]

What?!? In Obma's "home town" ????? I'm certain Rham Emanuel will get this "fixed" before Obama comes home.
More people died in Chicago last month than in Afghanistan.
Think about it!

[Denizen_Kate]

"More people died in Chicago last month than in Afghanistan. Think about it!" Relevance, please?

[wonka45ACP]

This story is not about human Trafficking, it's about politicians and their budgets, It's about a failure in local law enforcement. did not one person, try to report anything to local police?

[MadAmerican]

If prostitution is reported in my town it is investigated along with rape, murder, etc. How would enacting another bill deter this type of behavior? To me it's just like gun control-they just want to enact more laws that do not work. I don't think knee jerk reactions work for anything and as far as republicans not voting for it doesn't mean they support slavery. There are no laws on the books that allow slavery in any state that I know of and this type of knee jerk reaction to liberal TV reporting is disgusting.

[Cheenoguy]

Reread the story. The legislation is for helping the women who have been enslaved recover. That is what tea bagging douches in congress oppose.
Its too bad these women don't get their counseling and what not from the Koch brothers because then the funding to help them would never be in question.

[MadAmerican]

@Cheenoguy And how many women are we talking about? I do feel for them, but if they continue knee jerking about every incident then why not make programs for families to recover from home fires, or getting homeless of the streets (which is alot more than slaves). It's not just the Tea Baggers BTW. I guess you are one of the Coffee party members? If you read the article most were here illegally anyway so send them back to their country and families. Maybe them telling their story will deter any more of them coming here illegally.

[jessejaymes]

@MadAmerican some guys have a natural aversion to doing anything about trafficking in human slavery because that's the only way they can get sex. Know anything about any of those guys?

[Robbo03712]

@MadAmerican the average age of a trafficking victim is 12 to14 and by "trafficking" that's just a pretty Word for sex slave for sale ie repeatedly raped still think little girls should be set up as examples?

[seedtick]

Secure the southern USA border with Mexico and stop a huge amount of it. Those migrating northward are actually enslaved in Mexico and forced to either carry drugs across the border or become prostitutes to pay the cartels and cayotes. And, you now hear so little about this from Washington DC. All Barack Husssein Obama will say is that "the border is safer than ever now." HE LIES.

[Cheenoguy]

Read the story. These women are coming here legally in order to work as nannies. When they show up and there isn't work this asshole manipulated them by convincing them that he would help them.
But hey why blame the douchebags who refuse to continue funding the program that helps them when you can blame brown people coming cross the border and President Blackenstein?

[seedtick]

@Cheenoguy Yeah? Well, you are only speaking about one little thing. I am talking about years of abuse along the southern border with Mexico. Illegal alien women are used and abused a hundred times more often than your nannies. And, you will never know it, because they are afraid to talk. Now, you go back and read what I wrote...I never once mentioned race, did I? But you did nothing but call people names and throw race into the discussion. Man, it is hard to take you seriously when you do that.

[DogLady_1]

My heartfelt thanks go to Senators Leahy, Manendez, Rubio, and Kerry for drafting the TVPRA!

Dear House: Don't be jackasses like Senators Coburn, Inhofe, Johnson, Lee, and Sessions... do the right thing and pass this important legislation.

[bsking]

I can imagine you posted that with a straight face.. Menendez has his hands all over this topic

[DogLady_1]

@bsking - I wrote that with a totally straight face. I mean it... I want to give credit to those members of congress who actually do something good for a change. Now we'll have to see if there are any House members who can put aside their petty BS for a minute and finish passing the TVPRA.

[jessejaymes]

What just burns me up is that both parties want to war over their side agenda attachments to the bill. This has nothing to do with ANYTHING except sending a message to these slimeballs that you traffic in sex slaves and you never see daylight again. That's what it should be.

[marine1]

I have to say, our congress must be slaves to a corrupt and selfish system of goverment or why else would either side want to attach pork to a bill that deals with this problem. Maybe the voters of this country are are slaves and we just don't want to admit it?

[jessejaymes]

This lack of Democrat and Republican ability to simply pass a non controversial bill without bickering over pork attached riders is good illustration of why we should elect NOBODY 2014

[hwyangel]

As a card carrying member of "Truckers against Trafficking" I promise you that if you have ever seen a woman bloodied, bruised, and naked, or a young 13 year old girl scared out of her mind because she is expected to preform for woman for the first time, what's going through her mind is not whether or not she should get a an abortion.