Image by kargaltsev.
This is something I’d really like to see: the large walk-through art installation “Journey” which opens in New York City next week, depicting the story of a woman sold into human trafficking for sex. Very much *not* the sexual slavery used in consensual fantasy between adults, but instead a depiction of the reality I feel it’s essential that those of us who do have sex-positive attitudes must face: human trafficking is an epidemic. As I get ready to speak at the same conference in one month’s time, and indeed share the stage with Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan (where women have few human rights and “honor killings” for rape are common), something like “Journey” is the kind of sexual/political statement I feel obligated to experience, discuss and share.
“Journey” comprises seven shipping containers each representing seven stages of experience based on Elena Varga’s personal story of being trafficked into the UK: Hope, Journey, Uniform, Bedroom, Customer, Stigma and Resurrection. The work was conceived and created by activist and owner of Coco de Mer, Sam Roddick, and actress Emma Thompson in conjunction with NYC Mayor Bloomberg — and a huge team of artists, of course. These include Turner Prize-winning artist Anish Kapoor; one of Britain’s leading graffiti artists MODE2; BAFTA-nominated Art Director Michael Howells; playwright Simon Stephens; photographer James Ostrer and more.
“Journey” is at Washington Place, off Washington Square Park, from Tuesday November 10th until Sunday November 15th, and it’s open from 12 – 8pm daily. See images from the installation here (jotta.com). This ain’t the world of sex workers with human rights and an intellectual grasp of what they’re doing. This is crime, sexual trauma and nonconsent steeped in cultural traditions. But until we can have real, honest discourse about both, bad things are going to happen on both sides, and trafficking will continue. That’s why I find this so interesting; we now live in a simultaneous world of empowered sex workers and sexual slavery victims. One awareness should be informing the other. So, is it? For instance, were I from Jordan, I would not be able to even talk about it because by now I would probably be dead. Yet now I am about to be on the same world stage as their Queen. Paradox.
Full disclosure: Coco de Mer USA is a lovingly handpicked sponsor of Tiny Nibbles. This post, and any editorial content regarding Coco, is not part of the sponsorship. It’s all me.
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I attended the Journey exhibit a few days after seeing “Very Young Girls,” a Showtime documentary about domestic sex trafficking in the U.S. Both of the pieces tell the same story, of pimps and madams targeting girls who are vulnerable, living with a thread-bare support network. They control the girls’ worlds, setting up perverse incentive structures where the women can only get what they need to survive, physically and emotionally, by having sex with strangers for money, sometimes servicing thirty or forty men a day. This is fucked up, obviously. My impression is that, while there are a few organizations in the trenches doing good work (GEMS is a good example), sex trafficking remains a fringe issue, essentially ignored by society. Perhaps a more sober look at sex trafficking, through exhibits and films such as these that give voice to the trafficked, can help generate the cultural shift and political will we need to bring an end to exploitative sex work.
Fem – please remember that Polanski was about to be screwed by a corrupt judge. I don’t condone his act, and I don’t blame him for leaving. Even the victim wants this all to go away. She says she has suffered more from the legal system and press than the rape.
I think it is time to let it go. Emma is pretty smart – and female. She must have good reasons for her beliefs.
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Poodle – In the 1600′s, 75% of the world were slaves of some sort. I don’t know if the numbers today are exaggerated or not. It is a horrible crime, and is all too easy to commit and perpetuate.
Here in Atlanta, they are always busting some houses with captured teens working inside. And I’m guessing they just find the obvious ones!
Yes trafficking is serious crime and this exhibit looks very good.
There is evidence though that its extent has been exaggerated for various reasons: most of all to try and tare all the sex industry.
See: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/oct/20/trafficking-numbers-women-exaggerated
It still boggles my mind that Emma Thompson, for all her concern and spokesmanship against sexual exploitation, nonconsent and human trafficking, has come out in support of Roman Polanski’s release. It saddens me and it colours my view of everything she does now. Shame.
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