GABNET PREPARES TO LAUNCH NEW OFFENSIVE AGAINST HUMAN TRAFFICKING

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 29, 2009
Jollene Levid, Gabnet Secretary-General
secgen@gabnet.org
Tel: 323-356-4748

March 28, 2009, Los Angeles - On Saturday, March 28, 2009, GABNet of the Mariposa Alliance prepared to launch Purple Rose Campus Committees, the latest in it's arsenal of weapons against the trafficking of women and children. The initial twelve campus-based Purple Rose Committees are in the works to combat the near pandemic proportions of human trafficking and modern day slavery. Annually, over 850,000 persons are trafficked internationally. Human trafficking is the fastest growing criminal industry in the world, generating billions of dollars in profits from the modern day slave trade.

GABNet began the Purple Rose Campaign as part of an international effort in 1999. The Purple Rose Campaign was established to address the growing numbers of Filipinas who are trafficked into the sex trade, particularly Filipina Mail Order Brides in the United States. The campaign recently won successes as part of the advocacy group pushing the International Marriage Broker Regulation Act (IMBRA), which was re-authorized last year. ?It?s not enough to just work on legislation. We have to talk about trafficking at the community level. That?s the way to identify and service victims. It?s also the way to address the root causes of why so many Filipinas are trafficked- namely poverty and militarization in the Philippines? said Jollene Levid, Secretary General of GABNet.

The Purple Rose Campus Committees are composed of students, faculty members, and community members who are interested in organizing and raising awareness about the trafficking issue. Each committee has pledged to hold two main events during the year: a fundraiser and a community awareness raising training. The funds raised from their efforts will benefit victim services. ?We felt it was time for students to become more involved. The youth have a great capacity to create change and educate others on what is going on. The Purple Rose Campaign is a formal way for high schools, colleges, and universities to show their support,? stated Loralei Bingamon, Director of GABNet LA?s Filipinas Not For Sale Campaign.

The first wave of the Purple Rose Campus Committees will be in the Southern California area, but will eventually be a national effort. The first twelve campuses include the University of Southern California (USC), Mount Saint Mary?s University, Universities of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Irvine (UCI), and San Diego (UCSD), California State Universities Long Beach (CSULB), Los Angeles (CSULA), and Northridge (CSUN), and Santa Monica Community College (SMCC). There are also high school committees at Civitas School of Leadership, Narbonne, and Cerritos High Schools.

The creation of the Purple Rose Committees and a Women?s Month celebration in Los Angeles with over 250 people in attendance on Saturday night, March 28th closed Gabnet?s 2009 national Women?s Month activities.