PRESS RELEASE
AAUW San Juan
AAUW San Juan, in partnership with the Foundation for Puerto Rico, will sponsor Dr. César Rey Hernández presenting the findings of his study “Human Trafficking in Puerto Rico: An Invisible Challenge” on Thursday, January 19th, 2012 at 7:00pm at the Centro Para Puerto Rico in Rio Piedras.
(January 2, 2012 San Juan, Puerto Rico) – Dr. César Rey (former Secretary of Education in Puerto Rico) will present the findings from his study into the incidence of human trafficking in Puerto Rico at the January meeting of the American Association of University Women – San Juan Branch (AAUW San Juan). The presentation, in English, will be given at the Centro Para Puerto Rico on January 19th at 7:00pm.
Human trafficking is one of the most lucrative industries in the world, ranking from 2nd – 4th, depending on the year and the source of the statistics. According to the U.S. Department of State “approximately 100,000 people from Latin America and the Caribbean are subject to slavery every year”. “At least 10 times as many girls are now trafficked into brothels annually as African slaves were transported to the New World in the peak years of the trans-Atlantic slave trade” according to Nicholas D. Kristof, NY Times OpEd. This is a crime that affects every country in the world.
The research, led by Dr. Rey and co-authored by , is the first of its kind in Puerto Rico and resulted in a 91-page document entitled “Human Trafficking in Puerto Rico: An Invisible Challenge”. The study, done with the participation of researchers from the University Puerto Rico, the Ricky Martin Foundation and the Protection Project, highlights among various forms of human trafficking in Puerto Rico: Commercial sexual exploitation, labor exploitation and purchased marriages. The majority of the victims are children.
AAUW San Juan wants to educate the local public about this global phenomenon and raise the curtain for those who deny its existence in Puerto Rico. We will discuss pending changes to legislation to prevent trafficking and to rehabilitate victims, and focus on how the community members can combat this crime. AAUW is committed to publicize the phenomenon and search for solutions to this huge problem facing Puerto Rico, the Caribbean and the entire world.
About the Organizations:
AAUW San Juan
The San Juan Branch of AAUW has been active in Puerto Rico for over 40 years. The thrust of AAUW is fourfold: Research, education, advocacy and philanthropy. With over 100,000 members throughout the US, AAUW raises and awards millions of dollars in fellowships and grants to women seeking higher education credentials and for research and projects that foster equity for women and girls.
The Foundation for Puerto Rico
As a catalyst for change, the goal of The Foundation for Puerto Rico is the creation of a social enterprise network that will have the impact and scale to ultimately transform Puerto Rico in both the private sector and civil society. FPR partners with academia, most notably MIT, to provide the intellectual firepower to gain insight into and devise innovative solutions to the multiple challenges facing the island.
Contacts:
Elizabeth Parker/ AAUW San Juan Jody Valdes/The Foundation for Puerto Rico
Tel. 787-722-5188 Tel. 305-588-8476
aauwpr@gmail.com jody.valdes@borschow.org
Tel. 787-722-5188 Tel. 305-588-8476
aauwpr@gmail.com jody.valdes@borschow.org
More information on the event is available at
For more information on AAUW (national organization)
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