Psychology sophomore says world with human trafficking 'in desperate need of hope'

College Media Network

Front Page PDF

www.theranger.org

Home

Psychology sophomore says world with human trafficking 'in desperate need of hope'

New nonprofit organization will work to end suffering caused by human trafficking, sex and labor slavery.

By Stephanie Mikneus

Issue date: 4/4/08 Section: Features

Originally published: 4/3/08 at 2:48 PM CST
Last update: 4/3/08 at 7:14 PM CST

Page 1 of 2 next >

Media Credit: D.A. James

Criminal psychology freshman Margaret Sanchez questions English sophomore Caroline Richardson, president of Cheshyre Cheese Club, Thursday 3 in the mall about slavery. Sanchez said she is doing a presentation on pornography and wondered if there were connections between the two.

Psychology sophomore Chris Crooks is working with his parents, former minister Wayne and Elizabeth Crooks, to raise awareness and aid for victims of human trafficking, abuse and trauma through a nonprofit faith-based organization, the Embassy of Hope Center.

Chris Crooks is involved with the Campus Crusade for Christ, an organization that participated in a human trafficking awareness program earlier in the semester. The goal of the program was to raise awareness on human trafficking through speakers and pamphlets.

Chris Crooks is studying psychology because "the world is in desperate need of hope."

He is looking for ways to understand the mind, and create new ways of helping those in need.

Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery. This includes sex trafficking, or prostitution against a person's will, and labor and services trafficking, using humans for hard labor and service without pay, also against their will, according to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, at its Web site www.usccb.org.

There have been cases of human trafficking in San Antonio.

In May, three young women were promised $600 to cross into San Antonio from Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, if they promised to accompany businessmen on their trips. They were told that they would not have to have sex with the men.

Later the women were told that they must have sex for up to five years with men to pay off their smuggling debt, according to an article, "Details emerge in human trafficking case in San Antonio," from the San Antonio Express-News published June 6.

According to a pamphlet for the Embassy of Hope Center, the center helps individuals seeking life changes from the negative impact of trauma, with a caring community to encourage men, women and children in their journey to wholeness and restoration.

Continued...

Page 1 of 2 next >

Article Tools

Subscribe:

This is an open forum for the readers of TheRanger.org. Abusive, inflammatory, slanderous, obscene and libelous language will not be tolerated. Please be considerate of other readers when posting comments. This is not the place for personal attacks. The staff of The Ranger.org reserves the right to deny publication of any posts. The comments posted here do not reflect the opinions of The Ranger staff, San Antonio College or the Alamo Community College District.