We learned that GabNet is involved in trying to prevent human/women trafficking. Can you describe to us the extent of the problem of human/women trafficking? Can you provide us some relevant and informative statistics? And what is GabNet doing to address this problem?
The trafficking of humans has been a problem for decades now. Many women and even children leave their country of origin undocumented. Some are made to believe that there are jobs waiting for them. Even in the US and Canada, there are women who are recruited illegally and made to work in a sweat shop, prostitution den, and as undocumented domestic workers.
More than 700,000 people are believed to be trafficked each year worldwide; some 50,000 to the United States. Trafficking is now considered the third largest source of profits for organized crime, behind only drugs and weapons, generating billions of dollars annually.(CRS Report to US Congress 2002).
There are at least 5000 women who leave the Philippines as mail order brides and undocumented overseas workers, many of whom end up in brothels in different parts of the world. The problem with these statistics is that these are only the reported cases which don’t include many trafficked women who leave the country as tourists. Just to clarify, GabNet is not against interracial marriages. Our problem with the mail order bride is the practice that men pick women out of a catalogue (print or internet) and pay a subscription fee. These MOB agencies take advantage by recruiting women from the rural areas & poor communities – women who think their only hope to escape poverty is to marry someone from a foreign land.
Gabnet helps in exposing and opposing this form of migration by education, organizing, and advocacy. We don’t have direct services but we have network for referrals for women who come to us for assistance. Our actions had been a factor in the closure of sex tour agencies here in LA and New York. We have sat in city committees for women and children and advocated changes in law regarding violence against women.
What is the influence of being a Varron to you as being a member of GabNet?
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From the Varrons' archives: Agnes (second row left) with Varrons on the way to the final initiation rites for the FQS '78 batch
It was being a Varron that taught me TLJF, to be socially conscious and to be politically correct. Growing up in a conservative and apolitical household, studying in a conservative catholic school, it was only in UPLB and specifically being a Varron that I realized that the world is much bigger, and each individual has a choice which camp to support.
On a tour of UPLB Campus in August 2007 (from left): Evelyn 'Len' Amit-Corado (Crystal '77), Agnes, Belleza 'Belle' Vilela-Chua (Crystal '77), and Mae Macariola (FQS '78).
Notes about Agnes family:
Agnes is married to Wilfredo Bartolome of San Pablo City. They met in 1982 and got married in 1984. They have 3 children: Angela (23y) Wilfred (21y), Melanie (19y). Their youngest was born in L.A. Willie is currently a realtor. Angela will graduate from California State University Long Beach with a degree in Healthcare Administration and plans to go to graduate school for nursing or social work. She supports herself by working in Chili’s. Wilfred is an automotive technician, graduated from Universal Technology Institute in 2007 and is working at Precision Tune Up in Irvine. Melanie is taking her general education classes at Cypress Community College, plans to go for a degree in Psychology. She now works as an assistant manager for Red Mango (a frozen yogurt store/restaurant that is now a craze in LA). Melanie used to work for Disneyland and Target.
Last Updated on October 12, 2016 by Tudla_Admin
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