Not for Sale: Raising Awareness, Ending Exploitation - Softcover

Carrie Pemberton

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1905958110 ISBN 13: 9781905958115

Publisher: Inspire, 2007

Synopsis

Rare Book

About this title

Review:

Yet another cause; yet more compassion fatigue? No. Reading Not for Sale galvanised both my compassion and my hope. The book makes startlingly clear the enormous volume of sexual slavery channelled through high-profit human trafficking across the UK and Europe. It is happening here, under our noses, not just in the no-man s land of far away, failed states. This clarion call to the churches for raised awareness and participation in ending sex slavery gives a truly Christian anchor to moral issues concerning the much argued topic of human sexuality. Its victims are duped, trapped, terrorised and damaged. What is at stake is the physical survival and spiritual dignity of human beings who are at risk of being rubbished. These human beings often female often frighteningly young - are not for sale. I was surprised by the impact of the book s interweaving of factual reporting with personal stories, poems, haunting imagery, and theologically-rich Christian perspective. The book is followed up by The Real Scandal of Sex Trafficking (eds Pemberton and Berry, Kevin Mayhew publications), a short volume offering an array of resources. These resources include an understanding of the process of trafficking, its signs and common misconceptions; psalms, prayers, intercessions, bible readings, spiritual exercises and acts of worship for congregations, who, like the famous underground railway for escaped American slaves, are willing to play their part on the road to freedom --Review by Sara Savage Senior Research Associate, Psychology and Religion Research Group Faculty of Divinity, University of Cambridge

WHY has she got such a bloody great bee in her bonnet about these prossies, d you reckon? So asks CID officer Ray Carling of a female colleague in a recent episode of the BBC s prime time drama Ashes to Ashes. The world has come a long way it seems when mainstream public service broadcasting juxtaposes the misogynistic view point of the British police force in the early 80s with what is expressed as the accepted moral position of now, viewing women in the sex industry as worthy of equality and justice on the basis of their humanity alone. The question, which itself illustrates the kind of language which allows us to objectify other human beings, could equally be addressed to Carrie Pemberton and her colleagues at CHASTE (Churches Against Sex Trafficking in Europe). Their book Not For Sale will provide you with an answer as swift, direct and uncompromising as the question is blunt. Not For Sale is about the trafficking of human beings for sex. As a resource book it has far reaching ambitions, to support those who know nothing about trafficking as well as experienced activists. It is an uncomfortable ambition too, to bring the outrage of rape, intimidation and the abuse of power right into your living space but as the book unfolds it becomes clear that some aspect of the cycle they re talking about is probably only a stones throw from your living space already, whether you know it or not. The illicit trade in human beings for sexual gratification and profit is a painful and age old reality. Although stereotypically described as the oldest profession , logic dictates that not prostitution but exploitation of the vulnerable for greed and gratification is the oldest sin, which has been rationalised by the objectification of the exploited. Not For Sale brings to vivid life the voices of those who have been bought and sold, beaten and broken, men and women from all over the world, and men and women from just down the road. The accounts it holds are frighteningly vivid. As a woman it made me uncomfortably aware of my own vulnerability, of the things that my nice safe background could easily have failed to protect me from. It reminded of the solidarity I owe to sisters and brothers in chains This is an unforgiving subject, so for me the format of an anthology itself made the book more readable; pure prose would have allowed me to put the book down when the subject became too uncomfortable. The anthology provides useful resources (poetry, witness, prayer, biblical reflection) for discussion of this issue within many contexts, while at the same time the format allows you to breathe (without letting you off the hook). This book asks and answers strong questions about what it means to be human, in relation to each other and in relation to God, and takes the next step in demanding the action that this knowledge necessitates. You cannot know and do nothing. Practically, though, the book does not exclude those whose mode of action may be less dramatic or high profile. It encourages you to do something, or to support those who you know can. We are shown with passion a clear gospel imperative to act, to do whatever we can to end this. If we know and do nothing, we collude in the continuing violation and injustice of sex trafficking, and why would we do nothing if we really have the faith to believe that Jesus sets the prisoner free? The book argues strongly that trafficking is the slavery of our time, which we choose to ignore, allowing it to remain unseen in the shadows. Undoubtedly though there is a now a desire for change in our society. Not for Sale reminds us that remind us that to abuse a human being is to abuse the God in whose image they are made. --Women and the Church http://womenandthechurch.org/bookreviews3.htm#notforsale

Now a well received publication of verse, social comment, theological reflection and case studies The CHASTE-commissioned book 'Not for Sale: Raising Awareness, Ending Exploitation' published by Methodist Publishing House imprint Inspire is already making waves and exciting positive comment from a wide sector of interest. One of the authors of this volume Dr Carrie Pemberton says The British public is simply not aware of how ordinary citizens are both part of the problem of sexual slavery in our midst, because clients who demand pay-as-you-go sex, are the reason why this vile trade in women's abused lives and bodies is flourishing. If you took away the market of demand, the criminals whose sole interest in this perverse trade in women's lives is the money it earns them, would cease their trade. She likened sexual trafficking to the transatlantic slave trade which was abolished 200 years ago this year. The same goal, making money out of the suffering of others, was behind the transatlantic slave trade two hundred years ago. Now we have a movement arising in both Parliament, the academy, the police, the churches and the faith communities which is saying 'enough is truly enough' The book has been nominated by leading advisors to the Government as one which could changes hearts and minds in the UK on some of the drivers behind trafficking for sexual exploitation in Britain today. Baroness Neuberger the Prime Minister's adviser on the voluntary sector has called the book, 'a really important contribution, which should influence debate and get the voluntary sector - and the statutory agencies really sitting up and taking notice. Women and children should never be sold for their flesh. Yet we know that an estimated 4,000 women are sold in this way every year in the UK, said Dr Pemberton. ;Every time a trafficked woman is purchased for half an hour of pay-as-you-go sex, she is raped and abused which is not acceptable in 21st century Britain. We are saying 'enough is enough' - love never was for sale and never should be. 'Love's not for sale' is a rallying cry and part of the wider Not for sale UK movement. Dr Pemberton said a cultural shift was necessary to bring about tougher laws to prevent the sale of flesh in the UK and for public agencies to have the budgets needed to provide safety and long-term rehabilitation for women caught up in the trade. --Chrisianity Today Saturday, September 29, 2007

About the Author:

Dr Carrie Pemberton is an applied Academic working out of the University of Cambridge and the founder of CHASTE - Churches Alert to Sex Trafficking across Europe. A multi published author of works on gender, feminist and post colonial liberation theology and trafficking Carrie is developing a Centre for Applied Research in Human Trafficking - www.ccarht.org

About this edition

• Publisher: Inspire
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 1905958110
• ISBN 13: 9781905958115
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 148
• Editor: Carrie Pemberton, Alison Myers, Lucy Berry