A Woman's Voice for the Voiceless

During this month of March, we celebrate women with Women's History Month and International Women's Month.  The past year marked the emergence of the MeToo movement which has given voice to the women who have suffered abuse and sexual harassment in the hands of men most of whom have held powerful positions.

In the past few years, growing awareness of the problem of human trafficking has increased.  Most of those who have been exploited have been women and even children.  A majority come from foreign countries and due to the language barrier and lack of money are powerless and voiceless and highly exploitable.

People are more aware of this injustice and disrespect to the victims as they are used for profit.  However, the problem is not only those who bring the victims here but those who enable this to go on, namely, the ones who patronize the places with the imported women and children.

My friend, Milyssa, had the courage to write a letter to the editor that was published by the Greensburg, PA paper uncovering trafficking with a high profile person involved.  Here is her letter:

Uncovering trafficking

Regarding “Robert Kraft charges no reason for celebration” (Feb. 25, TribLIVE): Come on, what a shallow editorial. Kraft’s charges are all about human trafficking. He has had a girlfriend, Ricki Noel Lander, 39, since 2012, one year after his wife died. Kraft is worth $6 billion, so put that money to good use on the big issue of human trafficking.

Dosomething.org reports that:

•Human trafficking is the third largest international crime industry, generating $32 billion in profit annually — including $15.5 billion in industrialized countries.

• Approximately 80 percent of trafficking involves sexual exploitation, and 19 percent involves labor exploitation, according to some estimates

.• The U.S. State Department reports that 600,000 to 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders every year, of which 80 percent are female and half are children.

It is about time that human trafficking is uncovered. The world is much more than sports and the New England Patriots winning. Kraft and other imbeciles like him have no concern or respect for human life.

Milyssa Ross Sassos

Greensburg

This is not the first time that Milyssa has written a letter to the editor. This is her sixth.  Most of them are in defense of women and their rights.  As we celebrate the month of women, here is my salute to one with a courageous voice for the voiceless, my friend Milyssa Ross Sassos. Thanks Milyssa.