Eleven years ago, Melanie Thompson, an 11-year-old New York girl, was kidnapped on her way home from the cinema. Since then, she has been forced to engage in sex trade. For more than eight years, she stood across the street, engaged in online prostitution and worked in an underground strip club.
Thompson, now 23, is free, but her neck and arms are scarred by the pimp who attacked her. And her spiritual wounds are even more difficult to heal.
"I felt like it was never going to end. I was raped all the time, I was bought all the time, people would come and do unimaginable things to me," she told CNN.
"I feel that everything will not end. I have been raped, I have been bought and sold, and people have done unimaginable things to me, "she told CNN.
"I may be physically out, but I still feel mentally trapped… Even to this day, I still struggle with viewing myself as a person who’s worth something more than sex or money," she said.
"I may be physically free, but my spirit is still imprisoned … Even today, I still find it hard to see myself as a real person-someone more important than sex or money," she said.
▲New York street art shines a light on human trafficking (via CNN)
Thompson’s story was painted as a mural. This mural, 60 feet high and 40 feet wide, is located at 25 Bridge Street25 in Manhattan, new york. As long as you scan this mural with the mobile phone software Behind the Wall, you can hear Thompson’s tragic story.
(Via CNN)
There are six murals and graffiti of abducted children like Thompson. They are all drawn by several international artists to describe different forms of "modern slavery" that still exist all over the world: including sex trade in the United States, domestic slaves in Europe, child soldiers in Africa, child laborers in clothing industry in Asia, child laborers in fishing in Latin America, and child laborers in chocolate industry in Africa.
This activity was initiated by a non-governmental organization named Street Art for Mankind(SAM), with the aim of raising awareness of child slavery through art and combating human trafficking and child trafficking.
The images are not direct representations of the victims, but rather an "allegory of the issue," said Audrey Decker, co-founder of SAM along with her husband Thibault Decker. "The point being that this child could be any child, including ours," she added.
These images do not directly represent the victims, but "symbolize the problem," said Audrey Decker, co-founder of SAM. She founded SAM with her husband Thibault Decker. "The point is that this child can be any child, including our own," she added.
Audrey Decker believes that putting the subject in front of the public in the form of street art will help people realize that modern slavery is everywhere.
Audrey Decker believes that putting this issue in front of the public in the form of street art will help people realize that modern slavery is everywhere.
"That’s why it was important to include a local survivor," she said. "People weren’t aware it was happening here… So we decided to make a statement to show it happens right on our doorstep."
"This is an important reason why these murals should include a local victim," she said. "People didn’t realize that the same thing was happening here in the past … so we decided (in this way) to show that it happened on our doorstep."
▲New York street art shines a light on human trafficking (via CNN)
(Via CNN)
This image tells the story of Henriette, who migrated from Togo to France at the age of 14.
(Above) This mural tells the story of Henriette. She immigrated to France from Togo in West Africa at the age of 14.
She told SAM that her parents had sent her there to work for a woman in return for education. However she says she did not go to school, and instead spent almost five years working in the house, sleeping on the floor and eating leftovers.
She told SAM that her parents sent her to a woman’s house in exchange for an education. However, she said that she had never been to school, but worked in that woman’s house for almost five years, sleeping on the floor and eating leftovers.
French artist, Jo Di Bona created the mural, located on Cliff Street.
French artist Jo Di Bona created this mural on Cliff Street.
▲New York street art shines a light on human trafficking (via CNN)
(Via CNN)
This mural represents the story of Ibrahim, who says he spent his childhood working as a cocoa picker in Ivory Coast.
(Above) This mural tells the story of Ibrahim, who spent his childhood as a child cocoa picker in C? te d ‘Ivoire.
According to the Global Slavery Index, an estimated 891,000 children aged between 10 and 17 years old worked in cocoa production in Ivory Coast between October 2016 and November 2017.
According to the global slavery index data, from October 2016 to November 2017, 891,000 children aged 10 to 17 worked in the cocoa production industry in C? te d ‘Ivoire.
The mural was painted by French street artist Loic Ercolessl and can be found at 9 Maiden Lane.
This mural was painted by French street artist Loic Ercolessl, and it is located at Maiden Lane9.
▲New York street art shines a light on human trafficking (via CNN)
(Via CNN)
This mural represents the story of Ariel, who says he began working as a seafood diver in Honduras aged just seven.
(Above) This mural tells the story of Ariel, who has been working as a marine diver in Honduras since he was 7 years old.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) says child labor is widespreading in the global fishing industry, and that it’s one of the most hazardous occupations. Ariel’s account was provided to SAM by the charity World Vision.
According to the International Labour Organization, child labor is widespread in the global fishing industry, which is one of the most dangerous occupations. Ariel’s story was provided to SAM by the charity World Vision.
The mural was painted by Btoy, a Spanish artist, and is located at 243 Water Street.
This mural was painted by Spanish artist Btoy, and its location is at 243 Water Street.
▲New York street art shines a light on human trafficking (via CNN)
(Via CNN)
This mural represents the problem of child labor in the fashion industry in Bangladesh. It tells the story of Bithi, who says she was sent to work in a factory at the age of 12, helping to make designer jeans.
(Above) This mural reflects the problem of child labor in Bangladesh’s fashion industry. It tells the story of Bithi. At the age of 12, Bithi was sent to work in a factory to help produce brand jeans.
According to World Vision, who provided her account to SAM, she helped to make 480 pairs of jeans a day, for which she was paid just over $1.
World Vision provided SAM with Bithi’s story. Bithi helps produce 480 pairs of jeans every day, and her daily income is only $1.
The mural on 28 Cliff Street was painted by Mexican street artist KinMx.
This mural at No.28 Cliff Street was painted by Mexican street artist KinMx.
▲New York street art shines a light on human trafficking (via CNN)
According to the data of the World Labor Organization, in 2016, 40 million people around the world became victims of modern slavery.
Of these, one in four victims were children. In the US, there was an estimated 403,000 people are living in trafficking situations, according to theGlobal Slavery Index.
One quarter of these victims are children. According to the global slavery index, 403,000 people are trafficked in the United States.
"…people need to really open their eyes and understand that this happens right around them every day."
She said, "People really need to open their eyes to understand that these things (modern slavery) actually happen to them every day."
▲New York street art shines a light on human trafficking (via CNN)