Stop the Demand Bus Ad Campaign
In true Northwest style, the Adrian Dominicans in the Seattle area are walking their talk on human trafficking in collaboration with others. Together with local women religious we unveiled our bus advertisement campaign at a press conference on March 9, 2009 to raise awareness about the reality of human trafficking in the Pacific Northwest.”
The bus ads, which feature an eye-catching photograph of a woman being abducted, appeared on 180 King County metro buses for four weeks. “We realized many people don’t even know about human trafficking,” said Charlene Hudon, SP, a campaign organizer. “We want to put the ads where people can see them. The bus ads seem a very effective way to do this.” A website, www.stopthedemand.org, has been set up for the campaign. “We invite people to visit the website and learn more about how they can stop the demand for human trafficking,” said Susan Francois, CSJP, who leads the human trafficking work of the Intercommunity Peace and Justice Center (IPJC). The website includes resources, tool kits, and links to organizations working to end modern day slavery.
The “Stop the Demand” bus awareness campaign was created by women religious in the Northwest as a pilot project which we hope will be replicated in cities across the country. We began raising funds last November to develop the bus ads and launch the campaign. The Dominican West Chapter contributed to the fund from its Chapter Initiative budget. IPJC has created a toolkit—complete with graphics, fund-raising suggestions and outreach materials—for groups or individuals who are interested in organizing a campaign. On the first Sunday of every month, sisters, associates and concerned members of the public gather at 1:30 p.m. at Westlake Park in downtown Seattle for a silent prayer vigil and to hand out leaflets to raise awareness about human trafficking.
Sponsors of the “Stop the Demand” bus awareness campaign include: the Adrian Dominican Sisters, Catholic Community Services, Franciscan Sisters, Intercommunity Peace and Justice Center, Providence Health and Services, the Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters, Sisters of Providence, Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace, the Tacoma Dominican Sisters, and the Tronie Foundation.