Kiwi Artists and Foodies to Kick Trafficking Where it Hurts

Kiwi Artists and Foodies to Kick Trafficking Where it Hurts

Well known New Zealanders will join thousands of Kiwis in giving up their creature comforts this September to combat human trafficking.

Geoff Scott (chef, owner of Vinnie’s restaurant), Ria Hall (musician, presenter on Maori TV), Eve Gordon (from the TV programme The Almighty Johnsons), and Holly Arrowsmith (musician) are some of many taking part in the 2015 Live Below the Line challenge from September 21 to 25.

Participants will live on $2.25 a day, the New Zealand equivalent of the global extreme poverty line, for all their food for five days. They are doing this in solidarity with the millions of human trafficking and slavery victims around the globe and raising money for TEAR Fund’s anti-trafficking work in Southeast Asia.

“I like knowing that by giving up some of my own comforts, I can help give back freedom to someone trapped in slavery,” says Geoff Scott.

There are an estimated 21 million people trapped in slavery, more than at any other time in history. Funds raised from the challenge will go towards TEAR Fund’s anti-trafficking partners who free and rehabilitate women and children trapped in sexual exploitation and work with the authorities to facilitate the prosecution of those responsible.

“We believe poverty isn’t just about the inability of people to feed their families, it’s about dignity,” says Joy Davidson, international programmes director at TEAR Fund. “People most likely to be trafficked or trapped in slavery are the most vulnerable in the world, often living on $2.25 or less a day.”

“TEAR Fund is hoping to raise $250,000 this year, an amount that will have an impact on the lives of many. By disrupting human trafficking networks and helping to prosecute those who profit from the trade, our partners aim to reduce the number of people ending up in slavery and exploitation,” says Ms Davidson.

For more information and to sign up to the challenge visitwww.livebelowtheline.com/nz or call or call 0800 800 777.

Facts about human trafficking:

• Human trafficking is an organised criminal activity. Using deception and coercion, human beings are lured from their homes to be bought, sold and transported into slavery.

• Those living below the international extreme poverty line of $2.25 a day are most vulnerable to being trafficked.

• The fastest growing form of trafficking is sexual exploitation.

• 4.5 million people are trapped in sexual exploitation globally.

• The average age of victims trafficked into prostitution is 12 years old.

• Sexual exploitation earns criminal networks over US $99 billion per annum.

ENDS

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