Storytelling and Healing

Today’s post is by Jessica, a new intern with Relentless. She writes this post to introduce herself and share a bit of her own story. Stories are very powerful. They are how we relate to each other and how our worlds are expanded beyond our own experiences. The posts in which Katherine introduces us to
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2013 TIP Report: Thailand gets a pass, China moves down

The United States Department of State just released its annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report for 2013. This has a bit of political influence, but I think its teeth are growing dull after years of hedging on certain countries. Even so, this year China actually got bumped down to tier 3 from its seemingly solid
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Cancer InCytes Magazine

My article on public health and human trafficking is now published in the online magazine, Cancer InCytes. Cancer InCytes addresses social justice issues that intersect health care – from cancer research to health care inequalities to modern day slavery. The magazine “seeks to distill information into knowledge, empowering the public to pursue change for the
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A Home Away From Home: the Relentless Chiang Mai 24-Hour Endurance Run

On 25 May at 2pm, the first wave of runners started off the line for the Second Annual Relentless Chiang Mai 24 Hour Endurance Run. It was quite an international group, with twelve different nationalities represented among the 42 participants. Even so, ultramarathon culture transcends all others as the main aid station along the looped
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Breaking Barriers

Recently I had a discussion regarding health care and its role in outreach to people who are on the street, are prostituted, or other similar population groups. This person told me that her organization had “tried” a health care outreach once but it didn’t seem go over very well. A group of foreigners in Thailand,
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Laos – A First Impression

I traveled to Laos last week at the invitation of several organizations to explore new work there. The field there is quite wide open for me to develop work and several new collaborative projects were established. I was also able to provide some initial health consultations and trainings to organizations working with survivors. Health care
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Human Trafficking IS a Public Health Issue

“The business of public health is to take what is accepted and make it unacceptable.” – Bill Foege, former director of the Center for Disease Control Although largely framed as a legal issue, a social issue, and sometimes a geo-political issue, human trafficking IS also a public health issue. Communicable diseases such as tuberculosis, sexually
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Sex Trafficking and the “P” word

People used to ask me whether or not by reaching out and helping prostituted women – women still in “the life” – I was actually enabling and facilitating them to remain in that life. Fortunately I don’t hear that question any more – but I’m sure it still comes up. No, we need to continue
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Compounded Consequences

“A” I met “A” a couple weeks ago. I was visiting an outreach location where street boys can come and hangout in the afternoons. My friends who set it up were particularly concerned about A and when I met him, so was I. Although he still needs a confirmatory blood test, I have seen enough
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