The "Roadkill" Forum: Stop the Demand to Purchase the Bodies of Victims

This summer, like some addict, I kept refreshing the St Ann Warehouse site hoping that a ticket would open up for the sold out run of Cora Bissett's Roadkill. My perseverance paid off and I did indeed score a ticket to what turned out to be one of my top theater experiences of the year to date. Months later as I continue to share the experience with other women, they are enthralled at first and then when they learn that Roadkill is based in part of a true story, they become outraged. 


Roadkill is an immersive theatrical experience about sex trafficking. A young girl is chosen. Lies are told to her unsuspecting parents. She is taken to another continent, to a country of opportunity by someone she trusts...someone who was once like her...She dreams of a good life, a good education, a good home. Right after she breaths in a lung full of possibility, her trafficker/her pimp rapes her (breaks her in) and then thrusts her into a life of sex slavery. Now, every part of her body hurts... 

To complement this amazing piece that played at St Ann's warehouse, the British Council along with NYU Law School recently hosted a Roadkill forum. Some interesting facts about sex trafficking, according to a passport leaflet handed out a the forum:

1. Human trafficking is slavery. There are more slaves today than at any other point in history. More than 80% of trafficking victims are female. Over 50% are children.

2. Human trafficking is one of the fastest growing criminal enterprises, and is estimated to surpass drug trade in under five years. It generates $32 billion every year.

3. The U.S. is one of the top three destination points for trafficked victims and CA, NY, TX and NV have the highest turnouts. According to Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, the Super Bowl is "the single largest human trafficking incident int he U.S."

Per the forum panelists, laws are evolving, and the private sector is slowly stepping up, especially in the travel and tourism industry. But unfortunately all of this means nothing if demand cannot be eradicated, especially demand for the flesh of kids, who make up a large population of the victims being trafficked. 

#ROADKILL13 - To continue the conversation.
Link - To find out how to combat sex trafficking