Restore NYC is a nonprofit dedicated to restoring freedom, safety and hope for foreign-born survivors of sex trafficking by providing long-term, holistic aftercare services. We work with local and federal officials and other organizations to facilitate the prosecution of traffickers and empower survivors.

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Upcoming Protest Against Backpage.C​om

October 28th, 2011

Join The Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW) in partnership with Prostitution Research and Education (PRE) and co-sponsoring organizations that include Equality Now, Soroptimist International of the Americas, Apne Aap, Aboriginal Women’s Action Network, Breaking Free, Ambassador Mark Lagon, Frederick Douglass Family Foundation, Temple Committee Against Human Trafficking, A Call to Men, Restore NYC, NY State Anti Trafficking Coalition, along with many others, as they  protest in front of the Village Voice building at the offices of Village Voice Media Holdings, LLC, owner of Backpage.com. to bring attention to their corporation’s facilitation of and profiting from sex trafficking:

When:     Wednesday, November 16, 2011, 4:00 – 7: 00PM

Where:    The Village Voice, 36 Cooper Square, Manhattan

Contact:   SAndar@catwinternational.org

“Backpage is now the leading online facilitator of sex trafficking,” says Norma Ramos, Executive Director of CATW.  Since August, 51 Attorneys General have called upon Backpage to cease its facilitation of sex trafficking.  In doing so, they have cited more than 50 cases across 22 U.S. states in the past three years that involve Backpage’s facilitation of sex trafficking.
 
It is estimated that Backpage generates upwards of $2 million per month largely attributable to its functioning as a virtual red light district for pimps/traffickers and johns.  Currently, Backpage is facilitating sex trafficking in at least 10 other countries.  Village Voice Media Holdings, LLC, owner of Backpage, is displaying a reckless disregard for human rights.  Village Voice Media Holdings, LLC could act to create a sex trafficking free Internet by no longer hosting prostitution ads through Backpage.
 
We invite you to join CATW, PRE and our co-sponsors to hold Village Voice Media Holdings, LLC accountable for its facilitation of and profiting from the rank exploitation of others.  We call upon Village Voice Media Holdings, LLC to engage in corporate responsibility by ceasing to host ads that facilitate sex trafficking on Backpage.

 * Please help spread the word:  forward this notice to your contact list.