Abortion; The Church’s Staunchest Weapon Against Women’s Human Rights

By: Samantha Inesta Human Rights Fellow,

Founder & Executive Director of BeaSister2aSister

Here we are again. The looming demise of Roe V. Wade and the right for women to have safe access to abortion, should they find themselves in a situation where their options are limited. This time the game is different. The Supreme Court has been packed with more conservative judges with more power than we’ve seen in a long time. The Trump presidency made sure that the rights of women were going to be nearly impossible to access and even more challenging to fight for. Panic erupted when the “leaked” document was put on center stage revealing that judge Alito will be taking the necessary steps to overturn Roe v. Wade. Women and young women all across the country filled the streets protesting and decrying that reproductive rights are once again on the chopping block and how a hefty price will be paid if this law is overturned. And they’re right.

These judges that you see who are more than willing to deny a woman her right to an abortion or any other reproductive healthcare weren’t chosen because they are good at what they do. They were chosen because they uphold the white christian values of this country, or should I say white male christian values. There has never been a separation between church and state in this country, when presidents are surrounded by “spiritual leaders” who are pastor or priests they are basically saying they will rule the country under guidance from the church not listening to the people. This is the chance for the church to have the power over people, mostly women, that they have been desiring all along. Their version of God is one that punishes, condemns and is drunk with power. Not really the God of the bible. Abortion has been a political football in the religious arena for years and now they see, with this supreme court, they have a chance to have it all and be in control.

But, there’s one thing that they overlooked-WOMEN. Women are not strangers to this fight, they know that at any moment this government can turn all of their lives into the Handmaid’s Tale. This is why from the start women are demonized for having an abortion, they are looked at as hating children, murders and evil. There is no consideration to that fact that she cannot afford to take care of another child, that’s right, a lot of women who get abortions already have children. Maybe there is a life threatening situation that can hurt both her and the baby-or maybe just her but as we all know no one cares about the woman in this situation. She is supposed to give up her life for the child so it can grow up without a mother and a father who is just lost without his wife. Anyone who thinks that being a single parent is a piece of cake, is obviously delusional. Here’s the thing. When a women chooses to have an abortion, it is not a decision she makes lightly or without deliberation. She knows what’s at stake and what that will mean for her physically and emotionally but she does it because in most cases she wants to spare the child of a life that they will have to succumb to because she cannot do the things needed to give the child the future they deserve or maybe she’s not mentally or emotionally ready to be a mother-or even financially. That is serious a thing when you have a child and your mental and emotional state is not stable enough to be a parent, think of postpartum depression which to this day there are not many medical professionals to help women get through it. Then we come to the case of rape. Forcing a women to give birth to a child who was conceived out of rape is cruel and pyschologically debilitating. There are women in other countries that are forced to do this and the toll it takes on them is tremendous.

Now let’s talk about support. So many right-wing ultra conservative Christians love to talk about how children are a gift and joy from God-and children are wonderful, if you are ready for them. But they NEVER talk about how a struggling family or single mom or single young women will be able to support this child after it’s born. Because, once that life if here, it is no longer precious to the church, the government or the limited resources that are out there to supposedly aid in helping you raise them. The government already is leaving the struggling out in the cold, imagine how much worse it will be when women start having babies they can’t afford. The strain it will put on government systems that are constantly being de-funded will be astronomical. The solution to that? Adoption and foster care. Now, most of us know how this works. This is a risky solution considering how many children end up is abusive homes that scar them for the rest of their lives. This begs the question, why have the child if they may end up in an abusive home? But here’s the caveat, children who are born and with parents who are not ready to be parents for a myriad of reasons, can end up in the same situation. Where are the Christians speaking out against that? Where are they when a child is killed because of gun violence, abuse, sexual abuse or just plain murder? There are small children dying at a fast rate and you don’t see laws being written to stop it. This is because your child is no longer precious, a joy and gift once it’s born. It is a burden, a statistic and a drain on society.

Why would we grow a population when most of the country is struggling to live? Cutting abortion doesn’t stop there. All of the medications and life saving procedures could be taken away in the name of “It’s against God”. Because that is what this fight is really about, that’s what it’s always been about. The church trying to force women to acquiesce to their rules and purity standards while ignoring life threatening consequences, mental and emotional instability and economic turmoil. Overturning Roe v. Wade could be a precursor to eliminating birth control which does more than prevent pregnancy, it regulates menstrual cycles and shrinks cysts in the ovaries. This is reproductive healthcare, it has nothing to do with killing a fetus. Now, I know there are women out there who chose against an abortion and they are happy with that choice and that’s they way it should be-her choice. I also know women who have had an abortion and felt horrible but knew it was the right thing to do given the circumstance. Then there are women who have quite a few kids and wouldn’t choose it for themselves but want other women to have that right. Whatever your stance you should be fighting against this ruling because if you think it will stop at abortion, I can honestly say it will not. They will come for your breast cancer treatments, they will regulate what your OBGYN can an can’t do on your visits and they will make it impossible for you to get the care you deserve and dignity with which it should be given.

Don’t let the church win.

Thanks for reading! Please check out the GlobalSisters podcast on Spotify where I talk about how human rights affect women’s rights all over the world. BeaSister2aSister is a 501(c)3 non profit that helps survivors of human trafficking, domestic violence, exploitation and abuse cut the cycle of inter-dependency and find a life of self-sustainability. If you would like to know more about our work, partner with us or support the work that we do, please email me at: samantha@beasister2asister.org.

The Classist War Plaguing Human Rights

Written by: Samantha Inesta

Human Right Fellow/Founder & Executive Director for BeaSister2aSister

By now we have all been inundated with images coming out of Ukraine caused by Putin’s blood lust to control all of Eastern Europe. The takeover that has turned what some are saying is genocidal has been blasted all over news media, social media and yes even entertainment media. At the Oscars, Amy Schumer’s desire to have Ukranian President Zelensky give his own speech regarding how the celebrity community can aid in helping his country fight against it’s demise, was struck down and probably would’ve been overshadowed by Will Smith’s smack down of Chris Rock anyway. But when was the last time we have ever seen this type of activism begging and pleading with anyone and everyone to do what you can to help a people caught in a war they did not ask for? Probably not at the scale we are seeing right now.

War in of itself is a human rights crisis and does deserve attention. But what happens when it breaks out in a country where modern comforts and first world materialism have thrived for quite some time? It becomes unthinkable and people see themselves in this tragedy and fear that such a catastrophe can happen to them at any moment. War has been around for decades and is still burning as we speak. But the war that has been raging for years is not the same as what we are seeing in Ukraine. Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, Palestine and lets not for get the Arab Spring are all wars that are basically targeting areas where people are poor and desperate. These are third world country wars not well to do, middle class comfort, and let’s be real ,mostly white European takeovers. These are countries where you may expect this to happen, coups, armed terrorist, illegal occupations are part of the makeup of countries destined for turmoil and suffering.

Some in the news media didn’t seem to do a good job on reporting the reasons why they felt this was happening. This was a cosmopolitan city, there are stores, cafes, probably even a Starbucks, how could this happen these are civilized people. As if anyone outside of Europe isn’t civilized. Of course they back peddled and re-worded their findings and refocused their content, but it was a huge backlash of advocates from countries whose people are still being devastated by bombs and killings that forced these journalists to change their tone. War is horrific and more the evil that comes from it the more it is able to persist, but putting one group of people above all others and sending more resources than other war-torn countries have received, sends a bad message that they are not worthy because they are not white and live in Europe. Even those in Ukraine who are from Africa, India and other countries felt the sting of racism when countries like Poland looked to turn them away from help in favor of white Ukrainians. This has now changed because of a social media outcry. We should not have to choose or pit cultures against one another, if we are giving Ukraine what it needs to get through this and come out strong, we should be doing it for every country that has been destroyed and ripped apart by war.

The United States sees themselves in Ukraine. As well as other developed countries, they fear that of it can happen there, it can happen here, so by protecting them, we are protecting ourselves. We should see our image in EVERYONE affected by war no matter their race, culture, religious background or color of their skin. I do believe we should help Ukrainians, this is a horrific and devastating time for them but, we should do the same for those who have been trapped in the same situation for years. Don’t just see yourself in one group of people, see yourself in all of them because war, dictatorship and authoritarianism does not discriminate.

Of course with all wars, women are collateral damage and their bodies have become a battle field just like women all over the world whose bodies have become playgrounds for campaigns of violence. You can’t talk about war without talking about rape and human trafficking. Stories are coming out as Ukrainian women are being used and abused by Russian soldiers. We should absolutely care about that just as we should care about women and girls who were raped and trafficked by ISIS, BoKo Haram and the Taliban. I know for my part I am diving into the fight for these women where ever they are. The reflection you see in the mirror should should be a reflection of you and the women who you know are begging for you to speak.

Thank you so much for reading this blog! if you would like to find out about the work we do and donate you can contact me at samantha@beasister2asister.org. You can also listen to my podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/6q0ZRXrbTpXCdIEpP20MXL

The Human Rights of Women & Those in The Public Eye

Samantha Inesta
Human Rights Fellow & Founder/Executive Director of BeaSister2aSister.org

We are now in a new world of denial, ineptitude and psychosis. Everywhere you turn there is some form of flagrant bias, partiality and a blatant disregard for humanity as we speed with no brakes into cancel culture and a misguided view of self positivity and empowerment. It has been difficult enough to deal with the current pandemic and now we must contend with forces we are not familiar with, navigating waters we have never sailed all to come to the conclusion that we may be fighting a somewhat losing battle.

So much of who we used to be has changed, our world has changed. You know what hasn’t changed? War. Cruelty. Human rights crisis and the women who are always the collateral damage and the unfortunate sacrificial offering to appease a political, religious or male dominated ideology. Afghanistan has become the latest sacrifice and it’s women are once again paying the highest price. As we all scramble to use whatever platform we have to send help, push the U.S. government to act and call international attention to these atrocities there is always a need for someone to hold this spotlight for themselves or feign emotional distress for women who were never cared about in the first place. All to serve political rivalry or simply be center stage. Women in Afghanistan are grateful for the outpouring of support that they see taking place in many countries to secure their freedom and safe passage out the of the hell they are in. But let us not lose sight as to why we are doing this and let’s ask ourselves why it is so important that we all be on the same page. Of course there are those that have their reasons as to why they may be focusing on a specific piece of this based on their position and how they must present the situation. But then there are the people who do it for personal or unscrupulous means.

This is an international call, it is not just for the issue at hand but also for the Afghani women who are trapped, who are not part of a family that has helped the U.S. military and have no special privileges. It is a serious thing and should not be used to exalt someone’s status/position or to give the perception that there is real concern for these women. What we’ve seen is crocodile tears being shed by people who are trying to destroy our democracy while calling on the government to restore the same democracy in a country they consider a threat and have no understanding of the culture, nor do they want to. This clawing for the spotlight and professing humanitarianism isn’t winning the support of Afghani women who are waiting for a change.

Women in the international community would be remiss if they follow that line of advocacy, this is a time to work together and remove the barriers that keep us from communicating they way that we should. Money, size of organization, platform or employees/volunteers should never be an excuse to not work with one another in any way possible. Do not let the international spotlight blind your eyes so that you cannot see the opportunity in strength in numbers, resources and outreach. We all have something to give and if we do it together we can most definitely make a significant change. We are the only ones focusing on the women that we know will be left behind. We may be their last and only chance. Just because this is happening to women doesn’t mean it’s a women’s issue-it is a human rights issue that has now turned into a crisis that happens to be affecting women more then ever and it is up to women like us to continue to fight-together. Here’s what we know. The U.S. government is focusing on and concerned with American citizens (most are allies) who are still trapped and need to get out and rightfully so, but there is no word on anyone else. We also know that there are women and girls who are trapped in their homes with time running out on their lives now that the Taliban has taken over and no sign of the U.S. doing anything to secure their safety.

Our call should be unified and consistent, not fragmented and disorganized. Let’s all stand on the same level ground and fight together, we all have strengths that we can bring to the table where solutions can be formed as well as a strategic plan of action moving forward. This is an opportunity to show the world once again that if you treat women as property, sacrifices, victims of ideology and political pawns we will not sit idly by and let it go on. Let’s take the spotlight off of us and put it where it belongs.

Thank you for reading this post! W.A.R is blog in association with BeaSister2aSister.org and international non profit that helps women and girls all over the world find self sustainability while breaking the cycle of interdependence. Our focus is survivors of human trafficking, domestic violence , exploitation and abuse. If you are interested in this blog, please message me on twitter. We also have a podcast on spotify called Global Sisters where I talk about the intersectionality of human rights and human trafficking. If you would like to donate to the podcast you can message me on Spotify:

You can also check out BeaSister2aSister.org Being Accountable For Every Women Around The Globe.

Babylon Has Fallen

Samantha Inesta Human Rights Fellow/Founder/Executive Director BeaSister2aSister

This week has stunned, shocked and sickened so many of us. The disbelief that we have come to a state of complete anarchy, lawlessness and no fear of repercussions is straight out of the fascist regime handbook. Five people died. More and more images and videos being put up on social media by the minute show every nightmare scenario that we could’ve possibly imagined being played out right before our eyes. This is America. Friday night’s news media’s forecast put people over the edge when a graphic video was newly released to CNN of a Capitol police officer being crushed to death by a mob that was willing murder for a man who cares nothing for them. This officer was screaming in agony as blood started pouring from his mouth only to have one of the terrorists closest to him close the shield of his helmet as if to hide the crime scene.

What’s happened to this country? It’s years of white rage at the system they claim has taken away their freedoms as white people. These are people that still subscribe to the narrative that white is supreme and everyone else is a slave, they are the victims here. Now, I don’t normally write so much about other issues outside of trafficking and domestic violence but this is a human rights crisis that affects women and young women and I will explain. Every organized criminal organization whether they are terrorists, mafia (same thing as terrorists) or even cults, women play a central role. There is this perception that if you put a woman on the front lines people are less likely to take her seriously mostly because women aren’t usually the aggressors, we’re the nurturers. And as always women are the victims however, that may not be true in this scenario. Most of what we are witnessing is something that has been stirring inside of some people for years and they were just waiting for an outlet that will let them be who they really are-enter in President Trump. He opened up the door of freedom to be racist, misogynist and violent with no consequences whatsoever. That includes women and young women. Trumps way of speaking and posturing helped some women to see that it’s okay to be who you are even if it hurts others and if it does, that’s their problem they need to get over it. His words made them feel empowered, superior and right in their thinking as well as their mental instability. Never before have we seen so many white women who social media has dubbed “Karens” come out and attack African Americans and other people of color for simply walking in the park. It is only after they get exposed do they claim mental illness.

These women only after they have committed a crime scream victimization, but is it really? A victim is someone who was forced into a situation against their will not knowing the outcome and being blamed for it. This is not the case. These women and young women knew exactly what the plan was and still decided to go through with it because they were promised their place back on the food chain of white privilege. They knew the stakes, they made the decision not based on a consequence in their lives but from a deep rooted belief that they deserve better than all other women who are not of white, Waspy, Anglo, Nordic or Germanic descent. Their victim hood falls flat while Trump and his Republican followers cry crocodile tears in response. Their Stockholm Syndrome has come to an end and their journey of abandonment has just begun. These women just as many others, do unscrupulous acts just to please men, and the men are never pleased. But they will still seek their attention.

As the domestic terrorists continue to get rounded up and indicted these women will still pledge their allegiance to a man that is willing to let them rot in jail, as well as their male counterparts, while he continues to rage against states and the voting system as to how he was cheated and the election was stolen from him. These women are already in his rear view mirror. They fought for him, they were brazen enough to let their image be captured on camera and video, but somehow none of it was good enough, it will never be good enough because as much as Trump told them he loved them it will be proved a lie when they reach out for him and he’s gone. This is the problem when you worship man and count on his power to save you.

Over the coming days I’m sure there will be more disturbing and graphic content that has yet to be seen but we can only hope that this is the rock bottom we need to once again rebuild. Threats of more violence remind us there is more to come but after being ravaged by this outgoing president, the pandemic and the recent insurrection at the capitol, what more could be done? Babylon has already fallen, now let’s rebuild to be better. There may have been women who were part of violent attacks that killed and committed unspeakable acts of violence but there are many more that are ready to heal, move forward and get to the issues at hand and right now they are doing just that.

Thank you for reading!!! If you like this blog please share it & spread the word!! W.A.R. is part of BeaSister2aSister an 501(c)3 non profit dedicated to helping women and girls who are survivors of human trafficking, domestic violence, exploitation & abuse break the cycle of inter-dependency and come into a life of full independence and self sustainability. If you would like to contact us or make a donation to our work you can visit our website at http://www.beasister2asister.org & click the donate button. You call also send us an email at info@beasister2asister.org.

We so excited to share that we will be having a new podcast coming in 2021 on Anchor.com called Global Sisters where there will be discussions on human trafficking and the broader human rights issues that are affecting populations all over the world. We hope you tune in!

Why The Other Most Vulnerable Population May Not Get Vaccinated

Samantha Inesta/Human Rights Fellow/Founder/Executive Director BeaSister2aSister

The vaccines are here. Healthcare workers, essential workers, elderly and those who take care of them are among the first round of vaccinations. Early predictions have told us that we may be back to normal by Spring-Summer the latest, but that’s being proven to be not quite accurate. If we are lucky we may be on the road to repair by Fall? The holiday season? It’s anyone’s guess at this point but there are two sides of the isle. One side is cheering on this vaccine and calling it a pathway to recovery, destroying this virus and are more than willing to take it when it’s their turn in line. Then there is the other side who is skeptical, fearful or just plain defiant in as so much they believe it’s not real and this vaccine is more government control over their bodies and there lives. Groups that fall under the preexisting or vulnerable category are obviously part of, or should be, the first round. But there’s another vulnerable group that no one sees, they’re hidden-sometimes in plain sight. This is a group no huge media conglomerate will talk about. Some call them the “hidden” the “unseen”, they are the victims of a culture of rape, violence against women and a society that, despite the fact that we live in a free country, refuse to give women and girls a chance when they need it the most or real resources so that they do not find themselves in an inescapable situation. This vulnerable population are the victims of sex trafficking and domestic violence.

Just like PPE and other protections this vaccine will also be used to control, manipulate and ultimately put victims in a fatal position. Pimps and traffickers don’t want to be found out so getting the vaccine to the women they are enslaving will blow their operation wide open. You can believe this is a global problem since trafficking is a $150 billion dollar industry that spans across all countries and cultures. The fake debts that are put on these women to buy back their freedom is nothing compared to being exposed to STDS, unwanted pregnancies, beatings and now COVID. It is very easy for a pimp/trafficker to get vaccinated because who would know? They look like any man in the street. Just like brainwashed Trump supporters who will die for their country, male sex buyers are willing to die and take someone with them just to keep the sex trade alive for their own perverse pleasure. If this pandemic cannot stop the epidemic of the selling of women and girls, more unaccounted for deaths will continue to skyrocket. When data is put on the screen of percentages of people who have died versus those that were not accounted for probably doesn’t do justice for the underground population that governments, medical teams and scientists have forgotten or don’t care about.

The obvious other vulnerable and silenced population are the women in domestic violence relationships/marriages. There are intersectionalities between trafficking and domestic violence, although they are not the same, abusers use very similar tactics to oppress and hurt the women under their control. The most violent of domestic abuses are those that are tantamount to a P.O.W. where acts of physical torture and mental breakdowns are weapons for submission of their victim. This pandemic is a perfect weapon for abusers to strike unmitigated fear into the hearts of their familial partner. If these women are being threatened with homlessness if they go outside (without PPE because it’s being withheld from them) what will happen if they are told that they will never get the vaccine while their abuser is vaccinated and therefore holds the power. Why do we not have a task force for this? Why are we so desensitized to these women who are suffering? Is it because everyone is under so much stress and anxiety that nobody wants to focus on more negative news? This is misguided and inhumane.

Right now there are parents that have been looking for their daughter even before COVID came to town hoping that she’s not sick and she’s alive. There is a girlfriend, wife, life partner trying to figure a way out of an abusive situation that has left them wide open to being left out of the testing and vaccine cycle. If we do not recognize THIS vulnerable population it won’t only be the hospitals that are at full capacity-it will be the morgues.

Thank you for reading!!! If you like this blog please share it & spread the word!! W.A.R. is part of BeaSister2aSister an 501(c)3 non profit dedicated to helping women and girls who are survivors of human trafficking, domestic violence, exploitation & abuse break the cycle of inter-dependency and come into a life of full independence and self sustainability. If you would like to contact us or make a donation to our work you can visit our website at http://www.beasister2asister.org & click the donate button. You call also send us an email at info@beasister2asister.org.

We so excited to share that we will be having a new podcast coming in 2021 on Anchor.com called Global Sisters where there will be discussions on human trafficking and the broader human rights issues that are affecting populations all over the world. We hope you tune in!

Political Xenophobia And Human Suffering

Samantha Inesta Human Rights Fellow/Founder/Executive Director BeaSister2aSister

It is now official. Stimulus will only be $600 (if we’re lucky) and everyone’s future hangs in the balance forcing people and families to make hard and sometimes heart-breaking decisions. Christmas 2020 was definitely the biggest bah humbug and slap in the face no one was expecting. Now that this completely nightmarish year is coming to an end, we are all holding our breath hoping, praying, believing that 2021 holds the key to stopping this pandemic, fixing the economy and giving everyone their lives, family and friends back. But we don’t really know how that’s going to work out just yet. Right to the very last second this outgoing president is going to trigger every fear, every anxiety and depression that has consumed this country ever since March of this year. He knows nothing of the lengths of desperation that some people and family members will go to so that they don’t lose everything-just their humanity.

As we have seen in poorer countries (America is one of the richest & poorest countries at the same time) parents will do the unthinkable and sell a child (usually a daughter) to gain the finances needed so the family can eat and live. This could be a one time sale to a trafficker (apparently unbeknownst to the family) who will of course take their daughter with false promises and force her to work in a brothel where she will be forgotten by her family shamed and stigmatized. Attractive job opportunities in neighboring countries push parents to send them abroad with hopes she will send money back but then vanishes to their astonishment because backward cultural appropriation tells them it’s okay. Then there are the young mothers or single young women who are finding it hard to feed themselves, their children, find a stable job and a place to live. Women especially are put into these situations because their survival is dependent on a man and when they are alone they find it extremely difficult to sustain themselves when scarce work is always given to males because they are the more valued gender. It is through these consequences that they seek to make money fast and that decision isn’t easy to live with and not one they make lightly. Providing for themselves or their children by selling their bodies is not a feminist cry that sex work is work, it’s a suffering groan of a system that has abandoned them and cares nothing for their future while society continues to stigmatize them and claim superiority and privilege.

We must look at these situations and not dismiss them because they are in “other countries”, they’re right here in front of you and if things don’t get better more of these decisions will be made or made for women and girls who have always been collateral damage in any society. Let’s be real. Families are hurting-a lot. Domestic violence, child abuse & molestation has been on the rise ever since the beginning of quarantine and now people and families have been stressed to the breaking point of “what are we going to do?” If COVID didn’t stop abuse, sexual or otherwise, exploitation or sex trafficking then it won’t stop the distressing reality of a parent or individual victimizing or willingly selling their own bodies or someone else’s for financial gain. The profits gained from big pornography such as Pornhub and it’s affiliates consisting of rape & torture videos of women and children are enough to fund every city and state in this country, that’s what the second amendment has done. While some are patting themselves on the back for going after this latest form of human rights abuses, we will see more of this because even though we may have been able to “out” the biggest online internet traffickers, we may not be able to extinguish the darker more hidden enslavement.

What we know to be true is that an economy that only serves the interests of the rich is a broken one in the sense that the have nots portion of the haves will erode the social fabric in what’s left of a democratic society with a kill or be killed mentality. As we begin the new year next week we will still be in the waiting stage but we must be aware that whatever normalization starts to happen we cannot let desperation and bad choices destroy futures. Every woman and girl has potential, gifts and something so special to give to the world. Let’s not move forward with the pain of 2020 but of a mission that makes sure our women, girls and children have support, options and not a country who will throw them in the fire for political advancement or conspiracy theory insanity. 2021 can be our year if we allow it.

Thank you for reading!!! If you like this blog please share it & spread the word!! W.A.R. is part of BeaSister2aSister an 501(c)3 non profit dedicated to helping women and girls who are survivors of human trafficking, domestic violence, exploitation & abuse break the cycle of inter-dependency and come into a life of full independence and self sustainability. If you would like to contact us or make a donation to our work you can visit our website at http://www.beasister2asister.org & click the donate button. You call also send us an email at info@beasister2asister.org.

We so excited to share that we will be having a new podcast coming in 2021 on Anchor.com called Global Sisters where there will be discussions on human trafficking and the broader human rights issues that are affecting populations all over the world. We hope you tune in!

Lock Down #2 COVID & The Vaccine Timeline

Samantha Inesta Human Rights Fellow/Founder/Executive Director BeaSister2aSister

Here we are again. We knew this was going to happen and yet we are still unable to quite figure out why we’re going backwards. Just when we thought we would taste true freedom again-the door slams shut and mocks our attempts to escape. Everyone is going though their own anxieties in their own way. For some it’s not being able to see friends and family for holidays, hangouts and parties but still have all the comforts of a home, food and a job. For most others it’s having to put off Christmas, wondering how they will eat or where they will live or how their children will go to school and when will they work again. Everyone’s worries and anxieties are validated by by their own changes in situations and circumstances, even those that seem to whine and complain while others don’t have a fraction of what some do. I know that’s hard to hear but when you’re used to having everything and then you suddenly don’t you start to question, panic and horde because the fear of having nothing is greater than the fear of societal breakdown because of a pandemic.

But there are other fears and anxieties out there that seem to be hidden from the usual governmental rebellion. These are the hidden, forgotten and abused. These are the GBV (Gender Based Violence) and sex trafficking victims that have been on lock down since this thing started. When states issued the stay at home order rates of domestic violence skyrocketed with police stations and law enforcement all across the country receiving a record number of calls for help. Some got the resources that they needed but many others did not because trying to get to a phone or outside of their captivity meant their life-literally. The reality is much darker for sex trafficking victims who are on watch night and day while forced to continue knowing that at any point in time they can contract the virus. Sex buyers will patronize these women and girls with all types of STDs and viral infections, some will even be HIV positive so it’s not impossible that they will come in with COVID and spread it. There are no protections, no PPE no COVID tests, nothing just women and girls coerced and forced to be victims of trafficking and COVID.

The woman that is locked up with her abuser whether it’s her boyfriend or her husband and by the way they can also double as traffickers, has an ongoing nightmare scenario. She is his punching bag his domestic slave his sex toy and bullied victim all at once. She can be thrown out of the house for any reason with no PPE and told that if she gets sick she will not be let back in the home, even if her children are there. Her abuser will take care to wear a mask and protect himself but he cares nothing for her life. He will use the pandemic as another weapon to control her in order to “keep her in line”. Because there is a stay at home order the beatings can be non stop with no room to breathe and no one that will hear her pain. Being kept inside means no one sees the bruises, the blood or the abuse. His hands are always clean and sanitized and it’s not for the reasons you think. Is this too graphic? Yes. It’s supposed to be. People must see beyond what is in the news media and government. These are the issues that are buried, not in the top 5 headlining stories. This is the original pandemic that came to our shores decades before AIDS, N1H1, SARS, Ebola and COVID. This is a disease of society, cultural norms and the standing of women and girls in this country and after all these years no one even dared to make a vaccine for it.

We have now rounded the corner for a roll out of vaccines in the coming days. Pfixer and Moderna have diligently put together and are satisfied that the vaccine they have produced is good and will stop the spread. Astrazeneca and Johnson & Johnson are next in line. We all know the progress of how it will be decimated and nobody is disputing that but one has to wonder how victims of GBV and sex trafficking will get access to the vaccine. Will it be used against them, to control them to threaten them with early death if they don’t comply with the abuser/trafficker? How can we know that this most vulnerable group second to elderly and people with preexisting conditions will get vaccinated. How do we get them out of their situation first? Don’t try to find out if congress is deliberating this issue or putting it in the stimulus package or economic plan because you won’t find anything. Everyone deserves to have a stable home, food , a job as well as basic necessities like healthcare and education and a safe environment to live in. During these difficult and uncertain times where anxiety, anger and hopelessness has become a way of life the government must stand up and help the people-ALL the people, even the ones that are not seen.

We are living in a world that has turned upside down and for some of us that means every man or woman for themselves. Our government is preoccupied with petty divisions and satiating the appetites of the rich. But open your eyes and look deeper, check on the women in your neighborhood, even if you don’t really know them. The one time you introduce yourself and ask them if they need anything could be the time you save their life.

Thank you for reading!!! If you like this blog please share it & spread the word!! W.A.R. is part of BeaSister2aSister an 501(c)3 non profit dedicated to helping women and girls who are survivors of human trafficking, domestic violence, exploitation & abuse break the cycle of inter-dependency and come into a life of full independence and self sustainability. If you would like to contact us or make a donation to our work you can visit our website at http://www.beasister2asister.org & click the donate button. You call also send us an email at info@beasister2asister.org.

We so excited to share that we will be having a new podcast coming in 2021 on Anchor.com called Global Sisters where there will be discussions on human trafficking and the broader human rights issues that are affecting populations all over the world. We hope you tune in!

The Shelter System In the Time Of Covid

Samantha Inesta/HumanRights Fellow/Founder & Executive Director BeaSister2aSister

Housing has become an unnecessary human rights issue in recent months, so many are having to make the difficult decision to leave with just the clothes on their backs and what’s left of their dignity. Most have family they can live with until they can start again or friends who are willing to take them in but what about those who have nowhere to go and are forced into the streets. Lack of funding, bad house management and unscrupulous means are some the reasons survivors are finding themselves out in the street and homeless.

COVID has taken a toll on so many organizations and has changed how they work with survivors and which resources they can actually provide. But sometimes there are programs that cannot deliver on promises or even their mission statement. If you say that you have housing and call it transitional housing, it should be just that, not a shelter where participants are required to pay into it so that they are dependent on the program for food and clothing because the little money they are making (from a job acquired through the organization) is not enough to sustain them personally after they’ve paid the rent. This puts a huge strain on the organization to keep the housing going as well as the survivor who is only supposed to be there temporarily until they can “transition” to be on their own which unfortunately never really happens. If housing is not well funded or programmatically sustainable so that there can be a steady flow of women and girls coming in and transitioning out, it will have grave consequences like pushing survivors out into the streets, especially during a pandemic that has claimed the lives of well over two hundred thousand people.

Employment and housing are synonymous and you can’t have one without the other. COVID has put a strain on both and caused all the safeties put in place to crumble before our eyes as we rush to glue everything back together only to see it cracking at the seams. There is so much anxiety surrounding the need to keep a roof over our heads and having the means to pay for it, shouldn’t this right be freely given to a woman or young woman who is trying to take the steps to take her life back without having to suffer the ills of mismanagement or greed that has permeated the transitional housing and shelter system. Competition and inner circles are not going to make it any easier to find a place that will provide the right resources and stepping stones to a better future. We already have a shortage of beds so if you are not equipped to financially supporting a “home” don’t use survivors to support it for you. It’s not their job to pay your bills. That’s what donors and funders are for.

The only thing a survivor should be thinking about is getting back on track in her life, finding her path to sustainable and desirable employment that leads to steady housing. They are not your funders, housekeepers, babysitters or assistants they are women with a future and they need to be free to walk that journey to find the place they are destined to be.

Thank you for reading!!! If you like this blog please share it & spread the word!! W.A.R. is part of BeaSister2aSister an 501(c)3 non profit dedicated to helping women and girls who are survivors of human trafficking, domestic violence, exploitation & abuse break the cycle of inter-dependency and come into a life of full independence and self sustainability. If you would like to contact us or make a donation to our work you can visit our website at http://www.beasister2asister.org & click the donate button. You call also send us an email at info@beasister2asister.org.

We so excited to share that we will be having a new podcast soon on Anchor.com called Global Sisters where there will be discussions on human trafficking and the broader human rights issues that are affecting populations all over the world. We hope you tune in!

2020 & The Human War

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2020. Nobody saw this coming. We went about our days planning events, parties, gatherings and vacations, we dreamed far beyond our imaginations and our means and then one day……it was all gone.

A pandemic that stopped the world in a blink of an eye caused us to realize that it doesn’t matter where your standing is in life, we all stand side by side. In these tough economic times the one person that our country should have been able to count on failed miserably while other leaders, including some world leaders, took a que from this fascist/authoritative government that is the United States. When government and science can’t find a common ground the human toll is beyond belief. What we have witnessed this year alone, because we’ve had to deal with it for a while, is the most narcissistic, childish and outright psychotic behavior of a man who calls himself the President of the United States. So many have suffered in unexplainable ways and are still suffering now. We’ve lost a lot of people in this country and those who have survived are continuing to pay the price for what has been dubbed COVID19. Lies, conspiracy theories, politicalizations and out and out hatred for stopping this virus were putting a stop to preventing more people from dying. And yet, here we are still battling, still trying to stay alive while the world around us has been on fire with flames that refuse to be put out. It’s been a long hard road for those of us who are doing our part trying to stay safe and keep others safe around us all while trying to navigate the sea of uncertainties mixed with violence.

I have had my share of ups and downs hoping beyond hope that everything will just snap back into place like a Lego set. I’ll admit, I’ve been through a lot in my life but this was a different kind of hell. I feel bad for saying this because so many of us lost parents, grandparents, other family members and friends. Wives lost husbands and husbands lost wives to go at alone on a journey they thought would be with a partner they love. People that they will never get to spend time with again on this earth. I think to myself, is it selfish to feel the way that I do? I didn’t want to make my dealing with the pandemic be all about me so I made myself available to any of my friends and people who I am close with, who may need me. In one of my jobs I helped to distribute masks to leaders in political office and community non profits so that they can disseminate them to the public. I tried to get involved with the ever growing phenomenon of food banks in New York City to help feed families and individuals so that they are not living in a food desert because of their economic circumstance. I began to listen to leaders who make sense and truly from their hearts care about the people of this city. When NY Governor Andrew Cuomo started his daily briefings I created a hashtag #coffeewithcuomo so that I can feel like I was a part of the solution. Don’t worry that hashtag didn’t catch on, lol. But these were the things that helped to keep me as sane as possible. As the Executive Director of BeaSister2aSister, it was challenging for me to do the work that I do because so many things had come to standstill. I am a woman of action so just having meeting after meeting, zoom call after zoom call became frustrating because I know that was not going to help women and girls who are now at a standstill, who have probably lost jobs that were helping them sustain themselves and have now been routed back into the shelter system. It was heartbreaking. But I learned that some things are not always what they seem.

Woman and girls who have survived the unthinkable are resilient, strong and capable. They understand the situation and are willing to do what it takes to get back up again and move forward. It’s something where a lot of us were able to do until the age of COVID 19. Why can’t we get back up? Maybe it’s because we fear failure and wonder if we will ever rise again? Or is it the lack of support by government, friends and family who we think will not see our way of moving on? It is true, this country is divided, families are not trustworthy or a safety net anymore but the good news is the tide is changing. New hope has come in the form of a new President and Vice President who is a woman of color and ready to take this on and work to heal the nation. It will be a difficult road to undo a lot of what has been done but it CAN be done and that’s something to celebrate. Conspiracy theories aside, science will be an integral part to the way forward to ending this pandemic. Everyone has their difficulties and challenges but if you are here, you are blessed. Make the most of what you have, love the people close to you and never take anything for granted, even the small stuff.

It has been a while since I have blogged and honestly I’m not sure how many followers I have left but I will rebuild. I will rebuild and get back what I have lost during this pandemic and so will you. This is not the end, it’s a new beginning, a fresh start. Take the time to shape ideas, put things into motion and get ready for the new chapter. If survivors can do it, so can we.

And together, we will rise.

Thanks for reading!! If you like this blog, please share it or subscribe to it.

Women And Revolution is a blog designed to raise the issues that are affecting women all over the world while giving it journalistic value. W.A.R is a division of BeaSister2aSister a 501(c)3 non profit that helps survivors of human trafficking, domestic violence, exploitation and abuse break the cycle of inter-dependency and become self sustainable. if you would like to learn more you can visit our website at http://www.beasister2asister.org or you can email us at info@beasister2asister.org. If you are interested in seeing women and girls everywhere break free from inter-dependency, please consider donating online as a one time or sustainable donor. We are committed to seeing every woman walk in total freedom. 

We are starting a podcast!!! Global Sisters is coming soon and we will be talking about issues that affect women & men all across the globe. Stay tuned!

BeaSister2aSister

“Being Accountable For Every Woman Around The Globe.”

Samantha Inesta-Human Rights Fellow

Founder/Executive Director BeaSister2aSister

Money That May Keep Survivors in The Cycle Of Inter-dependency

Let’s Talk About The $35 Million

Samantha Inesta-Founder/Executive Director BeaSister2aSister

All of the big non profits and NGOs in the Untied States are praising the Justice Department for awarding them (if they’re lucky) $35 million if they are providing short-term housing for survivors of human trafficking.

On the face of it, this sounds like a really good thing, but let’s look a little deeper into exactly HOW this is going to help survivors. Most non profits, especially in New York City, have “safe houses” or shelters that give survivors a safe haven and a place to rest their head without fear of being re-victimized. There are also organizations that have “transitional housing” which aids in survivors access to permanent housing-if they get to the point. So let’s look at the specifics, the $35 million grant will only go to 73 organizations that provide services, such as housing assistance, across 33 states. The grant will cover rent, utilities, related expenses (most likely related to the organization) and a security deposit. That means that there will be heated and probably nasty competition between organizations that want all access to that money. Another facet of that grant is that it’s temporary, 6-24 months temporary. This means that a survivor has 6-24 months to be out of the shelter system and into permanent housing.

I have yet to see that happen.

As I’ve said countless times before non profits have a lot to gain by keeping survivors in the shelter and agency housing system. Now, I do not believe all of them subscribe to this strategy however you can bet that organizations that already have this system set up will receive the grant. Survivors are their marketing tool for sustained funding which is why they need them to occupy their shelters and homes. The grant will keep survivors tied to these organizations while non profits continue to inflate the number of women and girls they are serving in order to gain more funding. This attempt at ending the evil scourge (as Bill Barr likes to say) of human trafficking with temporary funding for short-term housing only strengthens the cycle of inter-dependency.

In the wake of the corona virus pandemic employment is scarce even for survivors. Most have been placed in low minimum wage jobs that have now been shuttered because of the pandemic making it harder for them to leave their short-term housing. Even though their rent and utilities will be paid for, they will still need assistance with food, clothing and in some cases, childcare. All these things are what keep a survivor dependent on others to live until the money runs out. Even if she is given access to employment by the program she is in, it will never be enough for her to live independently.

Another issue that has become the driving force related to the grant is the fact that human trafficking victims must quarantine with their trafficker during the corona virus pandemic. I don’t understand how this grant is going to get her out of that situation and into temporary housing. She obviously can’t just leave so how can this help her? I guess in the event that she can get out, there will be places with a lot of money that can take her in-if she gets out.

The grant system in this country is completely disproportionate and favors large organizations with a lot of overhead and staff that needs to get paid. So much is being given to accommodate first level immediate services that resources like psychological and trauma informed therapy fall by the waist side. So many survivors are living with PTSD, depression, anxiety and panic attacks but not many are given the help they need to overcome them. Some have to deal with program directors that are insensitive to their mental and emotional state and suffer the consequences if they don’t comply with harsh rules and policies. Without these badly needed resources survivors can be easily manipulated and controlled so that they never move forward. Giving temporary funding to some organizations so that human trafficking survivors can live in shelters without having to pay rent will not end this widespread global issue, it may in fact exacerbate it. What will help is programs that are designed to encourage survivors to stand on their own, providing them with gainful employment that pays them a living wage and not a unsustainable wage, evenly distributed funding to ALL non profits that work with survivors on many different levels. This is what will combat human trafficking, setting up a highly competitive grant structure that is restricted to a certain number of organizations will only increase the lack of collaboration, partnership and sharing of resources that is instrumental in helping survivors overcome trauma and fear so they can rebuild and start again.

If your organization is lucky enough to get this grant, please use it wisely.

Thanks for reading!! If you like this blog, please share it or subscribe to it.

Women And Revolution is a blog designed to raise the issues that are affecting women all over the world while giving it journalistic value. W.A.R is a division of BeaSister2aSister a 501(c)3 non profit that helps survivors of human trafficking, domestic violence, exploitation and abuse break the cycle of inter-dependency and become self sustainable. If you would like to learn more you can visit our website at http://www.beasister2asister.org or you can email us at info@beasister2asister.org. If you are interested in seeing women and girls everywhere break free from inter-dependency, please consider donating online as a one time or sustainable donor. We are committed to seeing every woman walk in total freedom.

Stay tuned for a brand new podcast titled “Global Sisters” where we will be talking about human rights issues that affect women and girls all over the world and we can do as sisters to effect change.