Belts Breaking Bondage

Belts Breaking Bondage is a movement that is being started by Christina Conrad, a senior Social Work major at Ohio University. The goal of this movement is to raise awareness and funds for human trafficking as it exists abroad and in the United States.

What inspired you to start Belts Breaking Bondage?

It is funny to say this, but "Lifetime" s what really changed my life and view of the world. They made a movie called "Human Trafficking" and when I watched it I was utterly horrified. This sparked my interest in the tragedy. I couldn't believe that such evil was going on in the world.

Why has this problem impacted you personally so much?

The thought of women being raped is so difficult for me to think about. I am not a very sexual person and have only had sex once with a serious boyfriend and still did not enjoy it. I mean, if it was painful and I couldn't enjoy it with someone I loved, how could I ever imagine just how excruciating it would be to be raped?

How widespread is this problem?

There are an estimated 600,000 to 800,000 men, women and children trafficked across international borders each year. Between 14,000 and 18,000 of these people are trafficked into the United States annually.

What do you think of the people who help propagate human trafficking?

The men that buy prostitutes don't care about anything but pleasing themselves secually and they think they have the right to treat and mutilate any girl however they want because they paid for her.

Have you had any other personal experiences with the problem besides what you saw on Lifetime?

I was in Amsterdam in March of 2008. While I was there I decided to see what the Red Light District looked like. It was just horrible to me to see women completely exposed and exploited. There were buildings with three stories of windows the size of doors where women just danced naked.

How did this affect you?

The more I thought about it, the more the these horrors weighed on me. I started conducting a lot of research, but this just made me feel more terrible because I was learning about how horrible human trafficking was and was not doing anything about it.

What motivated you to get moving on the issue?

I set a goal for myself. I told myself that I would not let the following Sunday come until I had an idea of how to be an activist.

What was the inspiration for your movement (Belts Breaking Bondage)?

I was an itern for the Empower Campaign last year and we went to an international festival where we were instructed to wear something for the country we were representing. I used some old fabric and made waist belts for the team. At the convention, some women came up to us and ended up buying the builts right off of our waists for $7!

How much does it cost to create each belt?

The fabric is usually $5 per yard and five belts can be made from one and a half yards of fabric. The belt loops are created from curtain holders and are also relatively inexpensive. Each belt is very cost effective for raising money and awareness about human trafficking.

How do you plan to make the belts?

I've already hosted one sewing party with members of Alpha Phi Omega who came together to create a number of new belts. We will begin selling these belts next quarter.

How have you been raising awareness on campus?

I'm hosting a screening of the film "Sex Slaves," a documentary about human trafficking. I have already spoken to a bunch of organizations on campus and within the past two weeks we have generated genuine interst in almost every end of the campus. We have theater majors making productions, sororities philanthropy chairs taking this on as a project, graphic design students making logos and posters, people attending events, crowds at movie screenings and regular students going above and beyond to tell others. It is really amazing.

Where will the proceeds be going next quarter?

There are so many great organizations that need help, I felt like I couldn't pick just one. As a group, we're going to decide on one cause per moth to donate the profits to. For now, we are focusing on an organization in Columbus that is in the process of building a shleter for trafficking victims.