1 “You Are More”: An Exploration into Popular and Problematic Trafficking Discourses A Thesis presented by Kelcy J. Dolan to The Department of English In Partial fulfillment of the requirements for a Degree of Master of Arts in the field of English Northeastern University Boston, Massachusetts April 2018 2 “You Are More”: An Exploration into Popular and Problematic Trafficking Discourses A thesis presented By Kelcy J. Dolan ABSTRACT OF THESIS Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements For the degree of Master of Arts in English In the College of Social Sciences and Humanities of Northeastern University April 2018 3 Abstract “You Are More” is an attempt to analyze the current discourse concerning trafficked persons to establish the reoccurring problems that inevitably serve to hinder the progress in combatting human trafficking on a domestic and international scale. Under the framework of socio-narratology, genre studies, and oral history studies, “You Are More” claims that the ways our most public and accessible narratives present trafficked individuals are in need of revision. This piece looks at three different texts (The White Umbrella, Amirah’s advocacy website, and I Am Jane Doe) and discusses their success and failure in constructing a positive and beneficial portrayal of trafficked individuals. “You Are More” critiques these texts for their depictions which manipulate the life stories of trafficked persons to make them appear culpable, in need of saving and helpless. The argument is that this rhetoric actually stalls progress in curbing the increase of trafficking across the world. Following this critique, “You Are More” looks to two women, Carmen and Maria, who have been trafficked, one through labor trafficking and the other through sex trafficking, to see their take on popular representations. As insiders to this community, Carmen and Maria provide important insight into ways this rhetoric can be improved for the sake of intervention and prevention. Finally, “You Are More” makes an attempt to present the life stories of Carmen and Maria in a manner that more closely resembles their actual experiences of trafficking and its aftermath. Carmen and Maria collaborated closely with the interviewer to ensure the final oral histories were to their liking. The hope is that through these more realistic illustrations of trafficking we may, as a society, be better equipped to address this issue in our local communities and on a global scale. 4 Acknowledgments I would like to first thank my advisor Dr. Ellen Cushman for her unwavering support throughout this project. Her enthusiasm and guidance helped propel “You Are More”: An Exploration into Popular and Problematic Trafficking Discourses forward. It has been an honor to work with her. I would also like to thank my second reader, Dr. Mya Poe for taking the time to go over this piece and offer such insightful recommendations for future research. A heartfelt thank you also goes to the entire faculty and staff of Northeastern University’s Graduate English Department who inspired and encouraged me throughout my time in the Master’s program. Thanks must also go to my cohort, Christopher Suprenant, Karla Gaitan, Meg Stefanski and Haile Pruitt for making my time in this program as fulfilling as it has been. A deep gratitude goes out to my parents, Amy and Terence Dolan, who have always been a source of motivation and reassurance when I needed it most. Similarly, I must thank Joan and Ken Johnson, my grandparents, for their steadfast belief in me and my education. My younger sister, Allyson Dolan, deserves so much gratitude and love. As my best friend, Allyson has always been someone to turn to and find comfort in. Thank you also to Joshua Pacheco, who stood beside me through the interviewing and writing of “You Are More” with support and encouragement. I love you all. Most importantly, I must thank Carmen and Maria; without these phenomenal, strong women “You Are More” would have never come to fruition. They took the time to share their remarkable life stories with me in the name of awareness for trafficked individuals across this country and across the globe. It is their strength and resilience that serve as the foundation to this project. Carmen and Maria are absolute inspirations and for that I am utterly grateful. Kelcy Johnson Dolan 5 Table of Contents Abstract…………………………………………………………………………….2 Acknowledgements………………………………………………………………...4 Table of Contents…………………………………………………………………..5 Preface……………………………………………………………………………...6 Introduction……………………………………………………………………….10 Theoretical Background…………………………………………………………..13 Methodology………………………………………………………………………19 Religious Rhetoric and Trafficking for Jesus……………………………………..26 I Am Jane Doe’s Failure of Secular Ambition……………………………………35 From and For the Women Themselves……………………………………………44 Carmen Will Always be Free……………………………………………………..47 Maria: Trafficking, Dancing, Writing and the Art of Advocacy …………………57 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………...66 Bibliography………………………………………………………………………69 6 Preface: When the story broke in the early 2000’s that Paramount Restaurant1 was prostituting trafficked women out of their basement, the news traveled mostly in rumors, whispers, and an article buried on page eleven in the local newspaper. People were interested enough to gossip, joking about “happy endings” with every meal, but no one seemed invested enough to actually care. Personally, I didn’t know whether to be more surprised by the actions taken by the restaurateurs or the quickness with which the story was consumed by the banality of other more “pressing” matters by the local news agency. Over the next couple of days the news described what would happen to the traffickers, the restaurant, as well as the impact on the community, but the women? Their circumstance received sympathy and compassion from readers, but very little was disclosed about what would happen to them in the aftermath of what turned out to be a statewide sting. These women had endured abuse for years, but the community had only given their stories a few lines of coverage over a couple of days. As quickly as the story “broke” it was lost to newer headlines, the stories of these women’s lives replaced with run of the mill reports on local politics, neighborhood quarrels and upcoming events. Although I was only in high school at the time, I had to pass Paramount every day on my way to work after class. For months previous to the discovery I had been just five minutes down the road, completely unaware that anything untoward was happening. I was astounded; whether this was because of the success in secrecy Paramount experienced for so long or the proximity of this event in my own life, I’m still not sure. Either way, as the news surrounding the trafficking ring became non-existent, I began looking for other material that could help explain not just what 1 The name of the restaurant has been changed to ensure privacy. Ownership of the restaurant has switched hands, but it continues to operate under the same name. 7 trafficking entailed, but how it could so easily navigate in the shadows, leaving so many—me— oblivious to what was transpiring right down the road. I asked family, friends, and coworkers what they knew, but no one could tell me much; people were similarly unaware of everything trafficking involved. The local news organizations didn’t provide much more, the news clips passing in just minutes and written articles ignoring the part I was most eager to learn about—what happened after? It wasn’t until I was in college that I became dedicated to the subject. Participating in the honors program, I took a course that operated similarly to an independent study. Throughout the semester we were to research anything we desired, producing a final project of our choice. I had far more research resources at my disposal and I became consumed. I was no longer astounded, I was enraged. This crime was rising exponentially, but policies and available services didn’t appear to be developing accordingly, the efforts for good paling in comparison to what traffickers were able to accomplish. Not to mention, the survivors who had first incited my curiosity, I still knew very little about them. The few stories I had been able to get my hands on, mostly blog posts from advocates, focused only on the abuse women had been subject to while being trafficked. These advocates often worked alongside and for non-profit agencies steeped in religious fervor. An entire story line was being overlooked. My research led me to global interventions, specifically the United Nations Policy. I wrote a piece about how this policy could be improved. My ambition far exceeded my success. Outside of a few classmates who had followed my progress learning about trafficking, and a final grade from my professor, I hadn’t achieved anything. In reality I had provided nothing for the community I was looking to impact. I had spoken more for the U.N. and policy makers than I had those who were affected by this crime. 8 With the project finished I continued to explore trafficking as a global phenomenon, but was quickly rerouted back to my local experience of it when I was hired as a journalist for Beacon Communications. The newspaper group, run out of Warwick, Rhode Island, produced three local publications throughout the state. Fresh out of my undergraduate education I was eager to make a name for myself and vied for larger, more important assignments. Before long I was assigned a trafficking story—a panel discussion with local government officials, policy makers, and survivors. I was officially a participant in the very institution which had left me wanting years previously. Although the women taking part in the panel discussion were not the ones involved in the Paramount sting, I saw this as an opportunity to remedy the disregard I had witnessed other publications perpetuate, to give recognition to those who had been affected by trafficking.