On Thursday night in the Karl Anatol Center, the Zeta Phi Rho fraternity invited the nonprofit organization JustOne to present its campaign on “Sex and Chocolate,” which focuses on sex and child labor slavery.
Facilitating the presentation to increase awareness were Derrick Engoy and Lester Broas, both Zeta alumni who are actively involved with JustOne.
Engoy explained that the title of the campaign, “Sex and Chocolate,” is a reference to two indulgences that have become devalued in society.
“Sex is considered more common than ever and has lost its importance and sacredness,” Engoy said.
Engoy also said that the production of chocolate is overlooked by many who don’t realize that companies like Hershey’s and Nestle bring in their cocoa from fields that use child labor. But while the companies say they are aware and acknowledge it, they have continued using the imports. Engoy added that usually only small, local retailers use organic cocoa beans and don’t buy from fields using child labor.
Both Engoy and Broas shared facts, statistics and testimonials from sex traffic victims and African child plantation workers, as well as what the organization does to minimize the problem. Its research showed that in 2000 alone, the U.S. imported 729,000 tons of cocoa beans, spent up to $13 billion, and ate 3.3 billion pounds of chocolate.
In the second half of the event, a video was played about a journalist covering the issue on sex trafficking, documenting his interviews on real young women who have been tricked, raped and forced into prostitution. The statistics have shown that there are about 27 million people held in slavery worldwide, with 600,000 to 800,000 being trafficked across international borders. It has become the largest black market in the world, each slave costing $90, with overall revenues of more than $9 billion.
Currently, the JustOne organization has worked to help victims rebuild the lives of trafficked victims, as well as urging the community to become educated and take action. The organization has also involved itself in an event commonly seen on YouTube called the “Freeze Project,” where a large group of volunteers gather in a high-traffic public area and freeze position for five minutes. When attracting attention and curiosity, they “unfreeze” and then pass out fliers and promote their issue.
The organization has also gone around college campuses speak on the problem.
“The college community is an awesome place to raise awareness because organizations such as the Zetas are a great conduit for audiences,” said Broas.
T.J. Pabustan, the Zeta philanthropy chairman and a junior finance major, helped set up the event and said he was happy with the turnout.
“It was presented by my brothers who felt very strongly for it,” Pabustan said. “It gave me something to think about every time I open a chocolate bar.”
