The Body Shop needs you to Lend a Hand to Stop the S*x Trafficking of Children & Young People

Academy Award winner Susan Sarandon and 30 Rock’s Katrina Bowden loaned their star power to the official launch event for The Body Shop 2010 Stop S*x Trafficking of Children & Young People campaign in New York City on July 30, 2010. Sarandon and Bowden were joined by Somaly Mam, Founder of the Somaly Mam Foundation, a Cambodian-based organization that has rescued more than 6,000 women and girls from the s*x trade over the past 10 years. Other celebrities who are supporting the effort to end child s*x trafficking include Sienna Miller, Robert Pattinson, Rob Lowe, Uma Thurman, Yoko Ono, Jamie Oliver, Keshia Chante, Deepa Metha, Karen Kain, Rick Campanelli, Victor Malarek, Naomi Campbell and Matt Le Blanc. The New York event marked the start of the second year partnership between The Body Shop, ECPAT, Beyond Borders in Canada and the Somaly Mam Foundation.

This year’s campaign includes a national petition which will be presented to the Canadian government, urging improved legislation to help stamp out s*x trafficking, this modern day slavery. Every year more than 1.2 million children and young people are trafficked around the world becoming victims of s*xual exploitation and abuse, even right here in Canada. S*x trafficking is now the third-largest and fastest-growing criminal industry in the world after illegal drugs and arms trafficking.

To help put a stop to S*x Trafficking, The Body Shop is asking customers and supporters to go to their local The Body Shop store or online at www.thebodyshop.com/stop to sign the petition and encourage others to follow.

In addition to raising awareness of the issue, the Stop S*x Trafficking of Children & Young People campaign also helps those requiring immediate support by raising vital funds. The new special edition Soft Hands Kind Heart Hand Cream ($7) is a protective hand cream that leaves your hands silky soft to the touch. Approximately $5 from every purchase is donated to ECPAT-Beyond Borders in Canada help change the lives of millions of children and young people.

Show your support in style with the new "Stop S*x Trafficking of Children & Young People" Bag for Life.  This re-usable cotton tote bag is emblazoned with a large hand to help raise awareness and funds to help stop s*x trafficking.  The Bag for Life retails for $5.  Funds raised from the sales of the Body Shop Bag for Life and gift bags go to the Somaly Mam Foundation to support rehabilitation and support services in Cambodia.

 - Lisamarie -