Meg's update: Civil Courage Award/Women honored/10-19-11

This evening's event honored two outstanding women for their leadership roles in preventing Sex Trafficking and Child Pornography. Keynote speaker, Michelle Bachelet, highlighted the extraordinary courage of both, Lydia Cacho Ribeiro and Triveni Acharya, despite personal dangers to their own lives, have taken brave and influential stands in defense of trafficked women and children. Lydia Cacho Ribeiro, a prominent Mexican journalist and human rights defender, in the course of her work, has made powerful enemies by linking well-known politicians and business elite with systemized abuse of women and children. In her 2005 book,
The Demons of Eden, she revealed a large child pornography ring in Cancun and the U.S.
Ms. Acharya, the noted India, and president of the Rescue Foundation in Mumbai, devotes herself to the rescue, rehabilitation, and repatriation of women and children who have been victims of kidnapping and trafficking. Each year, with the cooperation of local police, the Foundation is responsible for the release of between 300 and 400 girls from forced prostitution.; 20% of whom are HIV positive.