Sharon Buchbinder: Obsession

Showing posts with label Obsession. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 15, 2019

Human Trafficking Month: Part I: What is Human Trafficking?

Many of my readers have probably already observed that one of the issues that I have included in several of my books (such as OBSESSION) is human trafficking, i.e., modern day slavery. In these books, as always, I am searching for truth, justice and redemption for my characters. But what does human trafficking mean for us as readers, authors, and citizens? Since January is Human Trafficking Month, this is a topic I will be visiting several times this month on my blog addressing the who, what, where, when, and whys--and how you can help--of human trafficking.

WHAT IS HUMAN TRAFFICKING?

Definition of Human Trafficking

“Recruitment, transportation, harboring, or receipt of persons by means of threats, force, coercion, abduction, fraud or deception, or abuse of power or position of vulnerability or the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation….”

“Exploitation shall include at a minimum, the exploitation or the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs.”

Article 3a of the Convention of Transnational Organized Crime in Shelly, L. Human Trafficking: A Global Perspective, Cambridge University Press, 2010, pp. 10-11.

Why Should Romance Writers Care?

Estimates range from 2.5 to 30 million people victims of trafficking.

People are trafficked for sexual exploitation, forced marriage, labor exploitation, for begging, for services as child soldiers, adoptions and for their organs.

Two-thirds are women and children (under age 18 boys and girls) trafficked into sexual exploitation.

Men and boys are trafficked primarily for forced labour, child soldiers and beggars.

Human trafficking is a women’s issue.

--International Labor Organization. (2004). Report of the Director General Crime, Global Alliance Against Forced Labor. in Shelly, L. Human Trafficking: A Global Perspective, Cambridge University Press, 2010, p. 5.

A Transnational Crime

Asia

Eurasia and Eastern Europe

Europe

United States

Latin America and Africa

--Shelly, L. (2010). Human Trafficking: A Global Perspective, Cambridge University Press.

Culture Predicts Business Model

Asia

Trade and Development Model—Humans used to build national economy

Eurasia and Eastern Europe: See EYE OF THE EAGLE

Natural Resource Model, Furs, Oil, Lumber, Humans sold as commodities

Europe: See EYE OF THE EAGLE

Violent Entrepreneur Modal—Balkan Crime Groups, Humans as disposable goods (victims often tattooed to show which gang owns them)

United States: See SOME OTHER CHILD, LEGACY OF EVIL

American Pimp, High Consumption, Low Savings; Run aways, street children lured, girls told they’ll live the high life, usually minority women in poverty-stricken homes.

Latin America: See OBSESSION

Super Market: Low Cost, High Volume; Illegal immigration, People Smuggling goes hand in hand with trafficking.

Africa

Traditional Slavery plus High Technology; Nigeria most corrupt nation in the world, Edo is center of trafficking following old slave routes

Part II of this series will address some of the reasons for this plague. Meantime, why do you think human trafficking exists? Post your responses below to be entered in a drawing for an ebook copy of OBSESSION.

Friday, May 29, 2015

The Romance Reviews Summer Sizzling Reads Party!

Summer time, hot beaches, and cool breezes require sizzling reads! Come to The Romance Reviews Sizzling Summer Reads party June 1-30, 2015 to play games and win prizes.

I'll be giving away a copy of my paranormal sizzler, Obsession!

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

An Obsession with the Treasure of the Sierra Madre

When I began researching Chihuahua, Mexico for a setting for my paranormal romantic suspense, Obsession, my primary intent was to find a location to build my villain's refuge. Lucky for me, the rugged terrain of the Sierra Madre, and specifically, Copper Canyon, were perfect for a hidden compound for a crazed cult leader. This part of the world is remote, beautiful, and sparsely populated.

Upon further digging, I discovered this is the part of Mexico where the classic Humphrey Bogart movie about greed and addiction to gold, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, took place. By the way, this is the same movie that gave us, "Badges? Badges? We don' need no stinkin' badges!" However, even before the desperate gold rush portrayed in this 1948 movie, legends of gold buried in them thar hills circulated for centuries. These legends still told over and again, are based in history.

In 1767, King Charles III of Spain worried about the wealth, power, and influence of thousands of Jesuit priests in Mexico. The King sent sealed orders to his military commanders, with a command to keep the orders sealed until a certain time. On that date, the military was to expel the entire order and seize all their assets. However, when the solders carried out the orders at the appointed hour, the Jesuit treasures were gone. Legends say the gold, silver and jewels were buried near the Jesuit missions, leading to recurrent ransacking and digging expeditions around the region (Klein, 2003).

Needless to say, once discovered, I had to weave this legend into Obsession.

~~~~~~~~~~~

OBSESSION Blurb

A year after a barbaric childbirth, complete with a near-death experience and an encounter with her guardian angel, Angie Edmonds is just happy she and her son, Jake, are alive. She's finally in a good place: clean, sober, and employed as a defense attorney. But at the end of a long work day, she finds herself in a parent's worst nightmare: Jake has been kidnapped and taken across the Mexican border by a cult leader who believes the child is the "Chosen One."

Stymied by the US and Mexican legal systems, Angie is forced to ask the head of a Mexican crime syndicate for help. Much to her chagrin, she must work with Alejandro Torres, a dangerously attractive criminal and the drug lord's right-hand man. Little does she know Alejandro is an undercover federal agent, equally terrified of blowing his cover—and falling in love with her.

ISBN Print: ISBN 978-1-61217-867-7
ISBN Digital: ISBN 978-1-61217-868-4

~~~~~~~~~~~

Excerpt:

“Who are you? Who is that giant? What did you say to him?”

The pony-tailed man flashed a grin, the smile reaching his sky-blue colored eyes, giving him an appealing boyish look. “The big guy’s name is Tio. I told Tio to truss Raul up like the pig he is and to bring him to Isabel Ramirez. She’ll know exactly what to do with him.”

“Who are you?”

The movie-star-handsome man stopped, bent down until he was eye-to-eye with Angie.

“I found your passport tossed onto Raul’s desk, Angela Edmonds from the U.S. of A. I like that name. You look like an angel.”

She shook her head and the street twirled. “I’m no angel.” She steadied herself on his well muscled, naked arm. Rather than creeping her out, the skin on skin contact with her rescuer reassured her that he was a real human and not an angel conjured up in fevered religious delusion and desperation. “You sound like an American. You haven’t answered my question. What’s your name?”

“Torres.” Still holding her ID, he strode to the driver’s side of the car, hopped in and flashed a dazzling grin. “You could call me your hero because I’m taking you to see the woman who can help you find your son. My name is Alejandro Espinosa Santoyo Torres. But most people just call me Alejandro.”