Half the Sky – Chapter 1
March 18, 2011
Emancipating Twenty-First-Century Slaves
In the first chapter of Half the Sky, we read a story about two generations of sexual slavery – Meena (mother) and Naina (daughter). It took dangerous years for Meena to rescue her children from prostitution.
Respond: Compare the state of sexual slavery today with the horrible slavery that existed 200 years ago. What optimism do you draw from stories such as Meena and Naina’s?
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VPA Four Freedoms 
It is so unfortunate that slavery from 200 years ago could be compared to an issue that seems to have achieved the same name in the 21st century. Slavery today is targeted toward the girls. From what we read, it seems that our mothers are being more of a property than human beings. Just like 200 years ago, these slaves are beating and made to work without pay. Most of them are sold by their “loved ones” just as some did during the slavery period, 200 years ago. Also, these present day slaves owner seem to be adapting the reason for slaves. In olden days, people could willingly become servants and then resign if the wanted to, but slaves couldn’t. So they were better because it is less cost as they work and you do not have to pay them. Similarly, women who become prostitutes willingly could resign when they want after they achieve their purpose of going into the business, which is usually for money. The brothels do not find this profitable. Therefore, they buy girls form poor families and make them prostitute without pay. This, according to the brothels is more profitable because the unfortunate girls sow but they reap.
From the story of Meena and Naina, I am even more certain that this atrocity can be stopped. Formerly, I believed it could be stopped and that it could take a little violence but it really doesn’t need to involve violence. The story of Meena and Naina showed us that women can be courageous and express what they believe in countries that have little to no freedom at all. Although I also believed that this was possible, I was also discouraged by the fact that these few, courageous women were not being supported by their own people but actually stigmatized or being strong. Besides, they do not even put the news of girl trafficking in the news paper except after another country like the U.S. goes over there, investigate and put it out. It seems to be the only solution in informing the world about these poor girls. It showed that there are still people who could end this and it will most likely be women who will also be supported by those who care.
In the story with Niana she was taken as a prostitute without knowing she was going to be one. She did not have much of an option to say no either. Back then it was sorta normal for being slaves but now it is very rare to find. Today prostitutes aren’t really slaves if not they go out themselves with out being forced to do so. Like those prostitutes picking up random cars at night and doing who knows what. They are not forced to do this they do it for the money. Instead of going to school and what not they go and sell their body since for them its probably easier then working for it.
Many people like to say slavery is over, in other words there is no more of it. In other places in the world there is. 200 year ago slavery was African Americans working for whites. Now it’s woman and little girls being mans sex slaves. In the story there was some horrible things happen to woman. They were being use for sex and if they had a problem with that they were beat. I think that’s not right they are humans just like everybody else.
Slavery 200 years ago is pretty much the same from the one happening now so that mens it never ended and people just never knew back then it was llegal and everyone knew but now is not llegal and people are still doing it. The way it was never changed girls and boys are being forced to do things they dont want to do and they are taken away from their family to being sold into or to other people sound the same the only thing is that its still wrong and not everyone knows its happening and nothing is being done. The chapter talks of how a mother got pregnet and they took her kids so they knew she wasnt going to leave without them and when she did they didnt give the kids back and she try to get then back and she got beat and almost killed on top of that they wanted to kill her family he daughter was being sold in sex trafficting just like her mother but they didnt want to give her daughter back and she faught for her like there was no tomorow andfthats what you call harsh people talking apart familys just to get some money and not do it them selfs.
Well you can’t really compare slavery from 200 years ago to now because slavery back then everyone was getting beaten. A lot of seperations was being mad, A lot of people dying trying to get away. Also a lot of racism. Slavery back then was towards the black people and to the mothers because since they were women they would be better at doing things. Slavery today is basically more likely to be seen happen to women because they are being over powered and ruled by men and becoming property of men and if they don’t do what they want them to do they get raped, beaten, possibly killed! Also women are working hard and not getting payed so nothing benefits them in any way, no reward or anything. This story has showed us that girls can be courageous and be faithful into expressing what they feel and what they believe in.
– marc segarra’
Well the slavery they had before was wayyyyy different from know , know if a male hits a female they go to jail
OK, lets see… 200 years ago I believe Thomas Jefferson was president. He sort of wanted to end slavery, but at the time the ‘colony/ies’ were making good money from the buying and selling of the people. Today, it is no different, remember? trafficking? yup that’s right everyday hundreds of girls are sold for prostitution and sex for a lot of money. 200 years ago black people were looked at as low class or worthless and/or things not beings. As well as today women are looked at as toys or tools or unimportant. this makes me wonder if we are actually free from slavery… What assures me that I will not become a slave tomorrow?
– Slavery from 200 years ago is very similar to sexual slavery that exists now. Somehow, I am not surprised. I realized some time ago that in this world, old ways don’t die out. It gets renovated.
– 2oo years ago, black people were discriminated and forced to become slaves for life. They were seen as property and were bought and sold. They were kidnapped and sold to work on plantations. Now, 2oo years later, girls are being discriminated and are forced to become prostitutes for life. They are seen as property and are bought and sold. They were kidnapped and sold to work in brothels. Same story, different characters. Now you see that nothing is ever really “new”, just upgraded.
– It’s truly sad that after everything that this world’s been through, that some people return to their old ways. After all the years of fighting against slavery, it’s a shame that it is still happening today. It seems as if most of us refused to grasp this current injustice as slavery. We were ignorant and blinded by the change of character to see that both situations are almost exactly the same. This just goes to show that history is never erased.
– Both the stories of Meena and Naina show how no situation is permanent. I think, because there are many women like Meena and Naina in the world, that sexual slavery can be stopped. If the actions and life lessons of two girls can change the perspectives of a million people, then imagine the actions of 10 girls, 100 girls, or even 1000 girls. Unity is the key. By joining together and taking a stand for their life, they are opening a door to a brighter future. One without pain, suffering, or abuse, but of happiness and joy.
– Stories like Meena and Naina, gives me hope. Hope that if only a couple of girls could realize how powerful they are as one, that they can move mountains.
I truly support your comment and view that relates to this story. Give you 100 “cool” points…lol
and if you really think about it……the label slavery has never ever disappeared, it just evolved as time has had a need or call for …..slavery started from sex and the need for labor….up until today……we still have these slavery rings hiding and disguising themselves with better care and todays technology has really helped the ones who are smart.
The Whole World Believe That Slavery Is Over. Like 200 Years Ago There Were African Americans Working For The White People In Their Plantations And Mines. And Now At Days There Are Little Girls Being Used For Sex And If They Rejected They Would Had Gotten Beat. There Were A Bunch Of Horrible Things Happening. I Say That’s Not Right They Are Human Like Everybody Else.
Truth is slavery did not end. It’s still in the world and meena was put as a prostitute & she didn’t know about it but at that time it was hard to get away from slavery and it was soo hard to try to get away knowing you would get beat up or force into having sex and den with meena she got pregnant and both her babies were taken away she had a real hard life 😦
Niana was taken as a prostitute without her knowing she was going to be one. She didn’t have a choice not to be one neither.Slavery from 200 years ago is very similar to sexual slavery that exists now. things that happened years ago still hasn’t been forgotten. Prostitutes today aren’t really slaves they go out and sell their body. They are not forced to do this they do it for the money.
In the story with niana she was taken as a prostitute without knowing she was going to be one , she didn’t really have a choice anyways ! Slavery 200 years ago was kind of normal to them now an day is weird.Today you will actually see “womans” just do it for the money. Truth is slavery didn’t END and is not going tooo!
I agree with yu can’t compare the two because the one from 200 year ago was get kill and beaten badly and the ones now are wife the being treated terrible.
these two kind of slavery is different because the one from now is using female as juat a body for sexucal contact and the other slavery was for women and men to do what ever the master want them to do.
damn 200 years ago slavery of african americans work for the white americans & african work so hard on this but the africans suffer alot of bad things that white people that did to them & even to africans woman & some africans try to escape or they wanted to be free
Slavery 200 yrs ago was ALMOST the some thing as sexual slavery today. The african’s were captured and taken away from their homes.Their were Sold to white people as SLAVE’S. These salves were FORCED to work these people and if they try to escape they were captured and then VICIOUSLY beaten and was set as an example for other slaves that tried to run away. And if a slave had a baby that baby would later become a slave like every other person on the plantation.
Now let’s fastfoward 200 yrs into the futrue………….
Meena was kidnapped and then forced to work as a prostitute. At 1st she kept resisting and was beaten very badly. Then she tried to escape and then they discovered were she was hiding and was later captured again. She was beaten again and set as an example for the other girls that worked their that might tried to runaway. Meena later had a baby girl,Naina, who was taken away form her and was raised by her “owner”.
i would say 200 years ago slavery is mostly like the slavery today. They both mistreated them, made them starve, and made the slaves work hard for free..it’s really sad & unfair.. & mina was very strong to stand up to them and fight to get get her children back, she risked her life !
Its crazy how there such thin in the 21st century that can be called as slavery. slavery is horrible b/c people are forced to do things they dont want to. so like slavery now people are forced to have sex with others and back then it was that ppl were forced to physical labor. they are also psychically abused beaten and torchered.=(