Starbuck's & Ethiopian prostitution
What's the connection between coffee bean prices and prostitution in Ethiopia? You guessed it: control of prices by US and EU multinationals which is resulting in life-threatening poverty for Ethiopian women and girls. I just saw the movie, Black Gold http://www.blackgoldmovie.com/ A beautiful and inspiring movie, it documents economic assaults against Ethiopian coffee farmers by dominant countries' coffee buyers' interests. This kind of economic brutality is one of the direct causes of prostitution/trafficking. To get to the root of the racism, colonial economic policies, and lethal sexism which causes prostitution, we must address global fair trade issues.
What can you do?
1) See the movie Black Gold
2) BOYCOTT Starbuck's coffee until they sign an agreement with Ethiopian coffee cooperatives that gives the growers a fair price (a 1% increase in the price of Ethiopian coffee on the world market will result in billions of dollars going to Ethiopia and will enable them to survive without US economic aid).
3) When you discuss the needs of women and children who are trafficked, always address the issue of economic justice. Trafficking does not exist in a vacuum separate from other sexism, racism, and poverty.
4) Locate some Ethiopian coffee that is FAIR TRADE coffee in your town. It is some of the best in the world.
Melissa Farley