Email This StoryLariat Letters: Trafficking article real reminder of important issue
Nov. 13, 2009I read with pleasure the Nov. 10 article about the Social Work Department raising awareness for the global problem of human trafficking.
I graduated from Baylor in 1987 with a B.A. in English and again from the Baylor Law School in 1990. After that, I practiced law in Houston until 2004, most of my years spent as a prosecutor at the Harris County DA's Office.
In 2004, I moved to Cambodia to teach at a Cambodian law school, and in 2007, I joined International Justice Mission in Cambodia as the director of the IJM Cambodia field office in Phnom Penh. With a staff of expatriates and Cambodian nationals, we work together with law enforcement, government ministries, embassies, and a number of NGO's and IO's to address the many issues surrounding the trafficking of women and children into the commercial sex industry.
It's a huge and difficult problem, to be sure. But it's not impossible to make a difference. We are privileged to see successes each and every day. Currently, there is a bright and gifted Cambodian national who is in Waco working on a M.A. in social work.
All who know her are excited for her opportunity to continue to develop her professional skills as a counselor for survivors of trafficking and other similar trauma.
I sincerely hope that many choose to take and wear the purple armbands at the BU-UT game this coming weekend.
Patrick Stayton
Class of '87
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