U.S. Ambassador Lagon to Join CATW at HBO Protest 9/23/08

U.S. Ambassador Lagon to Join CATW at HBO Protest 9/23/08

NEW YORK, Sept. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- On September 23 from 12:30-2:00pm The Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW) will hold a picket line protest in front of the corporate offices of HBO, located at 1100 6th Avenue at 42nd St., New York, protesting its reality series Cathouse set in a brothel. US Ambassador on Human Trafficking, Mark Lagon, will join CATW at the protest.

"To emancipate those enslaved in prostitution, rented over and over to johns, we must decide, as a nation, that it is not ok to buy a body - buy a fellow human being - for 30 minutes. Sadly our pop culture, which is exported around the world, glamorizes the role of the pimp which promotes sex trafficking," says US Ambassador on Human Trafficking, Mark Lagon.

CATW's campaign will address HBO's effort to erase the harm of prostitution. 80% of all human trafficking victims are women and girls, 70% of which end up in prostitution. "HBO has distinguished itself as the industry leader in aggressively promoting the cultural acceptance of prostitution which fuels sex trafficking. HBO with its multiple pro-prostitution programs is working to normalize the demand for commercial sex," says Norma Ramos, Co-Executive Director of CATW.

"HBO has a social responsibility to tell the truth about prostitution and sex trafficking, not profit from and promote the world's oldest oppression," says Founding Board Member, Dorchen Leidholdt. "HBO is creating a culture of acceptance of sexual exploitation, and it needs to take responsibility for that," says Norma Ramos.

CATW calls upon HBO to fund social services for trafficking victims and produce a credible documentary that exposes the true nature and human cost of commercial sexual exploitation.

* Speakers include, Ambassador Mark Lagon, NYC Council Member John C. Liu. Victor Malarek author of The Natashas and the upcoming book, The Johns. Co-sponsors of the protest are: ECPAT-USA, Prostitution Research and Education (PRE), Equality Now and NOW NYC. Also joining the protest will be the "Pimps For HBO."

A press conference will be held at 1pm at the protest.

For further information see our website www.catwinternational.org and
YouTube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53-er4tD6U8

Source: The Coalition Against Trafficking in Women

CONTACT: Norma Ramos, Esq., Co-Executive Director, CATW,
+1-212-643-9895

Web Site: http://www.catwinternational.org/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53-er4tD6U8

-------
Profile: intent