The Berlin Turnpike by Raymond Bechard

The Berlin Turnpike: A True Story of Human Trafficking in America, Raymond Bechard. New York: Sons of Liberty Press, 2011. e-book, 1939 pps.


The Berlin Turnpike traces the history of the Berlin Turnpike in Connecticut near Hartford from its' beginning to what it is now and its' connection to prostitution. There are bunches of motels along the road-- and a few stripper clubs-- where prostitutes are kept. Ads can be found in a local free paper for their services. Dennis Paris was one such pimp [but not the only pimp] who used the Berlin Turnpike as his base. He was mean and abusive in particular to two teens that he had under his control.

sapphoq reviews says: Raymond Bechard has written a thorough book. The Berlin Turnpike ties in the history of a road with its' present day commercial activities. Those who insist that "all" or "almost all" sex workers remain with abusive pimps of their own free will are presented with a story that will require some thought. Those without an interest in tracing history will probably not finish this book or will thumb through to the areas of their interest. The rest of us ought to read this book from beginning to end. It is a lot to take in. I did not finish it in one sitting. But I did finish it and it made me think. I found that some things that I thought were correct really aren't. Highly recommended.

Not for Sale by David Batstone

Not for Sale: The Return of the Global Slave Trade-- and How We Can Fight It, David Batstone. New York: HarperCollins e-books, 2007. 228 pps.


Not for Sale talks about the slave trade, a.k.a. human trafficking. In the intro, the author admitted that he had dined at a particular restaurant in Berkeley frequently-- 
     [the case covered in Slaves of Berkeley by Tim Huddleston, reviewed at: http://sapphoqreviews.blogspot.com/2014/03/slaves-of-berkeley-by-tim-huddleston.html ]--
without the realization that the imported help from India were part of the labor trafficking done by the rich and well-respected owner.

Chapters cover Cambodia, Thailand, South Asia, Uganda, Europe, Peru, and the United States. Of particular interest to me was the narrative about the child soldiers of Uganda and the woman in Peru who was sheltering street kids. The Lord's Revolutionary Army takes children as it will and forces them into fighting. Once the pressure in Uganda got to be too much, their headquarters was moved to Sudan. I was disgusted to learn that since the U.S.A. does not consider Uganda to be a politically important [to the goals of the United States], nothing has been done by our interfering country in a case where something ought to be done. Lucy Borja of Peru got her start in child trafficking work when she offered shelter to two street boys. She is a true hera. Also mentioned is Ma'am Anna of Florida and the work that she is doing there.

sapphoq reviews says: This inspiring book gives a solid understanding of human trafficking and the evil that people do to each other in the name of greed. Definitely a keeper. In order to change the system, we have to create a meaningful dialogue while disregarding our personal comfort zones and learn how to observe our environment in order to be able to identify possible victims of human trafficking hiding in plain sight around us. No one is a possession. Highly recommended.

Ma'am Anna by Anna Rodriguez as told to Anthony Bunko

Ma'am Anna: The Anna Rodriguez Story; The Remarkable Story of a Human Trafficking Rescuer, Anna Rodriguez as told to Anthony Bunko. Green Bay WIS: Title Town Publishing, 2013. e-book, 199 pps.


People are not property. Tragically, there are those in the United States and elsewhere who treat others as property-- kidnapping, abducting, buying, selling, trading in human wares. The child slave who toils morning til night. The human prostitute-- we usually think of a woman or a girl but this isn't necessarily so-- in Tijuana waiting with others under the watchful cameras of their masters. A girl or a boy disappears down an alley with an adult. People in abject poverty who agree to allow their child to go "work for" a family or perhaps to migrate to a foreign country for "educational opportunities" or the promise of small amounts of money to be sent back home. Illegals who cannot afford fees to their coyotes who hike up those fees once across the border. People promised great jobs in a foreign country required to pay a holding fee. Once there, they are the ones who are held. Bonded servants. It's ugly. Oh, and the Super Bowl. I never thought of the Super Bowl as being an open market for commercial sex before reading this book.

sapphoq reviews says: It takes one human being to start a revolution. One human being and a friend to imbue that revolution with momentum. Anna Rodriguez is one such human being. Read this book. It's inspiring. Highly recommended.