A drama in play format Essay

Gerald is not a member of the Birling family but he is still caught in their ‘web of sin’. He found Eva in a bar where he was hoping to pick up a mistress; he found her in the clutches of Alderman Megarty. Alderman was harassing Eva. When Gerald, like her knight in shining armour, made Alderman go away, they started to talk and became friends and eventually lovers. This all happened during the time that Sheila and Gerald were lovers. This is the largest part of the immoral act committed by Gerald, which was in fact not against Eva but against Shelia. Eventually he decided that their relationship had to end so he gave her some money and they went their separate ways. It is my belief that for a time Gerald and Eva were in love, as when it sinks in that she is dead he says, page 35: ‘Sorry – I – well, I’ve suddenly realised – taken it in properly – that she’s dead. ‘ Gerald was the only member of the group to show some love and compassion to Eva. Later, Gerald appears to be indifferent to the death of Eva especially after the inspector has left and he believes it was all a hoax. Indifference is also shown to the fact that he sinned. Mrs Birling denied Eva benefits from a charity of which she was the chairman. This was for several reasons, but the main one was the fact that Eva fabricated a name when it was her turn to be interviewed by the charity’s committee. Her name of choice was Mrs Birling, this was because it was Eric who had made her pregnant, and the real Mrs Birling obviously did not know this fact, and seemed to think that Eva was personally insulting her. Eva therefore received no benefits. This was a highly immoral act, as the members of the committee are not meant to be prejudiced towards any appeal. Mrs Birling thought that what she did was acceptable because Eva had lied. However, it was in fact not a lie as it was Eric’s child, also a Mr Birling, and he did propose to marry her but she had refused, as she knew it would not work. Eric was in a bar one night and he got talking to Eva, he also got drunk. He then walked Eva home and forced himself upon her, page 52: ‘Well, I was in that state when a chap easily turns nasty’. After she told him she was pregnant he began to steal money from his father’s business to help her. This was the only unintentional act of cruelty to happen to Eva, as all the others were purposeful acts of cruelty. He was not cruel to her but still he brought her suffering. He was another member of the group actually affected by the events. As he seems to have been changed for the better by the death of Eva. The Inspector’s name is Goole. Pronounced the same as the ghost, or ghoul. This makes me think that he is a ghost or a spectre of some kind, sent to the Birling family to show them the errors of their ways. A lot like the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future from Charles Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’. He appears to know about Eva’s death before it has even happened: perhaps he has some kind of sixth sense. He says towards the end of the third act, page 54: ‘And my trouble is – that I haven’t much time. ‘ Is this because he knows the real police will soon call the house to ask their questions? We know in retrospect that at this point there is no dead body at the mortuary, because Gerald Croft rings the mortuary to ascertain this soon after Goole has left. I do not believe that Inspector Goole is a real police inspector. His mannerisms are unlike those of a real police officer, although he does refuse a drink at the beginning, page 11: ‘No thank you, Mr Birling. I’m on duty. ‘ I think he says this because he is acting the role of a policeman. He becomes too emotionally involved in the situation; a real policeman would keep the questioning on an official level. For example, he says to Mr Birling, page 46: ‘Don’t stammer and yammer at me again, man. I’m losing all patience with you people. ‘ This story is told as a drama in play format. The end of each of the three acts, including the final one, is completed with a moment of suspense. The audience is left anticipating the next act, wondering what will happen. The audience also become emotionally attached to the characters and want to know whether Sheila and Gerald will remain engaged, they want to know what the Birlings will do with Eric, and will there be a public scandal? They are drawn in to the rights and wrongs of the characters’ actions, and they pass judgement upon Gerald and Eric’s behaviour, Mrs Birling’s snobbery, Mr Birling’s self righteousness. The audience listens to the moral of the story, that we are individuals in a society, who should look after each other, and not be merely out for what we can get. The final few words of the play are unexpected. We have had the feeling that the Inspector is not all he seems, but now that the real police (presumably) have telephoned, things become clearer. I wanted to see a continuation of the play, with real events, real police, and see how much the characters changed when faced with the information again. No doubt Sheila and Eric would approach the situation differently, they seem to have learned a lesson from events. On page 70, Sheila says: ‘ Everything we said had happened really had happened. If it didn’t end tragically, then that’s lucky for us. But it might have done. ‘ and on page 71: ‘You’re pretending everything’s just as it was before’. She and Eric have moved on from their original viewpoints, and this gives us hope for the future, it is to be hoped that they would not behave so badly again in their future relationships with people. Unfortunately, we are unable to know the real ending.

An Analysis of Counterfeit Culture in Fashion Essay

Among the social constructs that exist in most cultures and societies, fashion is probably one of the most ambiguous; it can be purposive yet frivolous, essential yet expressive, and functional yet influential.   What started as mere protection from the elements has become a global industry that defines generations and mindsets, producing lifestyles and preferences that are adhered to by large segments of world population.   This phenomenon is linked to the creation of brands and branding—symbols of a particular lifestyle choice that may reflect certain values and beliefs, which ultimately translate into an economy marked by persuasion and aspiration. Popular culture has appropriated fashion and its related concepts in a multitude of ways, and has contributed to the growth of a significant number of brands.   An excellent example of this is the practice of celebrity endorsement, wherein brands are assigned to famous individuals—those who have gained success and equivalent reputations in their chosen areas of expertise—and fashion is probably the most visible.   The lure and appeal of these celebrities instantly affect consumer behavior, and assure economic success for the fashion brand owner. Likewise, a celebrity increases his or her status by being associated with brands that have a positive, aspirational image—which is then communicated to the consumer.   This is perhaps the single most important reason why certain brands are coveted; and such desire is measured in its practical effects:   increased sales, brand growth, and higher tag prices.   However, these results also correlate with negative practices, and one of the most controversial is the production of counterfeit goods. The journey of the garment, which is the basic unit of fashion, traces a long road from its beginnings in the mind and hands of its creator—the designer—who must have included the necessary components for protection and expression, combined with style.   Now, a single garment already connotes bigger concepts of identity and socio-political notions; but the dangers of counterfeiting threatens to redefine the social and political aspects associated with an original creation, as well as the stripping of its unique identity. If the goal of counterfeiting is to help individuals with their status and self-esteem issues, then the act could be evaluated on the level of psychological support and alternative means of coping; but since counterfeiting fashion goods is not ever likely to have this altruistic objective at its core, there can be no other way to define it but downright stealing and infringement. Counterfeiting, as evident in its proliferation worldwide, is a profitable business; people involved in it—the producers and consumers—are liable for their actions.   While consumers could be incorrectly seen as passive participants in the transaction, producers have no other reason to be in it but to claim rights and profits meant for the original source. II.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Practice of Counterfeiting Fashion Counterfeit goods are defined by Rutter and Bryce (1146) as â€Å"those which illegally imitate, copy or duplicate a good or use a trademark without authorization†, and thus are subject to certain parameters and criteria that will reveal its true source.   The practice of counterfeiting is a trade no longer new, but its occurrence in fashion and its high-profile industry has produced effects that delve not just on appropriating someone else’s ideas—it is now an industry in itself, founded on the copied factors of design and appeal, and, most importantly, on the deliberate attempt to claim the benefits originally meant for the source. Key in this discussion is the level of desire associated with a particular fashion item, which necessarily stems from the popularity and reputation achieved by a brand.   In order to sustain this kind of exclusive image, most fashion brands use leverage on price and availability—the more expensive and limited, the better chances they have for assuming desire, apart from the given quality and originality of design. Therefore, if a fashion item is deemed unreachable or exists in limited quantities, it almost always translates to promoting want and desire in consumers.   Take for instance the Hermes Birkin, an ordinary-looking ladies’ handbag that uses the strategy of exclusivity; with its hefty tag price and buying procedure of having prospective buyers on a list that may be addressed after months—even years—the item has realized its status as a must-have for the status seeker. Counterfeiting enters the picture at this point, taking advantage of the limited production and availability.   Fake Birkins are now introduced, which greatly diminishes the value placed on the original, whether or not marks of identification are put in place.   International fashion brands have become victims of the counterfeiting trade, based on the documented $15.8 billion in terms of losses in total sales of all counterfeited products (Rutter and Bryce 1148).   The original standpoints on the social and political meanings of fashion within the areas of identity and culture have now been taken over by the issues of equality and class. III.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   China and the Economy of Counterfeiting The process of counterfeiting in its affinity with controversy would not have reached great heights if not for the participation of the producer and the consumer.   News and information in recent years have pointed to specific locales where counterfeiting originates on a large scale, and China—the biggest among several countries involved in the practice—is perhaps the most significant player in the industry. With its huge land area and population, the ascent of China toward economic superiority is apparent, and is acknowledged as the potential determinant of world fashion and its future (Mead 419).   However, its issues regarding its history and politics have pushed the Chinese toward a work ethic of hardship and the idea of quantity (Mead 424), believing that this attitude equates to a richer, better life.   Its sheer size and the persevering quality of its people have made China a major target of international companies, in the same way acknowledging that China has the capability of producing any random commodity required by the market (Pang 120). These two factors, size and capacity, are the same factors that have allowed the Chinese to take on jobs that pay less than required by their Western counterparts, thus making them the perfect players in the goal of mass-producing consumer goods.   Apparel brands such as Nike and Adidas (Pang 129), to name a few, have been manufactured in China for some time; the presence of these coveted brands in the same work environment can eventually give rise to their counterfeit versions. China should not be mistaken as a country that disrespects ownership and originality of ideas; in fact, its history should always be appropriated, and the connections between the past and present should be made.   Work and production were the landmarks of Maoist China, and its recent adoption of capitalism has resulted in a fanaticism for Western brands. Putting these two together would allow one to understand the motivations behind the culture of counterfeiting in China—as it is but a product of opposing cultural and social values informed by history.   However, countries like China and other bastions of counterfeiting will not be able to justify their business any longer; stricter rules on counterfeit goods have been put in place in major locales around the world, and arguments of tradition and historical events will soon become passe and inconsqeuential. IV.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Fashion Consumer in the Counterfeit World The consumer of counterfeit goods in general is often referred to as the ‘other’ (Rutter and Bryce 1149), and rightly so—for the consumption of products already known to be fake and copied reveals a statement that corresponds to the consumer’s social, political, and economic status, as well as ideology.   These are people who have been excluded from the privilege of affording merchandise that may be too costly or unavailable, yet possess a desire to achieve the same effects gleaned from ownership.

Extended commentary of ‘The Darkling Thrush’ by Thomas Hardy Essay

On the title: A thrush is a bird; plump, soft-plumaged, small to medium-sized, often inhabiting wooded areas. They feed on the ground or eat small fruit – but aren’t famed for their songs. Examples include a robin. ‘Darkling’ is an archaic word for ‘a creature of darkness’ or ‘in the dark’. Hardy uses it in its latter sense – the bird appears in a very gloomy scene, at the end of the day, at the end of the year (and century, for that matter). It also has negative connotations as well, however – for obvious reasons. Potential other implications: ‘darkling’ is perhaps used to create a diminutive form of the thrush (like a ‘duckling’). Other critics have identified the title as explaining, or preparing the reader for the unexpected advent of the bird half way through the poem, appearing into the scene from nowhere. Perhaps Hardy was attempting to use an antiquitated word to further demonstrate the bird is bringing joy to a dark land, and that there exists an enormous time difference between the new century and the old? Overall Structure: Hardy uses four regular eight line iambic stanzas; in either ‘tetrameter’ or ‘trimeter’, depending on the length of the line. This meter creates a poetic lilt, with alternate stressed feet. It seems very out of place in such a depressing poem – we must question why this is. Does it reflect the hope expressed at the end of the poem, or prepares us for it? Or does it tell of an oddity within the persona; is his negative manner actually genuine – perhaps we shouldn’t accept the persona’s judgment/emotions to the same extent as he’d like us to? His choice of rhyme scheme and meter along with the harsh subject fail to match up. Themes: Time (passing of century), Isolation, Man and the Natural World. Difficult Language Notes: ‘Darkling’ – discussed above. ‘Illimited’ is an archaic form of ‘unlimited’. First and Second Stanza Notes: As usual, Hardy presents us with an image, this time of a landscape – a depressing one, at that. This poem was published at the end of the century – 31st December 1900 (Hardy was one of those people who believe that a century is complete when the hundredth year is over.) It is very cold and frosty and the day is growing to a close. It really is the end of a century. And Hardy presents us with a very clear image of death – he later personifies the Century itself as being dead. The first two stanzas are full of death-language: 1. â€Å"When Frost was spectre-gray†. A clear example of ghost imagery (‘a spectre’). This line is of interest on its own, due to the obvious personification of ‘Frost’. This is a good place to make a key note about the poem itself. Throughout, we discover a distinct Hardy-esque style; the environment is unpleasant and it demonstrates his usual antics in animism. Hardy develops complex (and often deeply personal) symbolic systems which deal almost exclusively with the natural world. The reader is made personal with non-human entities like frost and birds but avoids people – even the persona is a subject avoided in great detail. 1. Back with the ‘death imagery’, â€Å"The weakening eye of day†; a comment on the darkening sky – the day is dying. 1. â€Å"All mankind that haunted nigh† – haunted is clearly a reference to death and ghosts. Hardy is commenting on the lack of human life in his scene; they â€Å"had sought their household fires†. A further indication of the low temperature. Is it a hint that the world is ending? Or is that just a little extreme? In any case, note how the rest of humanity are seeking light in an otherwise dark environment. The second stanza contains an extended metaphor involving the dead century, but we need to examine the first stanza more before moving on. Hardy’s persona is leaning upon a coppice gate – a gate into a small woods or ‘coppice’. It is a highly ambiguous persona (another thing to explore), but he leans nevertheless. The scene is wintry, indeed, along with Frost, Winter is personified equally – â€Å"Winter’s dregs made desolate/ The weakening eye of day.† The dregs of the season indicate a very cold atmosphere; one without much colour. Clearly this has emptied the scene of any colourful sight upon which the â€Å"eye of day† weakens. The day is ending; thus dusk darkens the scene. â€Å"Tangled bine-stems scored the sky/ Like strings of broken lyres†. As before mentioned, the persona is standing in woodland, thus â€Å"Bine-stems† are tree branches. Hardy’s comparison of them to broken lyres is interesting. Lyres are a) harmonious in Classical literature and b) belong only in Classical literature. Hardy is clearly stating that the scene is not ‘harmonious’ or perhaps the ‘death-lament’ later mentioned isn’t. Or is it also a reference Hardy’s romantic passion for the past, that it was somehow better than the day in which he writes? Second Stanza Notes: The first four lines of this stanza deal explicitly with Hardy’s ‘dead Century’ metaphor. He imagines the land before him as â€Å"the Century’s corpse outleant.† Quite what ‘outleant’ means, I have no idea, (The OED has confirmed that ‘outleant’ is not, nor ever has been a word) but â€Å"his crypt [becomes] the cloudy canopy† (the cloudy sky) and â€Å"the wind his death-lament†. One need not explain it in any more detail; the implications are quite explicit. Hardy’s persona clearly didn’t approve of the past century, but had yet to indicate an emotional reflection on the future. He imagines England as a rotting corpse, essentially. However, note the use of the verb ‘seems’ – is all as it seems? However, Hardy goes on to write even more damningly of his persona’s scene. ‘The ancient pulse of germ and birth’ – the regenerative power of life, following Winter’s onslaught – ‘was shrunken dry and hard’. Nothing appears to be growing back – is this another indication of the end of the world, or certainly of an era. Hardy appears to be making the simple change of an arbitrary number into something quite different, and more serious. A degeneration of life itself. Indeed, â€Å"every spirit upon earth/ Seemed fervourless than I.† Very negative. Observe how silent the description is up to this point in the poem. There is an implied sound in both the death-lament and of broken lyres, but otherwise, the sound is non-existent. That changes soon. Here comes the VOLTA. Third Stanza Notes: â€Å"At once a voice arose among The bleak twigs overhead In a full-hearted evensong Of Joy illimited;† Hardy emphasizes a sudden change with the words â€Å"At once† – indeed, there are multiple changes which create this volta: * Note the sudden inclusion of sound – the thrush is singing! This breaks the poetic still (of death) which has held the poem so far. * The length of ‘sentence’ also changes. Note the semicolon at the end of these four lines above. Previously, each quatrain had completed with a full stop. Perhaps Hardy is opening up his poetic form to mirror the sudden movement in the lines themselves. The use of enjambment accentuates this. There are perhaps religious connotations with ‘evensong’. Much as Hardy may simply be again referring to the mundane fact that the bird is singing a ‘song’ and ‘eve’, we pray that the man is capable of higher minded comparisons. These vaguely religious nuances are maintained throughout the poem. The crucial fact is that the mood has changed, perhaps. â€Å"Of Joy illimited† suggests a pleasant image, which stands in stark contrast to the surrounding gloom. â€Å"An aged thrush, frail, gaunt, and small, In blast-beruffled plume,† Yet the mood is suddenly plunged back into the red with Hardy’s following lines. The thrush, which is, admittedly, a very odd bird to chose (not famed for their song), is an elderly figure in a storm – hence the ‘blast-beruffled plume’. In this otherwise grim situation, the reader’s immediate concern is whether the bird itself is going to survive at all! The use of â€Å"frail, gaunt, and small† mirrors the ghoulish imagery used in the first two stanzas – the thrush is alive, for certain, but perhaps the persona questions for how much longer? Note how the thrush is NOT personified. Every other element of the natural world takes an animated form, but not the bird! Why does Hardy do this? â€Å"Had chosen thus to fling his soul Upon the growing gloom.† Perhaps desperation is the key word in this stanza, but also hope. There is a powerful message in the face of this ghoulish bird; that, in spite of all the darkness and death, the thrush maintains his song. Stanza Four Notes: â€Å"So little cause for carolings Of such ecstatic sound Was written on terrestrial things Afar or nigh around,† Once again, Hardy’s use of enjambment allows for the lines to ‘bleed’ into each other – in a direct contrast to the poem’s former rigidity. Perhaps he is now gathering momentum for a change in mood? Yet, in terms of sense, Hardy appears to be doing the opposite. He states that the bird has no reason to be singing a joyful song amongst so much desolation. However, perhaps, by even considering such a fact, the persona’s own deep-rooted pessimism is beginning to shift away? On some key language points: * Note more religious emphasis: ‘carolings’ typically sing hymns at Christmas time. Hymns are definitely religious! * Perhaps there is an equally religious connotation which Hardy applies to his comments on the ‘terrestrial things’. If there is not any cause for singing about things on Earth, then perhaps, reciprocally, there is cause for celebrating the sky, or heaven? â€Å"That I could think there trembled through His happy good-night air Some blessed Hope, whereof he knew And I was unaware.† It is a rather ambiguous ending upon which Hardy chooses to conclude, but he achieves a sense of dramatic effect through it. The persona realises the presence of (a perhaps religious) hope, in the fact of utter desperation, but it is unintelligible to him. In an odd way, the reader is forced to consider whether the persona is being entirely accurate: * Can one be unaware of something, yet still able to write about it? * Does this tell us that the persona, as a Modernist, is able to perceive such an uplifting messages but unable to interpret them in such a way as to ‘release’ himself from the ‘dark’? Hardy himself was a modernist and therefore dwells upon an odd lot of ideas. Amongst them was ‘searching for hope/meaning to darkness and cruelty’. Despite being a realist, he was deeply influenced by Romantic notions (look them up) – perhaps this exploration is one of them? * The use of ‘blessed’ again implies a deified presence within the thrush’s message. Is the persona experiencing some divine inspiration?

Persuasion in Advertising Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Persuasion in Advertising - Essay Example It is formed on the basis of psychological and physiological movements which are studied by the advertising and marketing people so that the client (the company people) also remain happy and their business flourishes in the longer run. However, to get this very message down to the intended people is not an easy job to start with. It needs to be very targeted, precise and significant for them in order for them to take notice and understand that the particular brand connects with them in the best and most easiest of manners possible and hence they should be the ones to buy it for themselves and for this reason satisfy their need or even please themselves more than they had already expected. It is a sure tough job for the people who have to extract the perfect message which needs to be sharpened again and again before it actually gets down to the right kind of people who will make the actual purchase and therefore the product will be sold in the end. However, on the flip side of the coi n, this requires selling the product or the brand in the mind of the consumer before he actually decides to go and buy the very same. This is referred as the pre-selling stage and advertising has got a lot to do with it. Psychologically speaking, consumers connect with what is there on the electronic and/or print media for them in the form of a message that says a lot about their preferred brand and lists down the details as to how it could benefit the same person if he or she uses it. Advertising is the non-personal communication of information usually paid for and usually persuasive in nature about products, services or ideas by identified sponsors through the various media. This is all the art of selling and it comes under the heading of marketing and for marketing to happen in the first place, advertising is of fundamental importance. (Mitchell, 1993) Without advertising, marketers can only think of their product lying on the retail outlets waiting for angels to come and satisfy themselves. People need to be told the plus points of their brands (by the company) so that they actually go out and make the eventual purchase which in all fairness, not an easy job for the company, say that is producing a shoe polish which does not stick on to the shoes as much as do the other competitor shoe polishes already available in the market. If the customers do not know or are not given the liberty to comprehend the different features of the brand which is being advertised by the company, they would not make that valued effort on their part and hence the company will be the one to suffer in the end and no one else. Advertising is a part of the social psychology and as we are discussing the persuasive part of it, hence there is a direct linkage here. Hence the branch of human psychology that deals with the behavior of groups and the influence of social factors on the individual is indeed the social psychology and as we are getting the hang of things from the advertising and persuasion perspective of it, the both are seen as being quite imperative here. First and foremost, for persuasion, one needs to take into notice the fact that this is a two way process and not a hand which can clap alone

Critically analyse the idea that Pluralism is an outdated view of Essay

Critically analyse the idea that Pluralism is an outdated view of industrial relations - Essay Example It is then significant to highlight a few of the key present issues regarding the conduct of labor in global corporate organizations. It is important to consider how IR as a professional approach addresses these issues and the difference among it and the other two fields of enquiry (Beaumont, PB 2005). Industry’ is on occasion equated with mechanized, as in contrasts among industry and services. ‘Industrial relations’ has in standard never been so controlled. In practice, though, notice until lately frequently focused on firm parts of the market. According to the industrial experts the term ‘industrial relations’ has turn into adequately entrenched that it is retained here to face relations among manager and worker in all spheres of financial movement. The focal point is service: all forms of trade and industry action in which an employee works beneath the influence of an employer (De Silva, S 2001). The further basic crisis, though, is that the require to present industrial relations as an independent playing field has led to an exceptionally reductive view of what constitutes industrial relations. Whilst the in general institutional form of the industrial relations system may possess an â€Å"international reason† which above all transmits compromises among industrial relations actors, an overstated attentiveness on organizations risks neglecting the matter of what industrial relations systems in fact do (Frenkel, S 2003). When analyzing the consequence of organizations systems on the founding of circumstances beneath which paid labour is probable to work, it fast becomes obvious that â€Å"the formation of rules† does not just originate from an independent industrial relations system, still although it is frequently transmitted during this system. What occurs inside industrial relations systems considerably reflects wider societal forces, in relation to industri al systems, the sexual category division of labour

Engineering Ethics Henrys Daughters Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

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Endothelial tight junction proteins Essay Example for Free

Endothelial tight junction proteins Essay Endothelial tight junction proteins Introduction            The endothelium is situated at the inner side of all kinds of vessels and comprises of a monolayer of endothelial cells. Inter-endothelial junctions comprise junctional complexes, such as adherens junctions (AJ), tight junctions (TJ) and gap junctions (GJ) that play essential roles in tissue integrity, barrier function and intercellular communication respectively. These junctional complexes are related to those found at epithelial junctions with notable changes in terms of certain molecules and structure.            Endothelial junctional proteins play important roles in tissue integrity but also in vascular permeability, leukocyte extravasation and angiogenesis. Dormant endothelium may be exposed to stimuli provoking leukocyte extravasation at seditious sites and propagating angiogenesis. Both activities have an intense impact on endothelial cell-cell junctions.            Tight junctions aid the major functional objective of establishing a barrier inside the membrane, by controlling paracellular permeability and sustaining cell polarity. They achieve this by constricting apical or basolateral transmembrane diffusion of lipids and they have been suggested to contribute in regulating proliferation and differentiation of epithelial cells. However, the components that are involved and the signal routes concerned are unknown (Mitic Anderson 1998).            Tight junctions are made up of integral membrane proteins claudins, occludin, tricellulin, junctional adhesion molecules (JAMs), including many peripheral membrane proteins such as the scaffold PDZ- domain proteins. This review will however, focus on ZO-1 and ZONAB. Histology of endothelia junctions            The junctional structures situated at the endothelial intercellular fissure are related to those located at the epithelium; however, their formation is more inconsistent and in most vascular beds their topology is less constrained than in epithelial cells. Adherens junctions, tight junctions and gap junctions are in most cases intermingled and create a complex zonular system with disparities in depth and thickness of the sub-membrane plate associated with the junctional structure (Franke et al. 1988; Rhodin 1974). In contrast to epithelial cells, GJs are often found close to the luminal surface. Hence, the term â€Å"Apical junction† used to jointly describe epithelial TJ and AJ may not be applied to the endothelium. The endothelium forms the vascular barrier with controlled permeability properties between the blood and the underlying tissues.            Tight junctions exhibit considerable inconsistency among different segments of the vascular tree (Franke et al. 1988). This disparity composes a major evidence of vascular bed differentiation of endothelial cells and has a strong impact on vascular permeability and leukocyte extravasation. Variations concern the complexity degree of the occluding strands as well as tight junction composition.            Large Artery endothelial cells, which are exposed to high flow rates, display a well-developed system of tight junctions. Within the microvasculature, tight junctions are less complex in capillaries than in arterioles, and even less in venules. It is important to mention that, post-capillary venules are the primary site of leukocyte extravasation, and accordingly, they display a high content of permeability mediator receptors, such as those for histamine, serotonin and bradykinin. On the other hand, blood brain barrier (BBB) and the blood retinal barrier (BRB) are predominantly rich in Tight Junctions and endothelial tight junctions have been principally studied in these sites.            Endothelial intercellular realms differ from those of epithelial cells by the absence of desmosomes (Franke et al. 1988). The transitional filaments, comprised in the endothelium by vimentin molecules, are poorly connected to cell-cell contacts. However, contrary to the situation in epithelia, the vimentin filaments may be associated to endothelial adherens junctions in junctional structures similar to desmosomes, called complexus adherens.            It must be emphasized that interendothelial junctions are vibrant structures, subjected to multiple regulations. Moreover, leukocytes extravasate majorly in postcapillary venules either through transcellular or paracellular methods. Extravasation via the intercellular junction is a rapid and controlled process, through which the leukocyte is squeezed in the fissure (diapedesis), followed by rapid junction reformation.            ZO-1 is a protein located on the cytoplasmic membrane plate of intercellular tight junctions and is engaged in transducing signals at cell-to-cell junctions. ZO-1 links tight junction transmembrane proteins to a cytoplasmic plaque and the actin-based cytoskeleton (Aijaz et al. 2006; Tsukita et al. 2001). In epithelial cells, ZO-1 interrelates with the transcription factor ZONAB to regulate cells proliferation in a cell density related manner (Balda Matter 2000); however, the functions of ZO-1 and ZONAB in endothelial cells are still not clearly understood.            Unpublished work shows that downregulation of ZO-1 in endothelial cells stimulates redistribution of two transmembrane proteins; claudin-5 and JAM-A, and radical changes in the cytoskeleton affecting the localization of mechanosensor proteins and VE-cadherin role in the control of cell-cell tension.            These observations imply that one function of ZO-1 in endothelial cells is to coordinate components of the tight junction and associate them to the cortical cytoskeleton. However, it is unfamiliar whether the ZO-1 associated transcription factor ZONAB is linked to such ZO-1 effects.            Despite the fact that, ZO-1 explicitly associates with epithelial tight junctions (Stevenson et al. 1986), it has been observed that the protein appears in the nucleus in the process of proliferation (Gottardi et al. 1996). While the functional impact of the nuclear localization is currently not clear, studies reveal that these discrete subcellular distributions of ZO-1 are exquisitely sensitive to the state of cell-to-cell contact.            ZO-1 plays a major role of restraining ZONAB and regulates its accumulation in the nucleus through cytoplasmic sequestration. MDCK cells found in the epithelium exhibit two forms of this Y-box transcription factor (ZONAB) i.e. ZONAB -A and ZONAB -B which vary in a 68-amino acid supplement. Both categories of ZONAB bind to ZO-1 and link with intercellular junctions (Balda Matter 2000).            ZONAB was initially designated in canine kidney epithelial cells (MDCK) and is a Y-box transcription factor. Y-box transcription factors are multipurpose control mechanisms of gene expression and studies suggest that they play a common role in enhancing proliferation (Bargou et al. 1997). ZONAB is one of the tight junction-associated dual localization protein: it localizes to junctions where it attaches to the SH3 surface of the adaptor protein ZO-1, and to the nucleus where it regulates transcription.            The distribution of ZONAB is controlled by the cell density as it localizes to both junctions and nuclei in low density, proliferating cells, and becomes constrained to the cytoplasm in high density cells (Balda Matter, 2000). This distribution is also exhibited in its transcription activity, as ZONAB is transcriptionally vigorous in proliferating cells but inactive in non-proliferating cells. In the MDCK cells, ZONAB is necessary for normal rates of proliferation and controls G1/S phase transition (Balda et al. 2003).            ZONAB affects cell cycle development by two distinct processes: it controls the nuclear accumulation of CDK4 through a direct interaction and controls manifestation of genes encoding cell cycle regulators for example, PCNA and cyclin D1 (Balda et al. 2003; Sourisseau et al. 2006 ).            In 3D principles of MDCK cells, regular ZO-1 and ZONAB processes are necessary for epithelial cyst formation, implying that the Y-box transcription factor also controls epithelial differentiation (Sourisseau et al. 2006). Since ZO-1 and ZONAB can also relate with other types of intercellular junctions, for instance the gap junctions, in cells that lack tight junctions, it is possible that ZO-1 or ZONAB signaling is also of useful significance in other cell types other than epithelia (Ciolofan et al. 2006; Giepmans Moolenaar 1998). Aims of the study            The aim of the study is to understand the functional consequences of downregulation of ZONAB in endothelial cells, and whether and how ZONAB cross-talks with other junctional components to regulate endothelial cell migration, proliferation and angiogenesis. Currently, we are looking at similarities and differences between the phenotype of downregulation of ZO-1 or ZONAB by RNA interference. Changes in expression and localization of a given protein are analysed using specific antibodies for immunoblots and immunofluorescence. Preliminary Results            It is observed that downregulation of ZO-1 or ZONAB resulted in similar redistribution of actin and vinculin from cell-cell junctions to stress fibers and focal adhesions, respectively. However, the localization of transmembrane proteins such as Claudin-5 and JAM-A is affected by downregulation of ZO-1 rather than by downregulation of ZONAB. The localization of the polarity protein PAR-3 is changed in both conditions.            Additionally, downregulation of ZONAB causes changes in ZO-1 by immunofluorescence that needs to be tested for expression by immunoblots. Next, we will characterize other transmembrane proteins (e.g. MD3 and claudin-1), polarity proteins (PKCzeta), Rho regulators and mechanotransducers such as PAK2, Zyxin and YAP.            ZONAB is a DNA and RNA binding factor that it is involved in transcription (e.g. cyclin D1 and PCNA) in the nucleus and translation (e.g. cell cycle inhibitor p21) in the cytosol. Thus, we are also trying to identify new genes regulated. We have identified that expression of fibronectin is regulated by ZONAB. We are evaluating whether the changes in protein expression of fibronectin are due to ZONAB role on transcription or translation, using actinomicin D to inhibit transcription or cyclohexidimide to inhibit translation. Additionally, we are validating new genes identified by cDNA array analysis of endothelial cells with downregulation of ZONAB.            The tight junction localizing protein ZO-1 symptomatically forms a continuous band around the apices of well-differentiated, confluent, polarized epithelial cells in culture. However, under nonconfluent conditions, endogenous ZO-1 can localize to the nucleus in addition to the border of cell-cell contact.            ZONAB manifestation tends to be high in proliferating but low in growth-impeded MDCK cells, implying that high manifestation levels might be a necessity for cell proliferation (Balda Matter 2000).            ZONAB confines in the nucleus as well as tight junctions in proliferating cells, however, it is not noticeable in the nucleus of nonproliferating high density cells (Balda Matter 2000), proposing that accumulation of ZONAB in the nucleus might be necessary for efficient proliferation.            ZO-1 quantities are low in proliferating cells and they rise with cell density, and overexpression of ZO-1 hinders accumulation of ZONAB in the nucleus (Balda Matter 2000); hence, ZO-1 may control proliferation by inhibiting ZONAB from accumulating in the nucleus. Overexpression of ZO-1 in low density cells triggers a redistribution of ZONAB from the nucleus to the cytoplasm and reduced proliferation.            CDK4 is a major regulator of G1/s transition (Sherr 2000; Malumbres Barbacid 2001). Thus, ZONAB could control proliferation by regulating the process or the localization of CDK4. Since ZONAB binds CDK4, the nuclear pools of the two proteins may diminish in a parallel manner.            Symplekin is combined with ZONAB in the nucleus; hence, it could be argued that Symplekin modulates the transcription activity of ZONAB. Increased expression of Symplekin results in stimulation of the transcriptional suppressor ZONAB. However, it is also noted that Symplekin is absent in endothelial cells (Keon et al. 1996).            ZONAB controls cell cycle entry. ZO-1 overexpression results in a reduction in DNA synthesis, implying that entry into S-phase was distressed.            These experiments will allow understanding the role of ZO-1 and ZONAB in endothelial cells. Depending on the results, we plan to test how these two proteins are involved in endothelial stress conditions such as shear stress and high glucose. Conclusion            The collaboration of ZO-1 with tight junctions can only be significant for the stabilization of ZO-1, as opposed to attaching ZO-1 to the plasma membrane so as to constrain nuclear accumulation of related proteins. This is supported by the opinion that a truncated protein comprising only the HA-tagged SH3 domain accumulated in the Cytosol, but was adequate to decrease proliferation and nuclear accumulation of ZONAB (unpublished data).            ZONAB and ZO-1 control proliferation and the ultimate cell density of MDCK cells. Explanations that ZO-1 accumulates with increasing cell density, and overexpression of ZO-1 in transfected cells lowers the final density proposes a pattern in which ZO-1 serves as a measure for cell density whereby, on reaching the threshold level, provokes growth impediment by cytoplasmic sequestration of ZONAB and the related cell cycle kinase CDK4. It will be essential to control how the ZO-1 or ZONAB pathway associates with the other signaling methods that affect proliferation.            Vascular endothelial stress induces dysfunctions that have been implicated in many diseases such as diabetes and diabetic retinopathy. Therefore, characterization of the role of tight junction molecules in different endothelial cell behavior and functions will help us to understand the molecular mechanisms of disease pathogenesis and these findings may be implicated in prognosis and possibly to develop new treatment strategies. References Balda, MS and Matter, K 2000. The tight junction protein ZO-1 and an interacting transcription factor regulate ErbB-2 expression. EMBO J. 19, pp 2024-2033. Balda MS, Garrett MD and Matter K, 2003. The ZO-1 associated Y-box factor ZONAB regulates epithelial cell proliferation and cell density. J. Cell Biol. 160, pp 423-432. Bargou RC, K Jurchott, C Wagener, S Bergmann, S metzner, K Bommert, MY Mapara, KJ Winzer. M Dietel, B Dorken, and HD Royer, 1997. Nuclear localization and increased levels of transcription factor YB-1 in primary human breast cancers are associated with intrinsic MDR1 gene expression. Nat. Med. 3: pp 447-450. Ciolofan C, Li XB, Olson C, Kamasawa N, Gebhardt BR, Yasumura T, Morita M, Rash JE and Nagy JI, 2006. Association of connexin36 and Zonula occludens-1 with zonula occludens-2 and the transcription factor zonula occludens-1 associated nucleic acid-binding protein at neuronal gap junctions in rodent retina. Neuroscience 140: pp 433-451. Franke WW, P Cowin, C Grund, C Kuhn, HP Kapprell, 1998, The Endothelial Junction: the plaque and its component., in: N. Simionescu, M Simionescu (Eds.), Endothelial cell biology in health and diseases, Plenum publishing corporation, New York. pp 147-166. Giepmans BN and Moolenaar WH, 1998. The gap junction protein connexin43 interacts with the second PDZ domain of the zonal occludens-1 protein. Curr. Biol. 8. Pp 931-934. Gottardi CJ, M Arpin, AS Fanning and D Louvard, 1996. The junction-associated protein, zonular occludens-1, localizes to the nucleus before the maturation and during the remodeling of cell-cell contacts. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 93: pp 10779-10784. Keon BH, S Schafer, C Kuhn, C Grund, WW Franke, Symplekin, a novel type of tight junction plaque protein, J Cell Biol. 134 (1996) 1003-1018.Malumbres M and M Barbacid, 2001. To cycle or not to cycle: a critical decision in cancer. Nat. Rev. Cancer. 1: pp 222-231. Mitic LL and JM Anderson, 1998. Molecular architecture of tight junctions. Annu. Rev. Physiol. 60: pp 121-142. Rhodin, JAG 1974, Histology, Oxford University Press, New York. Sherr, CJ 2000. The Pezcoller lecture: cancer cell cycles revisited. Cancer res. 60: pp 3689-3695. Sourisseau T, Georgiadis A, Tsapara A, Ali RR, Pestell RG, Matter K and Balda MS, 2006. Regulation of PCNA and cyclin D1 expression and epithelial morphogenesis by the ZO-1 regulated transcription factor ZONAB/DbpA. Mol. Cell. Biol. 26, pp 2387-2398.Stevenson, BR, JD Siliciano, MS Mooseker, and DA Goodenough, 1986. Identification of ZO-1: a high molecular weight polypeptide associated with the tight junction (zonula occludens) in a variety of epithelia. J. Cell Biol. 103: pp 755-766. Source document

Understandings And Responses To Paedophilia

Understandings And Responses To Paedophilia The concept of paedophilia started to formulate as an object of scientific study in the mid ninetieth century, as a part of the broader context of sexual deviations. It was first noticed as a phenomenon in the sex industry of the time that provided young children to satisfy certain appetites. Later on, child prostitution took place in post war big cities also as a means of livelihood. Mentions of this kind of prostitution were found even in literature by novelists such as Dostoevsky and Malaparte (Schinaia, 2010). However, paedophilia became a matter of great concern and study during the second half of the twentieth century. Until then it was considered to be a sporadic aberration as Freud put it (Angelides, 2005) while the paedophile didnt seem to pose a threat to society. During the last few decades paedophilia has emerged from the background. Now more than ever paedophiles are being marked and judged as sexual offenders and not as people with alternative sexual orientation. Certain cases, like the Sarah Payne case, received extensive media coverage resulting to augmented public attention and, at times, mass panic. Paedophilia has subsequently been classified in the publics mind to raise all the alarms as far as protecting the young children and the well being of the society goes. This attention has resulted in paedophilia receiving accordingly attention from the social studies that examine the aetiology, the ways it manifests and the possible treatments for those who exhibit such deviances (McCartan, 2010). The current paper is a critical review of the literature that deals with the issue of paedophilia. As a first step the definitions of paedophilia will be given, as they are formed under the spectrum of various sciences such as medicine and social studies. It is not strange that regarding the definition of paedophilia there is not the consensus among the scientists as one would though there would be. The ethical standards, what is and what is not a deviance or even when pubescence begins, are concepts that are undergoing changes simultaneously with society (Schinaia, 2010). Moreover, what is being considered as paedophilia in a western culture could be perceived as a way to facilitate the passage to adulthood depending on the culture (Harrison et al, 2010). At this point paedophilia will be compared to other aspects of sexual deviations and its relation to them. The next step is to examine how paedophilia and paedophiles are being comprehended by the public. This paper will provide, through the current literature, an overview of how the public, the press and the law have changed their understanding of the matter. Subsequent to the change in perception is the change in reaction and the emergence of pro action. New laws are being implemented and parental awareness seems to be at its peak. But are these steps being taken due the acknowledgement of real danger or because of mass panic deriving from extensive media coverage? As the weight has shifted from homosexuality to paedophilia (Angelides, 2005), is it right to assume that people look at the matter while its exploding out of proportion, or is it safe to say that finally they see thing as they really are? Reviewing the studies that have been published and the conclusions that theorists of the matter came to, will provide a better understanding of the issue at hand. The last part of this paper provides the assessment of the risk that paedophiles pose to society and whether they can be treated. Regardless of the existence, or rather the lack of it, of a unanimous definition of paedophilia, what is the right way to proceed with convicted paedophiles? The question of importance that is being addressed at this point is if a paedophile should be treated as a criminal or as a mentally unstable patient that can be treated and reintegrated to society. This particular subject is rather sensitive to address. It involves prepubescent children that have been traumatized by actions of sexual offenders. It also involves convicted offenders, people that modern western society abhors. In order to approach this one should proceed with caution. A primary research on the matter would need participants from both categories. The questions that are raised on the subject of paedophilia are extensive and, if they are to be researched properly, only an in depth experiment would suffice. Moreover, a solid theoretical background, which as will be discussed later in this paper is still being constructed, that can provide the needed boost to the right direction would be required. Instead, a secondary based research can provide the desired overview of the subject, simultaneously giving the essential information on the topic and helping the reader to form an educated opinion. However, the practical aspects and difficulties of the endeavor are of lesser importance. That which carries the most weight is that with a desk based research the danger of re victimizing young children is nonexistent. It is the safest way to approach the matter, doing so by reviewing the literature. Chapter 1 Defining paedophilia Sexual behavior Sex, in a strict definition, is the means of procreation for humans. However, sex can happen for a great many deal of reasons (Rye; Meaney, 2007), mainly pleasure. From this perspective it can be defined as the stimulation of the genitals resulting in a pleasurable reflex that is orgasm (Rye; Meaney, 2007). Although, peoples definitions regarding sex vary, there is a consistency between what they perceive as sex and their sexual attitudes (Peterson Muehlenhard, 2007). A persons sexuality is the way one perceives of oneself as a sexual being (Bay-Cheng, 2003) and pursues sexual pleasure. Normal sexual behavior includes bringing pleasure to oneself and his or hers partner. The procedure involves the stimulation of the genitals and usually includes intercourse (Rye Meaney, 2007). Sexual Dysfunctions Sexual dysfunctions are a series of problematic symptoms to the normal sexual function of a person. These kinds of symptoms can vary from erectile dysfunction or premature or delayed ejaculation for men, vaginal dryness, and pain during sex dyspareunia- or difficulty coming to an orgasm anorgasmia- for women. The causes of sexual dysfunction are as multiple as the symptoms. The psychological state of a person such as depression, intense stress or other psychological factors can easily result in sexual problems in performance. Drug abuse is another factor that can contribute dramatically to the dysfunction of a person on the particular subject. Overall condition of a persons health is another aspect of the cause of sexual dysfunction. Diseases such as diabetes or hormonal imbalances can deteriorate dramatically someones sexual desire or impair his or hers capability. Even when all the above reasons are absent, age alone can lead to sexual dysfunctions. Mental disorders and paraphilias Defining sexual disorders can be a hazy situation. The American Psychiatric Association defines mental disorder as: a clinically significant behavioral or psychological syndrome or pattern that occurs in an individual and that is associated with present distress (e.g., a painful symptom) or disability (i.e., impairment in one of more important areas of functioning) or with a significantly increased risk of suffering death, pain, disability, or an important loss of freedom. In addition, this syndrome or pattern must not be merely an expectable and culturally sanctioned response to a particular event, for example, the death of a loved one. Whatever its original causes, it must currently be considered a manifestation of a behavioral, psychological, or biological dysfunction in the individual. Neither deviant behavior (e.g., political, religious, or sexual) nor conflicts that are primarily between the individual and society are mental disorders unless the deviance or conflict is a sympto m of a dysfunction in the individual, as described above (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 2000, p.xxxi). All forms of paraphilias are considered to be mental disorders. Paraphilia is the recurrent sexual behavior, urges or fantasies that involve non human objects, non consenting adults or children and suffering or humiliation (Laws ODonohue, 2008). Paraphilias tend to be considered as such when they are recurrent for a period longer than six months and they are a reason for difficulties in everyday functioning. Paraphilia includes apart from paedophilia, voyeurism, exhibitionism, fetishism, transvestic fetishism, frotteurism, masochism, sadism (Pursell Arrigo, 2006) and necrophilia (Laws ODonohue, 2008). Paedophilia Clinical definition The etymology of the word paedophilia leads to the Greek words pais (à Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡), which means child and philia (à Ã¢â‚¬  ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¯ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±) which means friendly love (Riegel, 2005). However, the current meaning of the word as is perceived far exceeds any kind of friendly love. The current definition of paedophilia is, as it is in DSM-IV, under the broader context of paraphilias. The understanding is that paedophilia is a form of mental disorder and as such is treated. Given the definition of DSM-IV the offender has to have sexual urges or fantasies that has either acted upon or cause him distress for a period over six months. The offender has to be at least 16 years of age or at least 5 years older than the child and the child is up to 13 years old (DSM-IV, p. 571). Points of this definition cause more debate than give grounds for further theorizing. It is not clearly stated what is meant by acted upon or what is actually meant by child gi ven that childhood can differ from society to society (Harrison et al, 2010). Such vague concepts lead to a new definition of paedophilia to the new DSM-V that is expected in May 2013. The leading opinion is that the change in the paedophilic definition will be substantial, as it is expected to be named Peadophebephilic disorder, which refers to both sexual attraction of pubescent children (hebephilic) and prepubescent children (paedophilic) (Harrison et al, 2010). Legal definition of paedophilia The legal definition of paedophilia is another entirely problematic aspect of the matter. Beginning with the appropriate definition of age for a child to the age of criminal responsibility or the age of consent for sexual activity, there are variations. Different countries with different cultures define as child someone at very different ages, from 14 in Uzbekistan to 21 in Argentina (Harrison, 2010). Moreover, within the law itself in the United Kingdom, there are discrepancies about the age that someone is consider to be a child. Different acts and schemes have different age limits, so there is confusion on the matter (McCartan, 2008). Another implication is in regards to what is considered to be a criminal act. In the UK as sex offences are considered apart from having sexual relations to a child, also grooming, making a child watch pornography or sexual intercourse of others or forcing a child to have sexual intercourse with someone (Sex Offenders Act 2003). The UK law concerning paedophilia states that as paedophilia is assumed any sexual relationship between someone over 18 years and someone else under 16 years of age. In the event of the younger participant is less than 13 years old and as such cannot give consent, the sexual relationship is considered to be statutory rape (McCartan, 2008). Paedophilia in modern society Paedophilia has become an issue in the UK during the last decade. High profile cases have come to be widely known, and in many cases, the public outcry has caused the government to take action (McCartan, 2008). Not only the media, but also researchers and other professionals have been immensely consumed with the topic. Paedophilia up to some decades ago was not a distinct case of paraphilia. It was referred to as sodomy, without any differentiation at the age. The growth in paedophilia references over the past few years in Western society was enormous. It has become an issue of public discourse emerging from non existence (Goode, 2011). The public has formed opinions as the governments have implemented laws. However, its a highly emotive issue and at this stage is based more on opinions than facts. The media coverage explosion (McCartan, 2008) has led to that direction misguiding the public not as to the severity of the issue but as to its real dimensions and proportions. If anything else, the times are characterized of an overflow in information to and from all directions. Other types of sexual abuse Hebephilia Hebephilia is defined to be the sexual attraction and sexual relations to someone pubescent (Green, 2005). Pubescent or early pubescent can be characterized someone at the ages of 11 to 14 years (Blanchard, 2010). The use of the term is very rare and diagnostic tools such as the DSM-IV or the International Classification of Diseases do not mention it (Franklin, 2010). Hebephelia, when concerning heterosexual men and young girls can be attributed to the primary instinct for better chances in breeding (Franklin, 2010). Research however, has stated (Blanchard, 2010) that this does not actually increase fertility. Actually, hebephelia is not considered to be normal sexual behavior but, at the same time, does not fall into the category of sexual deviations due to mental disorders (Frances First, 2011). Incest Incest is called the sexual relation between two members of the same family, who by law cannot get married. There is much debate on whether there are or not neurocognitive functions of the human brain that avoid incest (Liberman et al, 2003). Moreover, the theory that human can identify their own kin has been put to the test more than once. Incest is considered to be even more damaging to a child than sexual molestation. As it is provoked by a family member, the child loses its most fundamental basis (Becker et al, 1986) of the support system anyone has. The actual numbers of incest are unknown, even more than in other cases, because of the nature of the offence. Chapter 2 Public Perceptions of Paedophilia Formation of public attitudes towards paedophilia The public perceives the society as being of great risk for the children (Cavanagh, 2007). The reasons of this belief are multiple. The constant change in human society due to technological advances results in changes that cannot be measured and, most importantly, cannot be determined in a strict cause effect manner (McCartan, 2008). Paedophilia is one of these issues that have been imprinted into the publics mind as deriving from the modernization of life. The main concern of the public is the defense of the weak, such as the children, and the moral structure of family and society. Although the issue is not entirely unknown to the public, the last two decades it has resulted in the formation of strong, however emotive, attitudes. Based more on stories than facts (Marsh Melville, 2011), media fuelled discourses keep shaping the publics beliefs. High profile cases add each time a new piece of information that contains revelations about paedophilia. There is a lack of evidence based information reaching the public as academics, health professionals and policy makers are not in agreement. Theorists do not contribute as they should in forming the publics opinion regarding paedophilia. Media impact on the formation of public attitudes The publics reaction to paedophilia is reaching from one end, complete indifference, passes through the notion that if we ignore it it will vanish (Cloud, 2002), to the other end, vigilante attacks to known paedophiles (Allison, 2000). This is not independent from media coverage. There are shows on TV that demonstrate relationships that could be characterized as hebephilic, yet they do not bring about public outcry. That is because, as no one is getting hurt not obviously at least, it all seems plausible and logical (Cloud, 2002). Of course, this is not the case for the majority of the media. Their headlines full of imminent threats feed on pre existing anxieties (Cavanagh, 2007) of the public. On a sensitive subject, such as paedophilia, the media works as the publics basic information giver. Since, there are very few academic or other sources on paedophilia, the public relies heavily on the media to know and understand what is happening (Marsh Melville, 2011). The media coverage of cases like Sarah Paynes in the UK or Megan Kankas in the US was unprecedented. The public had the media as sole informative on the situations. The headlines in the newspapers grew stronger and angrier, leading the concerned citizens to similar reactions (Marsh Melville, 2011). Official acts and media coverage have been intertwined, both to satisfy the needs of the public (Cavanagh, 2007). The media, via public pressure, have also forced the government to take action. Following each high profile paedophile case there is a new law (McAlinden, 2010). This is not, of course, the result of a well constructed scheme in order to really deal with the issue, than it is more of a responsive action due to pressure. Validity of media representations However strongly presented the media information regarding paedophilia is not based on facts. They are more of an interpretation of a situation, presenting each time the new enemy paedophile (Marsh Melville, 2011). The explosion on reports of sexual offences leads to the assumption that there is a sudden increase in sex crime, leaving those who are vulnerable defenseless (McAlinden, 2006). Since the stories in the media are not actual scientific studies, facts and assumptions get confused. One of the grave misconceptions that derive from the media is that all paedophiles act on their urges. A diagnosis from a psychiatrist of paedophilic tendencies doesnt always ensure that they will be acted upon (Cloud, 2002). On the other hand, it is not necessary for someone to be a diagnosed paedophile to sexually abuse a child. Internet pornographic rings have often proved to function as means of exploitation. The ambiguity of the definitions of paedophilia has its fair share of the misinterpreted data by the media. The academics tend to confine the subject within by limited research and continuous alterations. The risk assessment, also, is based on rather speculative assumptions than on scientific and objective methods (McAlinden, 2010). Characteristics of paedophiles according to the public The paedophile is considered to be an obscure figure, stranger to the child and the family, waiting for the opportunity to arise. The children are constantly being reminded of never talking to strangers, receiving gifts, getting in their cars or even walking with them. However, this stranger danger is an exaggeration when paedophilia is concerned. Statistics show that the vast majority of sex offenders in general and paedophiles in particular are from within the family or the close environment of the child. Almost half of the child sexual abusers are the parents and almost 20% other relatives (Cloud, 2002). The public in reality does not have much information on paedophiles to form an educated opinion. The research on the issue is limited and restricted to the academic circles. The inconsistency between academic, clinical and legal viewpoints (McCartan, 2008) of paedophilia leave the public open to suggestions, usually by the media. The internet is not free of blame for paedophilia cases. With the increased use of the World Wide Web by continuously younger people, new cases of children being victimized come to light. The public perceives the internet sex offender as someone who is lurking in the shadows to fool the youngest (Marsh Melville, 2011). The whole of Internet is being blamed, service providers and websites, for harboring such offenders. The subject of responsibilities of the vast children pornography that can be found on line has yet to be addressed by the proper authorities (Cavanagh, 2007). Moral panic and paedophiles A usual reaction of the public to people or situations it believes to be threatening is moral panic. Its a term widely used since the late 1970s, though it had been first used in the late 1800s, to describe the exaggerated reaction of the public or the authorities, such as the government, aiming to control that which poses a danger to everyday life, safety or values (Marsh Melville, 2011). Its a coping mechanism to situations that seem to be unreasonable and with no solution (McCartan, 2008). Not to be overlooked is the participation of the newspaper News of the World and its affiliates, like the Sun, to the moral panic of paedophilia (Marsh Melville, 2011). Following the Sarah Paynes murder case News of the World began a campaign against all known or suspected paedophiles. The newspaper, using the Sex Offender Act of 1997, published about 200 names, locations and photographs of convicted sex offenders. This resulted to a frenzy reaction by the public as well as disappearances and suicides of certain offenders. Instigating moral panic is the result of groups aiming to do the exact opposite. Physical or internet organizations have been created with the intention of informing and protecting the public. However, this has resulted in an abundance of watchers that are the new spokespeople for the fight against paedophilia (Marsh Melville, 2011). Moreover, these moral entrepreneurs (Marsh Melville, 2011) promote the solution that each one favors, with the outcome of leaving the public at a loss and without the ability to divert its thoughts. Other explanations for moral panic that they are either orchestrated by those who have interest in diverting the publics attention from something else or they are a result of pre existing anxieties of the public (McCartan, 2008). So, according to these theories the moral panic of paedophilia is a constructed situation, sustained by the media and government, based on the publics fears for the childrens safety. Change in public perceptions It is a difficult task to put the publics mind at ease regarding paedophilia. The moral panic is at each peak so far and the majority of the people are already set on a path of punitive response to the problem. However, the measurement of trust to the justice system bares disappointing results. In the UK, and other countries as well, the confidence in the system keeps declining. This can happen for a variety of reasons (Van de Walle, 2010). The leading concerns of the UK citizens are the slow movement of the system and its inefficiency, leniency even, towards paedophiles (McAlinden, 2010). Also, the pre emptive approach of the government is not actually offering much to this direction (Kemshall Weaver, 2012). The public waits for a feeling of security that is not inspired by the schemes, as is proven by the low participation (Lipscombe, 2012). The change in public perceptions on the issue of paedophilia is currently for the most part controlled by the media. However, research shows that what is being interpreted by the government as need for full disclosure is actually mistaken (Kemshall Weaver, 2012). There is a discrepancy of what is being presented as true and what the public really wants. This marks a shift of the publics disposition to a more organized effort than disclosure can offer. Chapter 3 Understanding paedophilia in a broader Social and Political context Policy makers During the last two decades a large number of cases concerning paedophilia have come to light in England and Wales. The publicity they received was unprecedented and caused strong public reactions. Public awareness over paedophilia has resulted in taking steps in the direction of assessing and treating individuals who have or are at risk of sexually abusing children. However, as the public is pushing towards a punitive response, the officials are trapped taking actions of risk reduction often not combined with treatment and reintegration of the offenders (McCartan, 2012). These past two decades were marked by the overwhelming emergence of new laws that move to the direction of preventing crime by posing an abundance of sanctions (McAlinden, 2010). Instead of risk assessing government uses implementing of new legislation as a pre emptive means of averting sex offenders acts. This sudden growth of new policies, deriving from the emotive nature of the issue of paedophilia, has resulted in an uncertain, or even unsafe, legislation environment (McAlinden, 2010). However, there are those who advocate for such a system since there actually is a decrease, almost one third from 1992 to 1998 in the US (Cloud, 2002), that can be attributed to the increase in conviction of sex offenders. The question is that if indeed the official policy making is driven by the media and their extensive coverage of the paedophilia stories (Kemsall Weaver, 2012). Its a vicious circle that the more public and media are abhorred by paedophiles cases becoming public the more the Home Office reacts by implementing schemes that alter again the publics standpoint by giving new possible actions. The most known example of such a co dependent relation is the name and shame campaign that was an initiative from the newspaper News of the World, following the Sara Payne murder. Academic society In the academic circles there is no real consensus on the subject of paedophilia. The usual response of them is to be dismissive of the subject and treat paedophilia as a subject of little consequence (Smith, 2010). Much like the public their views are either formulated like the publics, considering at the back of their heads paedophiles as monsters but distant from them, or they are of a mild disposition to the subject, sometimes to the point of approval (Smith, 2010). The academics viewpoint is diametrically opposed to the one of those who work with children that suffered sexual abuse. There are those who make the distinction between the harmful and the innocent aspect of paedophilia. Theorists have tried to define when and if contact with a child is actually harmful. Moreover, they support that most paedophiles are actually gentle and well mannered, and not the monsters the public fears. There is in fact a disagreement on whether paedophilia is a mental disorder, like other paraphilias, or in fact is a sexual orientation, that has not been accepted yet (Smith, 2010). The B4U AC is a combined effort between people who are attracted to minors and professionals who support their claim for legalizing such relationships (B4U-ACT.org). Health professionals Paedophilia falls under the category of mental disorders according to the DSM definition and as such is of great concern to health professionals. The framework now applied gives them the opportunity to work in combination with the authorities to prevent recidivism (Perkins et al, 1998) as well as support for the children who are victimized. The contribution of Child Protection Advisors (CPA) from NHS Highland to the matter at hand is enormous. They monitor the majority of case discussions and provide a valuable contribution to the process of risk assessment and management (MAPPA, 2009/2010). Shared information across all MAPPA agencies improves the care of the patients, since the paedophiles are being seen as such, as a wide variety of tools is being given to them. The majority of sex offenders do not actually have a mental illness. However, they do present a variety of personality disorders that may result in paraphilias. The establishment of multi agency practices can lead to better assessment and treatment than small clusters of professionals can provide (Gordon Grubin, 2004). Moreover, most practitioners feel strongly that the government is addressing the subject from a punitive point. They believe that the government, istead of exploring ways to treat and re integrate paedophiles into the society, has the sole concern of reducing recidivism by means of punishment. The law Law making regarding paedophilia is a task with many obstacles and considerations. Since paedophilia is considered to be a mental disorder, if an act is actually criminal or not depends on the age of the perpetrator (Harrison et al, 2010). In England and Wales the age at which someone can be seen as criminally responsible is 10 years old. The definition of paedophilia considers the paedophile as an adult, who is at least 18 years old. Of course, the conundrum is apparent. Someone under 10 can be engaged in activities that can be characterized as child sexual abuse but will not face punishment and on the other hand, someone can be over 10 but his actions do not fall into the DSM definitions of paedophilia. The path in legislating for sex offenders and risk management was set by the Sex Offenders Act 1997 and the Crime Sentences Act 1997. These marked a shift towards a more strict management of the offenders as well as a way for the public to protect itself through information (McCartan, 2008). The act that works as a blanket for all issues of sexual offences, not only paedophilia while the term is actually not used- but also rape, or sexual assault is the Sexual Offences Act (SOA) 2003. It is an improvement on the Sexual Offences Act 1956 (Home Office, 2002). The Act concerns anyone who Is convicted of an offense listed in Schedule 3, Is found not to be guilty of such an offence because of insanity, Is found to have a disability and to have done the act charged against him in respect of such an offence; or In England and Wales or Northern Ireland, he is cautioned in respect of such an offence. (SOA 2003, part 2) Anyone who falls into the previous categories needs to notify the police once every year about his full name and date of birth, his current address and national insurance number, and about any travel outside the UK for a period of 3 days or more. Other details such as if the offender is living in a house with a minor or details about his bank accounts would prove to be helpful to the police in managing successfully the offenders. The offender needs also to notify the police whenever there are changes in the previously mentioned data (SOA 2003, part 2). At the moment the offenders notify the police locally. There is currently a development in a national database that will include the information of all registered sex offenders all over the UK (Home Office, 2002). In addition to the existing legislation there is the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000. The aim of the Act is to help the protection of the public, ensure the reduction of re offending, see to the proper punishment of the offenders and also, help their rehabilitation. The Act has set the basis of inter agency collaboration in regards of effectively managing the risk a known sex offender poses to the community (Home Office, 2002). Policies regarding paedophilia The publics desire, and the subsequent government action (McCartan, 2010), for better monitoring and control of sex offenders have led to a number of implemented policies. The UK government published in June 2007 the Review of the Protection of Children from Sex Offenders. The Disclosure Scheme aimed in providing a new means of information about potential risks involving certain individuals. The Disclosure Scheme began a process where anyone with interest in a ch

Human Trafficking problems and effects in Sudan

Human Trafficking problems and effects in Sudan Sudan is a source country for men, women, and children trafficked internally for the purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation. Sudan is also a transit and destination country for Ethiopian women trafficked abroad for domestic servitude. Sudanese women and girls are trafficked within the country for domestic servitude. Local observers report the recruitment sometimes by force of Darfuri girls to work in private homes, including those occupied by soldiers from the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), as cooks or cleaners; some of these girls are subsequently pressured by male occupants to engage in commercial sexual acts. Sudanese women and girls are trafficked to Middle Eastern countries such as Qatar, for domestic servitude and to European countries, such as Poland, for sexual exploitation. Sudanese children are trafficked through Yemen to Saudi Arabia for forced begging. Sudanese gangs coerce other young Sudanese refugees into prostitution in nightclubs in Egypt. Sudanese children are unlawfully conscripted, at times through abduction, and exploited by armed groups including the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), all Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) factions, the Popular Defense Forces, Janjaweed militia, and Chadian opposition forces in Sudans ongoing conflict in Darfur; the Sudanese Armed Forces, associated militias, and the Central Reserve Police also continue to unlawfully recruit children in this region. There were confirmed reports of forcible child recruitment in 2008 by the JEM in several refugee camps in eastern Chad, as well as villages in Darfur. Forcible recruitment of adults and particularly children by virtually all armed groups involved in Sudans concluded north-south civil war was previously commonplace; thousands of children still associated with these forces await demobilization and reintegration into their communities of origin. Although the Sudan Peoples Liberation Army (SPLA) high command committed to preventing recruitmen t and releasing the remaining children from its ranks, reports suggest some local commanders continue recruiting children. In certain states, the SPLA also persists in using children for military activities, even after these children have been formally identified for demobilization and family reunification. A recently released report by a consortium of NGOs found that government-supported militia, like the Janjaweed and the Popular Defense Forces, together with elements of the SAF, have systematically abducted civilians for the purposes of sexual slavery and forced labor as part of the Darfur conflict. This practice was far more common, however, at the beginning of the conflict in 2003 than during the reporting period, when the conflict in Darfur had largely subsided. Some were released after days or weeks of captivity, while others escaped after a number of months or even years. The vast majority of those abducted are from non-Arabic speaking ethnic groups like the Fur, Massalit, and Zaghawa. Abducted women and girls are subjected to rape, forced marriage, and sexual slavery, as well as forced domestic and agricultural labor. Abducted men and boys are subjected to forced labor in agriculture, herding, portering goods, and domestic servitude. Thousands of Dinka women and children were abducted and subsequently enslaved by members of the Missiriya and Rizeigat tribes during the north-south civil war. An unknown number of children from the Nuba tribe were similarly abducted and enslaved. A portion of those who were abducted and enslaved remained with their abductors in South Darfur and West Kordofan and experienced varying types of treatment; others were sold or given to third parties, including in other regions of the country; and some ultimately escaped from their captors. While there have been no known, new abductions of Dinka by members of Baggara tribes in the last several years, inter-tribal abductions continue in southern Sudan between warring African tribes, especially in Jonglei and Eastern Equatoria States; Murle raids on Nuer villages in Jonglei State resulted in the abduction of an unknown number of children. The terrorist rebel organization, Lords Resistance Army (LRA), continues to harbor small numbers of enslaved Sudanese and Ugandan children in southern Sudan for use as cooks, porters, and combatants; some of these children are also trafficked across borders into Uganda or the Democratic Republic of the Congo. UN/OCHA reported 66 LRA-related abductions in southern Sudans Western Equatoria Province in 2008 and early 2009. The Government of National Unity of Sudan (GNU) does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so. This report discusses the problem of human trafficking as it impacts the country in its entirety and analyzes the efforts of the national government, the Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS), and the state governments to combat the problem. Sudans Tier 3 ranking reflects the overall lack of significant anti-trafficking efforts demonstrated by all levels of the countrys governing structures, each of which bear responsibility for addressing the crime. While the GNU and the GOSS took greater steps to demobilize child soldiers, combating human trafficking through law enforcement or significant prevention measures was not a priority for any Sudanese government entity in 2008. The national government published neither data nor statistics regarding its efforts to combat human trafficking during the year; it did not respond to requests to provide information for this report. Prosecution The governments anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts were negligible during the reporting period; it did not investigate or prosecute any suspected trafficking cases. Sudan is a large country with porous borders and destitute hinterlands; the national government had little ability to establish authority or a law enforcement presence in many regions. Sudans criminal code does not prohibit all forms of trafficking in persons, though its Articles 162, 163, and 164 criminalize abduction, luring, and forced labor, respectively. No trafficker has ever been prosecuted under these articles. In May 2008, the Council of Ministers received the Child Act 2008 for review; the act must be approved by the council and ratified by the parliament before it can be implemented. The Act prohibits the recruitment of children under the age of 18 into armed forces or groups and ensures the demobilization, rehabilitation, and reintegration of child victims of armed conflict. Several states subsequently d rafted their own Child Acts based on the national act; in November 2008, Southern Kordofan State ratified its Child Act. In December 2008, Sudans National Assembly approved the Sudan Armed Forces Act of 2007, which establishes criminal penalties for persons who recruit children under 18 years of age, as well as for abduction and enslavement; the act prescribes penalties of up to five years imprisonment for child recruitment and up to 10 years imprisonment for enslavement. In August 2008, the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly passed the Southern Sudan Child Act of 2008, which prohibits the recruitment and use of children for military or paramilitary activities and prescribes punishments of up to 10 years imprisonment for such crimes. The President of the Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) signed the act into law in October 2008. The Southern Sudan Penal Code Act, enacted in July 2008, prohibits and prescribes punishments of up to seven years imprisonment for unlawful compulsory la bor, including abduction or transfer of control for such purposes; the Act also criminalized the buying or selling of a minor for the purpose of prostitution and prescribes a punishment of up to 14 years imprisonment. In December 2008, the Minister of Justice issued a decree establishing offices with specialized childrens attorneys in Southern Darfur, Gedaref, Southern Kordofan, Sennar, Blue Nile, Western Darfur, and Kassala States to supervise investigations. The government neither documented anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts nor provided specialized anti-trafficking training to law enforcement, prosecutorial, and judicial personnel during the year. At the request of the Sudanese Police, in January 2009, UNPOL trained 122 women police officers who staff gender desks in child protection. UNPOL also conducted a five-day training program on human rights, gender, and child protection for 25 police officers in Aweil. Protection Sudans Government of National Unity (GNU) made only minimal efforts to protect victims of trafficking during the past year, and these efforts focused primarily on the demobilization of child soldiers. The government continued to demonstrate extremely low levels of cooperation with humanitarian workers in the Darfur region on a broad spectrum of issues, including human trafficking. The GOS and GOSS provide little to no protection for victims of trafficking crimes; Sudan had few victim care facilities readily accessible to trafficking victims and the government did not provide access to legal, medical, or psychological services. The government did not publicly acknowledge that children are trafficked into prostitution or domestic servitude in Sudan or take steps to identify and provide protective services to such victims. The Khartoum State Polices child and family protection unit, which offers various services such as legal aid and psychosocial support, assisted an unknown number of c hild victims of abuse and sexual violence in 2008 and could have potentially provided these services to trafficking victims. In 2008, similar units were established with UNICEFs support in Western Darfur, Northern Darfur, Southern Kordofan, Northern Kordofan, and Gedaref States. The government did not have a formal referral process to transfer victims to organizations providing care or a system of proactively identifying victims of trafficking among vulnerable populations. In January 2008, the government and its UN counterparts established a forum to share information and coordinate an appropriate response to children affected by armed conflict; the group met three times during the year. In May 2008, the Northern Sudan DDR Commission (NSDDRC) and the Southern Sudan DDR Commission (SSDDRC), with support from UNICEF and the Integrated UNDDR Unit, demobilized 88 children formerly associated with the SPLA in Kurmuk, Blue Nile State. In December 2008, the SSDDRC demobilized 46 children from the SPLA training academy in Korpout, Upper Nile State; they were part of a group of 68 children registered for demobilization in July 2007. Identification and registration programs were ongoing for remaining children still serving under the SPLA in Unity and Jongley States, as well is in South Kordofan. In July 2008, NSDDRC in Blue Nile State and UNICEF commenced an interim program to monitor demobilized childrens participation in reintegration opportunity programs; in October 2008, the program provided training to NSDDRCs child DDR workers on DDR standards and communicating effectively with children. In August 2008, the GOSS opened a child protection unit to ensure that no children are part of the SPLAs ranks. In December 2008, the Sudan Armed Forces, the National Council for Child Welfare, and UNICEF signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen the protection of children in Sudan and prevention of recruitment into the armed forces. During the reporting period, the government punished trafficking victims for crimes committed as a direct result of being trafficked. Following the May 2008 clash between JEM and government forces in Omdurman, a suburb of Khartoum, Sudanese authorities arrested 110 children on charges of attempted violent overthrow of the state and held them with adults for several days. The government then established a Presidential High Committee to care for the children under the leadership of the Humanitarian Aid Commissioner. The National Council for Child Welfare (NCCW) took custody of 100 children, placed them in a National Security detention center, and provided medical care and psychosocial support; international NGOs certified the quality of the center as good and in keeping with international standards. However, 10 children were not sent to the separate facility and remained in detention with adults and an estimated 30 children were used as witnesses in trials of JEM combatants. The govern ment pardoned and released 103 children for family reunification; tried, acquitted, and released four children; and sentenced one child to death, pending appeal. The whereabouts of one child is unknown. The Committee for the Eradication of Abduction of Women and Children (CEAWC), established in 1999 to facilitate the safe return of abducted and enslaved women and children to their families, was not operational during the reporting period. Its most recent retrieval and transport missions took place in March 2008 with GOSS funding; since that time, neither the GNU nor the GOSS provided CEAWC with the necessary funding for the transport and reunification of previously identified abductees with their families. The government made no efforts to address issues of abduction and enslavement in Darfur during the reporting period. Basic Info The U.S. State Department ranks Sudan on Tier 3, meaning that the human trafficking prevention, protection, and prosecution there is about as stable and functional as the rest of their infrastructure. Of course, they would probably love to prevent the various armed factions from recruiting and abducting child soldiers, if for no other reason than to reduce the insurrectionists ranks. The brutal combination of ongoing conflict, poverty, and a lack of rule of law and infrastructure has meant Sudan is a source, transit, and destination country for trafficking victims. So does Sudan have the political and economic stability to truly tackle trafficking? Trafficking prevention efforts in Sudan are, to use my favorite euphemism, a bit of a fustercluck. The ongoing conflict makes it nearly impossible for the government to get a handle on human trafficking and the significant child soldier problem. Not that theyve shown much serious effort. Who Are the Victims and What Are They Doing? The image of Sudanese children being lured or kidnapped from their homes to become child soldiers has become a cliche, but one steeped in a painful reality for many Sudanese families. Several different rebel factions use child soldiers in Sudan, as well as the Sudanese army and affiliated groups. Less-publicized but also a significant issue is the rampant use of Sudanese men, women, and children for forced labor within Sudan. This is especially true for women and girls, who are often forced into domestic servitude in private homes and sometimes used for sex there. Women and girls are also forced into commercial sex, and children are forced into begging on the streets. Where Are They Coming From and Where Are They Going? A significant portion of human trafficking in Sudan is internal, but it is also a source and destination country. Sudanese women and girls are trafficked to the Middle East and Europe for commercial sexual exploitation, where they can fetch a higher price. Children are also trafficked to the Middle East, primarily Saudi Arabia and Yemen, to beg. On the flip side, children from other African countries have been trafficked to Sudan girls usually as domestic servants and boys usually as soldiers. Whats Gotta Happen? Sudan wont be able to seriously address human trafficking until they address the conflict, poverty, and displacement which seriously exacerbate the problem. They recently took a good first step by enacting anti-trafficking legislation, but have yet to really enforce it. They need to arrest people for forcing others into labor and make an effort to identify cases when that happens. They also need to demobilize all the child soldiers in the country and work to reunite them with their families or find them other shelter. And yes that means the child soldiers in the Sudanese Armed Forces and affiliated militias.