“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing” – Edmund BurkeWhen we think of slavery today, our minds usually they drift into colonial America, where slavery was not only condoned, but was seen by many as a way of life. Slavery has since been outlawed in America and around the world. That said, however, slavery still exists in all areas of the world. As a society composed predominantly of “good men and women,” we have done nothing – or very little – against a demon that plagues all of Eastern Europe and whose influence spans the entire globe. These demons are the Ukrainian sex syndicates that scour the countryside of former Soviet nations for new prey. They are efficient, ruthless and brutal at every stage of the trafficking process, from recruiters to brothel owners. They threaten, beat and rape their victims into submission. Even the local police have no power to stop these atrocities. A quarter of all women trafficked globally are said to be taken illegally from Central and Eastern Europe and former Soviet bloc countries. Officials estimate that in Europe alone this affects more than 200,000 women and girls, half of whom end up in Western Europe and a quarter of whom end up in the United States.[1] Most end up working as slave prostitutes, with no chance of a bright future. With very little public awareness of the issue, little to no support and protection for victims, and no enforcement of anti-trafficking laws, it seems that unless society at large rises up to combat the challenge there is no hope for these poor women. It hasn't always been a major hub for sex trafficking, but it has grown to rival Thailand, where sex tourism is infamous. In 1991, with the collapse of the Soviet Union... middle of paper... first 15 years, but not close enough to fight a multi-million dollar business like this. Organizations such as the International Justice Mission, the Not For Sale Campaign, and the A21 Campaign lack the funding and staff to prosecute slavers and support freed slaves in Eastern Europe. There are also people like Cesare Lodeserto, founder of the Regina Pacis refuge in San Foca, who have made giant strides against the slave trade. The shelter housed at times 600 people, many of whom were Eastern European prostitutes and whores who had escaped their captors. People like him are few and far in between. Unless people are enlightened about this plight, unless more state and international funds are donated to abolitionists, and unless international police forces enforce their anti-trafficking laws more strictly, there remain few hopes for sex slaves..