Translation has a way of opening your eyes to the World both good and bad. Projects get sent to you from different organizations located in various countries for products and services I never would have thought about. In the past my translation work was fairly local beginning with a client that needed contracts translated in my local area. That’s back when the Yellow Pages were a thing and basically the only way of marketing to customers. Today with the implementation of the Internet things are much different.
Over the years as our business grows bigger and the World gets smaller the projects change in location and scope. French translation work now includes technical work for cranes and welding supplies to translating how Zoom works for senior citizens in a pandemic and now serious subjects like human trafficking. What is also interesting is the way these projects teach you about the World and how they come to us.
My husband is very active in the transportation industry where the fight against human trafficking has been in high gear for a couple years now. This is a real problem where crime rings are forcing young people to have sex for money around North America. There is also the human smuggling side where people pay to be transported in trucks from country to country in hopes of a better life in North America. I have also now learned about labour trafficking where people are brought to North America to work for cheap in promises of a better life. All of these forms of trafficking are fluent in our Country and a problem we all can play a part in stopping. The transportation industry has been a keen partner in the trafficking fight as truck stops are many of the places where trafficking is prominent.
We have recently been translating some work for Truckers Against Trafficking as they expand their reach into Canada. My husband introduced me to the organization and had me watch a video on the subject because he was shocked at what had been going on in the industry right under his nose. The trafficking project came from a mutual industry friend that recommended us for the translation work. Translating documents forces you to read every word and it is very eye opening to what goes on in the world of human trafficking and it’s not just women.
I recently heard a story of how truck drivers from Poland were promised high salaries to work in the United States only to find out they were forced to work long hours, not paid what they were promised, and threatened for their lives. The person I deal with through my current translation project was a former sex trafficking victim herself and is very active in fighting back against this problem.
Trafficking is a crime that has no boundaries and affects all types of people. The best way for all of us to solve this problem is educate ourselves and be aware of the signs. Know what to do when you see human trafficking and the signs that show it may be in your area. Rich or poor human trafficking is going on everywhere so learning what to do gives us more eyes to battle the crime. You can learn more about human trafficking through Truckers Against Trafficking on their website by clicking the link. https://truckersagainsttrafficking.org
Translating the world of trafficking has certainly opened my eyes as to how the human trafficking crime world works and I know it will for you as well. Let’s all do our part to make this world a better place.
About the Author
Carmen Outridge is the owner of Outridge Translation Services and has been translating documents between English and French for over 30 years. Carmen is from Eastern Townships part of Quebec and understands the language and dialect of Quebec. To learn more about Outridge Translation Services or to get help with your next project visit www.outridgetranslation.com
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