- The Urban News

“A Dance for Bethany.”

Johnnie Grant - The Urban News

Volume 2 Issue 7

A Modern Day Form of Slavery

Slavery is alive and well in America.

“Your daughter and her friends need to know what’s happening…” (aline from the movie A Dance for Bethany).

Imagine 27 million current slaves worldwide.

That is the number of human trafficked slaves on our planet according to FSU center for the Advancement of Human Rights. With the latest figures around 30 million, this figure is comprised of everything from child labor, forced domestic labor, to sex slavery — the most inhumane of them all.

There will be 800,000 new victims this coming year. Nearly 20,000 of these victims will be trafficked into the United States for the soul purpose of making money for their perpetrators. These victims face numerous physical and health risks which include, but are not limited to: Broken bones, traumatic brain injury (TBI), drug and alcohol addiction, TB, hepatitis, malaria, and pneumonia. Leading the list of inflicted traumas’ are; sexually transmitted diseases, (e.g., HIV/AIDS, gonorrhea, syphilis, UTI’s, pubic lice); sterility, miscarriages, and forced or coerced abortions.

Human trafficking victims may also suffer from traumatic bonding — a form of coercive control in which the perpetrator instills in the victim fear, as well as gratitude for being allowed to live. Bringing this current social issue (human sex trafficking) to the national forefront is “A Dance for Bethany”. Produced by Asheville filmmakers Marion and Yvonne Williams, the film portrays a fictional story that depicts the struggle between idealism and materialism, between money and personal self-worth.

“A Dance for Bethany” will touch the hearts of all ages.

After a private screening of the film, we asked the Williams’ about their motivation to produce such a compelling film. Screenwriter and author of the book Yvonne Williams immediately took up the question. “I wanted to create characters that the audience could relate to, especially youth ages 12 and 13.

To produce a movie our youth can view with a ‘General Audience’ rating. These, our children, are the prime targets for sex traffickers.” “If we had created an R rated film, the audience that most needs to see the film would have been left out completely. Teenage youth runaways are the prime targets in America, and they need to be educated on these issues. The main objective [of the movie], is to makes a simple statement: We are worth more as human beings,” said Marion Williams, producer of the film.

The film was completely produced on location in Asheville — you may recognize the Asheville Citizen Times, the Drhumor Building, Asheville Arts Center, Broadway Arts, and the Asheville Regional Airport.

Lead actors include: Robyn Lively (Young Indiana Jones, Karate Kid III, the recent Johnny Kapahala: Back on Board, and was featured in Strong Medicine and Crossing Jordan); William McNamara (NYPD Blue, Law and Order), Loribeth Edgeman (Warm Springs, 3: The Dale Earnhardt Story and the Lifetime premier of Army Wives); Frank Hoyt Taylor (The List, Talladega Nights, Walk the Line, Dreamer, June Bug) and Ann Mahoney (Big Momma’s House II, Frankenstein and Snow Wonder).

The all SAG (Screen Actors Guild) cast of 23 were exceptional in the portrayal of their characters. Assistance for Victims of Sex Trafficking When victims of trafficking are identified, the U.S. government can help them adjust their immigration status, and obtain support and assistance in rebuilding their lives in the United States through various programs.

By certifying victims of trafficking, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) enables trafficking victims who are non-U.S. citizens to receive Federally funded benefits and services to the same extent as a refugee. Victims of trafficking who are U.S. citizens do not need to be certified to receive benefits. As U.S. citizens, they may already be eligible for many benefits.

If you think you have come in contact with a victim of human trafficking, call the Trafficking Information and Referral Hotline at 1-888-3737-888.

Raise The Bar Productions, Inc. has recently changed their S Corp to a 501c3, something quite unique in the film industry, in order to return a portion of the revenues to organizations that garner social awareness related to the story lines of their films. BSCC of San Diego, CA; Soroptomist of Philadelphia, PA and the New York Coalition against Sex Trafficking are just three organizations that the Williams are working with to promote “A Dance For Bethany,” and help those organizations who work with rescue and restoration of the victims.

Magnificent and tastefully done, Yvonne Williams has the unique vision and ability of creating a story and characters that make this film entertaining while touching you to the very core of your being.

“The ‘in your face’ style of films tend to leave the viewer with a sense of not being able to relate to the characters, Williams said. When we see a film like that we tend to say, that’s terrible and then walk away.

But the characters in A Dance for Bethany could be your best friend, or next-door neighbor. That will cause you to want to do something about it!”