Now is your time, Melania.

Melania, now that you are the incoming FLOTUS I'd like to share this with you again. Given your new position as leader, by proxy, here presented are some stats that could help persuade you to begin creating your leadership brand.

You, especially as a Slovenian, could seize considerable exposure to redirect the conversation to one of the world’s most disgraceful, global issues and, just maybe, by extension, you could have helped the campaign gain a little redemption.  Here’s the idea:

Despite the obvious irony, you could promote Donald’s disgust for the sex trafficking trade, so prevalent in your region of origin, in order to regain some respect and perhaps salvage some of his reputation and his business interests, both of which are snowballing like his candidacy. But you don’t have much time left, and neither do the sex trade victims.  As a courtesy, I’ll fill you in on a few stats. 

Illegal bodies are more lucrative than illegal drugs these days. Human trafficking accounts for today’s fastest-growing international crime, and as one of its most profitable income sources.  In 2014, John Ashe, President of the UN’s General Assembly informed the world that, “With annual profits as high as $36 billion per year, it ranks as the world’s third most profitable crime after illicit drug and arms trafficking.” (1)  There are more slaves today than ever before in history. (2) Why?

Illegal drugs offer a one-to-one equation. Illegal drugs: one expense for just one return on a single investment.  Sex, on the other hand, can be sold many times from one source. Thus, an indefinite number of returns from one investment. The average return is 20 times per day for the first few years of enslavement. 50,000 women/year, estimates go, are sold into the trade from Moldova, Ukraine, Romania, Russia, Albania and Bosnia. (3)

Up to 60% of all trafficking victims globally are women. Many are lured by promising modeling contracts.  (Not all models are as lucky as you, Melania.) Adding girls to the list, the female component rises to 75% of all trafficked victims. (3) Surely, even The Donald, despite his Trump Towering offenses, his “teenage-boy-locker-room-banter”, would be distraught and sickened by this highly lucrative and widespread structural misogyny?  Still, assaults on women start with those oh so subtle slurs, the looks and glances, the ‘accidental’ touching.

If you want to stop “negativity”, Melania, don’t excuse the ostensibly innocuous locker room talk. It’s all part of the same objectification. Donald is STILL, unbelievably, the GOP’s choice. Even though Donald probably won’t win, you’ll be in the spotlight for a long, long time. Your and Donald’s combined public platform, on any television network you’d want, could engage real evolution. Imagine all the men, women and children you’d be helping.

Go back to your appearance on Anderson360.  Begin dismantling the sex trade’s supporting infrastructures while diverting from, despite how Sisyphean, your husband’s misconduct.  Use the irony to full advantage.  A re-take on the heart-to-heart with Anderson Cooper could buy some exculpation for your husband. And, don’t forget, as an American Dream success story you could help direct positive attention to your region of origin and demand proactive discourse and action from those local government officials who turn a blind eye to the desperation and horror. 

You could be so effective at helping to address this inhumanity, Mr. and Mrs. Trump. Show some true leadership. Give it a think, Melania. Save us all from Donald’s appalling behavior and begin to act on behalf of the people – of the world – you say you are willing to serve as FLOTUS. 

1.    https://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=48271#.WAZ44Vc7Rgo, John Ashe, President of the UN General Assembly.

2. https://21centuryslavery.weebly.com/facts-and-statistics.html

3. https://www.unodc.org/documents/publications/TiP_Europe_EN_LORES.pdf

My sincere thanks for Richard Pascale's, author of the outstanding: Positive Deviance, revelatory presentation at the Kennedy School of Government. His insights and research led me to write and post about these critical issues.