The second International Dialogue on Violence against Women will bring authors, community members and professors from around the globe to discuss the issue of human trafficking.

The conference held Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., will explore the social problem of trafficking, which is a modern-day form of slavery.

According the Polaris Project, a national group combating the issue, human trafficking occurs under conditions of force, fraud or coercion where people provide labor, service or perform commercial sex acts.

“Typically, women are the commodity, and the problem is not limited to the sex trade. It happens in restaurants, sweatshops, in manufacturing and domestic service,” said Patricia Grady, coordinator of the Women’s Resource Center.

The conference is a way for people to plug in, network and to take action, said Jessica Heskin, a Women’s Resource Center educator and advocate. She said the purpose of the forum is for community members to break down barriers and do something to stop human trafficking.

At the event, the keynote speaker and author of “When Heaven and Earth Changed Places,” Le Ly Hayslip, will tell her story. Hayslip will detail her trials and tribulations as a child in central Vietnam where she became captive in the slave trade.

“It is worth is just to see Le Ly Hayslip, her book changed my life,” Heskin said

Manasa, a tribal fusion dance troupe will perform on Saturday and a screening of the film “Daughters and Sons: Preventing Child Trafficking in the Golden Triangle,” will be shown.

A representative from My Sister’s House, a local non-profit organization addressing needs of the Asian and Pacific Islander community make a presentation. And Executive Director Atashi Chakravarty of Narika, an organization to promote the empowerment of women, will discuss the group’s philosophy.

Other speakers in attendance include Sac State faculty members Dr. Jude Antonyappan from the Division of Social work, and Dr. Xin Ren from the Department of Criminal Justice.

Prof. Antonyappan will be discussing trafficking issues plaguing India with Prit Paul Kaur, a women visiting from the Indian police academy. The pair is establishing an organization in Sacramento that would provide support for Indian women searching for their husbands whom married and left them taking their marital dowry, or monetary gift.

Because marriage is a religious ceremony in India the “women are left with very little or no recourse,” Antonyappan said. “Violence against women is preventing them from living a normal life.”

Heskin said human trafficking is an important issue in Sacramento because the city has a very diverse community and there isn’t a country in the world where trafficking doesn’t happen.

“Here in this country, we call ourselves the land of the free, but we’re really not,” Heskin said.

Also at the two-day conference will be free lunches, Vagina Monologue raffle prizes, venders selling fair trade goods and discounted massages offered by Mellow Me Out.

Women’s Resource Center is sponsoring the event in conjunction with Mellow Me Out Day Spa, Associated Student’s Inc., Women Take Back the Night, and the UC Davis Campus Violence Protection Program.

Last year, the conference was a one day event and focused on world-wide issues of violence against women and children. Since the first annual conference proved popular, this year those involved wanted to narrow the focus and make the event longer, Heskin said.

Tickets for both days are $50 general and $15 students and seniors. Tickets for one day are $30 general and $10 students. Scholarships for student tickets are available at the Women’s Resource Center.