J. Rae Niles has always been inquisitive. The self-identified butch lesbian filmmaker states without hesitation that "why" has always been her favorite word. Guided by curiosity and an innate pull toward social justice causes, Niles is knee-deep in a project that asks a big question.
"Every 10 minutes a person is trafficked into this country," the over-40 (she never gives her age) Niles said. "Tell me why we have hundreds of thousands of people trafficked here and nobody is doing anything about it."
By the end of the year Niles hopes to finish Broken: Beyond Silence, a documentary that draws attention to the global and domestic sex trafficking trade. She is the writer and co-director of the film and just finished filming a segment of the documentary in San Francisco in late September. Her next stop is New York and based on funding at that point, will evaluate whether including Paris and Amsterdam in the film is also possible.
"We want to raise public awareness and put pressure on politicians to start talking about this," Niles said. "The documentary will feature interviews with political figures, law enforcement, anti-trafficking organizations, and victims."
While in San Francisco, Niles conducted an interview with Representative Jackie Speier (D-San Mateo), who earlier this year publicly lauded an initiative called the Californians Against Sexual Exploitation Act, which garnered enough support to qualify for inclusion on this November's ballot as Proposition 35. The measure would increase sentences and fines for human trafficking convictions.
Today, human sex trafficking is the fastest-growing organized crime in the world. According to a 2009 FBI report, three of the nation's 13 highest sex trafficking areas are in California: Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco.
"What it looks like in San Francisco is direct sex industry trafficking from Asia," Niles said. "There are operational brothels right here in the city. And there are no concrete numbers for how many are enslaved here."
Niles will also be including an interview with Sergeant Arlin Vanderbilt, who has been with the San Francisco Police Department for 17 years and has spent the last three as a human trafficking investigator. Although the documentary centers specifically around sex trafficking, Vanderbilt stressed that all forms of human trafficking are inextricably linked and can have similar indicators.
"These crimes go on largely outside of public view but there are moments where it is exposed, whether it's with domestic servitude or something else," Vanderbilt said. "That's an opportunity for an informed citizen to bring it to the attention of the police or advocacy groups.
"Our success at combating this problem is going to hinge on those of us fighting the fight to educate the public about it," he continued. "It requires a partnership."
In order to maximize the awareness brought to the subject, Niles is coupling the documentary with a feature film titled Dark Halls which is now is preproduction and still securing investment. She is joining forces with Emmy Award-winning film and television production designer Jon Hutman (West Wing, The Tourist, As Good As It Gets, In The Land of Blood and Honey), Sundance Award-winning cinematographer Amy Vincent (Hustle and Flow, Footloose ) and producers Michael Fox, Andrea Meyerson (who is also co-directing the New York segment of Broken: Beyond Silence ,) Kimberly Skyrme, Kay Ostrenko, and Colin McCabe.
The feature explores the sex trafficking trade from the perspective of two female journalists who were also lovers while working as war correspondents during the Kosovo war. After going their separate ways, they reconnect at present day to delve into a sex trafficking investigation that includes elements from real-life stories of sex trafficking victims that Niles has spoken with while researching in both Europe and the U.S. from 2010 to present.
"It's not one of those overt in-your-face love stories but something where the cause overrides everything else," Niles said. "We've never had a gay Casablanca; we've got one now."
Dark Halls is expected to include big name stars and as far as Niles is concerned, will have a chance at the Sundance Film Festival once it's released. But personal recognition is not what she's looking for �" recognition for the millions of people annually forced into the sex trafficking industry is. A few years ago, Niles experienced a personal loss. A close friend who had been "working" for years committed suicide after she turned 40.
"Once people are in the industry it's very hard for them to get out," Niles said. "When you get older and you think that's all you're worth, you don't know what's next for you after that. These projects are largely in commemoration of her."