THE DARKEST TUNNEL

Changemaker: Hunter Williams

Country of Implementation: New Zealand

There is more slavery now, than at any other time in human history.

Human trafficking is the world’s fastest growing criminal industry and is headed toward taking over drugs as the number one most profitable criminal industry in history. Children as young as four years old are kidnapped, trafficked and sold into various forms of slavery, more often than not, sex slavery. Children are forced to sell their bodies and are treated in incredibly inhumane ways, yet in the Western World, in our Western Bubble, we are often oblivious to this atrocity.

Global Changemaker Hunter Williams wrote and directed a flim, 'The Darkest Tunnel' which seeks to further raise awareness around this issue, to emotionally touch its audience in the hope some may be empowered to take action in their own ways and fight against human trafficking. Countries like America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand are some of the biggest feeders of this industry and this is why we seek to target Western audiences, as with lessened demand comes lessened levels of trafficking.

The Darkest Tunnel follows Kanya, a young girl in the moments after being kidnapped and looks at the consequences she might face if she isn't to escape.

“Less than 1% of all victims of human trafficking are ever released.”

The film's bleak ending provokes an emotional response from audiences by reflecting the above statistic. We end by watching Kanya (Kenny Doraine Renju) be literally and metaphorically removed from society, which is a terrifying reality for millions of vulnerable children worldwide. The film occurs in an undisclosed location in Asia, one of the world’s most trafficking prone regions, due to a culture of acceptance toward the issue.

The script has been developed with past victims of trafficking and their rehab workers to ensure, whilst a fictional story, that it represents their plight authentically and accurately.

Hunter Williams is a social impact filmmaker known for his film NVader, a documentary that also addressed human trafficking.