Cruise Ships
Dear Editor: I have lived in Sitka since July 3, 1976. I’ve lived here so long because I deeply value the quality of life that Sitka offers.
I support tourism. I support tourism that provides jobs for permanent sitka residents. I support tourism that does not pollute. I support tourism that does not adversely affect my life in Sitka. Tourism in Sitka for the past two years has not done this. It is no longer tourism, it feels like an invasion.
The average cruise ship tourist is here for less than one full day out of the year. I am here for at least 330 days every year spending money almost daily. I have been a homeowner for almost all the years that I have lived here. I pay property taxes and support year-round local businesses. But the wants and needs of seasonal cruise ship tourists outweigh mine. They roar past my house in buses that pollute. The majority of the money that they spend on their trip goes to the cruise companies, not to Sitka enterprises. The city blocks off our streets for their convenience. I am forced to see porta-potties in my lovely downtown. Parking spaces are hard to come by. The tourists overwhelm Sitka’s Wi-Fi and computer links, to our detriment. Because of all the extra people in town the restaurants, lodges and tour ships periodically clean our local grocery stores out of specific groceries so that we have to do without certain food items. Sitka has a housing shortage. The summer season employees hired to work with tourists compound the problem.
I want Sitka to continue to be a small, vibrant, rural Alaskan community as opposed to a seasonal cruise ship service destination. The only way to maintain Sitkans’ quality of life is to limit cruise ship tourism to a long-term sustainable level. Sitka needs to control the tourism trajectory and draw a hard line that supports small town values over the cruise ship industry’s apparently unlimited desire for increased seasonal dominance.
Paulla Hardy, Sitka
Tourism
Dear Editor: Some thoughts: I’ve enjoyed sharing our scenic, endearing town with visitors all these years.
As a traveler and tourist myself, I’ve found it’s one kind of experience to walk and live among locals and quite another to line up and shuttle from one activity to the next. Pushing for maximum visitor numbers makes a homogenized visitor experience inescapable. Capping our number at 240,000 makes possible a more memorable visit among the 8,000 or so of us who live here. Thanks,
Cheryl Call, 42-year Sitka resident
Awareness
Dear Editor: As January marks National Human Trafficking Awareness Month, it’s a critical time to address the issue of human trafficking, especially in Alaska.
Human trafficking is the act of recruiting, harboring, transporting, providing, or obtaining a person for labor or commercial sex acts through the use of force, fraud, or coercion. It affects individuals of all ages, backgrounds, and nationalities. Human trafficking often targets the most vulnerable in our society, including young people. Victims are manipulated, threatened, and abused, trapped in a cycle of violence and exploitation, often as a way to meet their basic needs. The trauma they endure is profound and long-lasting, affecting every aspect of their lives.
The statistics in Alaska are grim. Since 2007, the Human Trafficking Hotline has recorded 576 signals from Alaska. These “signals” refer to calls, texts, or online submissions reporting potential trafficking situations. Through these signals, 124 cases and 236 victims were identified. In 2021, 81 signals contributed to identifying 16 trafficking cases involving 25 victims, predominantly in sex trafficking. These numbers, however, only scratch the surface. It’s important to note that trafficking is often a secondary discovery in criminal investigations, suggesting that the actual number of cases is likely much higher than reported.
Some common signs of human trafficking include individuals who appear isolated, monitored, or controlled, often showing signs of physical and psychological trauma such as anxiety, paranoia, or depression. Victims may lack personal identification documents, have few or no personal possessions, and exhibit a reluctance to discuss their home or work life. They might have inconsistencies in their stories, display a fear of authorities, and live in overcrowded, unsuitable conditions. Victims of trafficking are often unable to move freely and may be forced to work under conditions that resemble servitude, including long hours without adequate compensation. It is possible that victims are not aware or deny that what they are experiencing is human trafficking.
Programs like the Coastal Haven of Youth Advocates of Sitka will perform important work in this challenging field. They will provide a sanctuary for trafficked youths across Alaska, offering them a chance at rehabilitation and recovery in a supportive environment. However, combating sex trafficking is a collective responsibility that extends beyond the efforts of individual organizations. It requires community-wide awareness and education, particularly about recognizing and reporting signs of trafficking.
If you think you have witnessed someone who may have been trafficked, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at humantraffickinghotline.org/en/report-trafficking or by calling 1-888-373-7888.
This January, as we observe National Human Trafficking Awareness Month, let’s renew our commitment to eradicating human trafficking. Support organizations like SAFV and YAS, that are on the front lines of this work, as we advocate for stronger protective measures, and educate ourselves and others about this critical issue. Together, we can make a significant difference in the lives of those affected by trafficking.
Sitkans Against Family Violence Staff
