Ignoring it won’t make it go away.

Dispelling the Myths

Sex trafficking is happening all around you. Your state. Your country.

Women are trafficked into sex slavery all over the world – and in your backyard. They are being broken, abused, and murdered right under our noses.

Who gets trafficked?

75% of trafficked victims are women and girls. Women of all races and colors are exploited. African, Asian, American – traffickers respect no one.

But do we really care?

Look humbly into your own heart for a moment.

Does it make you angry when a black woman is trafficked, or just when white women are forced to prostitute themselves? How often do we hear news reports about the abductions, rapes and murders of non-white women?

North American systemic injustice and racism exacerbates our problem. (Yes, I said our problem – trafficking is our problem, not their problem!)

I feel angry living in a country where thousands of minor refugee and immigrant children have been plucked out from under the care of their families and prostituted by a long-running, systemically corrupt network focused on exploiting others to serve their gods of greed and money.

We can begin to sympathize with the victims by realizing they are just like us. They are our children, our sisters, and our friends.

How are women trafficked?

Methods of coercing women are pretty consistent. Sex traffickers commonly use psychological manipulation, physical abuse, false promises, threats toward the victim or their family members, and debt bondage.

Women who have suffered abuse in their childhoods are more susceptible to traffickers. I’m not just talking about sexual abuse here. Children who experience physical, sexual or emotional abuse at the hands of their parents or caregivers are extremely vulnerable.

What can we do about it?

A global problem of this magnitude can leave you feeling helpless – but there are many who are working tirelessly to eradicate human trafficking.

Educate yourself. Create awareness in your social circles through the use of social media. Partner with local or national organizations to join the fight.

If you can do nothing else, generously fund organizations who are fighting on the front lines and standing up to the evil perpetuating this ever-growing industry. We have the money. (Starbucks wouldn’t exist if we didn’t.)

But we, as a society and church, are entitled and self-focused.

It’s time to dig deep, do something uncomfortable. Make a change – be the change.

Education.

Awareness.

Generosity.