I was on the
plane home after leaving my daughter in Australia (where she’d study dance
ministry for a year) when I watched the movie, Taken. A bad choice. Really bad timing. I love a thriller, but this
one hit too close to home. It’s a story of two American girls traveling in
Europe who are abducted and sold into human trafficking. The ex-spy dad violently
came to his daughter’s rescue. But not until after the slave auction scene burned
into my brain.
The picture of
modern day slavery haunts me. It’s not just a movie. It’s reality. And it’s not
just in some far off countries but in the US as well.
Here are 5 facts about human trafficking:
1. There are an estimated 27 million slaves in the world
today. That’s the highest recorded number of slaves in history! An estimated 13
million children are enslaved around the world today, accounting for nearly half
of trafficking victims in the world.
2. The average cost of a slave around the world is $90. According
to estimates, approximately 80 percent of trafficking involves sexual
exploitation, and 19 percent involves labor exploitation.
3. Human trafficking is the second largest criminal
enterprise in the world, after drug smuggling and arms dealing.
4. The average age of a young woman being trafficked is
12–14 years old.
5. The United States is one of the top three destination
points for trafficked victims. California, New York, Texas and Nevada are the
top destination states within the country. Immigration agents estimate that
10,000 women are being held in Los Angeles' underground brothels; this does not
include the thousands of victims in domestic work, sweatshops or other informal
industries.
Don’t let these troubling facts and grim human
trafficking statistics overwhelm you.
How you can help
Let this quote by Elie Wiesel inspire you to take
action: “I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure
suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the
oppressor, never the victim.” Refuse to
be neutral. Educate yourself on human trafficking issues. Spread the word. Stand for freedom.
An organization that is making a difference is Children’s HopeChest. I got to spend some
time with Laura Fisher, VP of Operations, while at the She Speaks conference
two weeks ago. Children’s HopeChest was founded in 1994 to meet the needs of
orphans in Russia. Children who “graduate” from Russian orphanages find
themselves on the street with little or no life skills and often fall into the
waiting hands of human traffickers. To help these and orphans in 9 other countries,
Children’s HopeChest partners with churches, businesses, and Christian communities
by meeting basic needs and providing training and discipleship. To find out
more about Children’s HopeChest, visit their website, watch videos,
or like them on facebook.
There are many other worthy organizations making a
difference. In the months to come, I’ll be highlighting some others and
ways that we can make a difference from here.
Some people are “go-ers.” They travel to places around the
world, investing their lives into the lives of others. Some people are “senders”
providing a way for the “go-ers,” both financially and prayerfully. We can all
be “do-ers.”
A new group, Justice Network, is growing in northern NJ. We are
supporting the organizations on the front lines of this issue. Our next meeting
is Aug. 20. If you want to be a “do-er,” let me know!
