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The Church's
Response to Sex Trafficking
It's
estimated that approximately 2.5 million people
worldwide are currently victims of human trafficking;
they are abducted, sold, deceptively recruited or
otherwise coerced into captivity against their will for
the purposes of forced labor or sexual exploitation.
Residents of
impoverished or less developed nations are especially
vulnerable, but trafficking is a worldwide phenomenon.
And though Western Europe is the destination of choice
for a majority of traffickers, roughly twenty thousand
victims are transported to, within or through the
United States every year.
With ties to
organized crime, it's the third largest criminal
activity worldwide lagging only behind the arms and drug
trade and worth between $5-9 billion a year. 80%
of the victims are women and children (some as young as
5) and most of them end up in the sex trade as
prostitutes, sex slaves, strippers, mail order brides or
actors/actresses in porn films.
But
trafficking doesn't have to cross international lines.
The US Department of Justice estimates that more than
250,000 American youth are at risk of becoming victims
of commercial sexual exploitation. Children and youth
older than 12 are prime targets, and the average age for
first-time female prostitution is now 12-14.
So what can
you do as a Christian? In fact, quite a bit.
First, be
aware. There's a lot of good information out there -
from US government agencies, non-governmental national
and international organizations (NGOs), and Christian
faith-based groups. Some of the best links are listed
below.
Second, find
a way to share your knowledge with your congregation and
friends. Many Christian brothers and sisters do not even
realize that this problem exists and you can help them
to get informed, too. You could purchase or obtain some
good resources for your church library. Your Missions,
Social Concerns or Women's Ministries groups could adopt
the topic of trafficking as one of its year's emphases.
You could teach an adult class about trafficking or your
pastor could address it in an appropriate sermon. Or
invite in a speaker or show a video about the ministries
that are helping victims.
Third, think
about taking some sort of action. So if there's a rescue
or healing/support group for victims in your local area,
you could volunteer to help out. Or pledge to support
one of the anti-trafficking groups financially. (A
coalition of groups together forced Craigslist to remove
its "adult services" online ads that were often a cover
for trafficking.) Our Lord calls us to care for and
protect the most vulnerable among us, and that includes
those who have had their innocence and purity stolen
from them.
INFORMATION ABOUT INTERNATIONAL TRAFFICKING
Human Trafficking FAQs
Department of Health and Human Services
INFORMATION ABOUT DOMESTIC TRAFFICKING
International Crisis Aid's Domestic Trafficking
Statistics
Sex Trafficking in the United States - Women's Funding
Network
ABC New Primetime - Teen Girls' Stories
UNITED
METHODIST GROUPS AND RESOURCES
Abolition of Sex Trafficking - Book of Resolutions
General
Board of Church and Society
here and
here
United Methodist Women - "Rethink Trafficking"
ECUMENICAL GROUPS AND RESOURCES
Institute for Religion and Democracy
Roman Catholic - "Stop Trafficking" newsletter
Coalition
Against Trafficking in Women
Project Rescue -
includes a short video about their work
World Hope
International
GOVERNMENT RESOURCES
Department of Justice: Child Exploitation and Obscenity
Section
Trafficking
Prostitution
Sexual Purity
Pornography
Family
Help
Bible
and Theology
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