I’ll be honest. I’ve known for a while that sex trafficking exists, and that it is becoming a growing problem. However, when I read this article at Forbes, it took my breath away, hacked me off, and made me want to cry all at the same time. The very idea that 100,000 American children are being abducted and enslaved in sex slavery each year, and that there are only 100 shelter beds available – in the entire country – for these children, blows my mind. Even worse is the reality that in 40 of our states, children who are caught by the authorities are incarcerated and treated like criminals, rather than being cared for and treated like the victims that they are. This is unconscionable. It is immoral. Consider a few more statistical realities about the state of child sex trafficking in the U.S.:
- Human trafficking is the 2nd fastest growing criminal enterprise, behind only drug trafficking.
- On average, trafficking begins when the child is 13-years old.
- The average child who is trafficked for sex is expected to see 10-15 clients PER DAY.
- This means that the average child will be raped 6,000 times during their victimization.
The article goes on to provide much more detail. I hope you will read it.
What Can We Do?
So the question then becomes, what can the church do? What can a follower of Christ do? I am no expert – I hope I’ve already made that clear – but it seems to me that there are two immediate needs that we could work toward.
First, we have to put pressure on the legislative authorities of our various states to decriminalize underage victims of sexual exploitation. If we would simply stand up, contact our state senators and congressman, write the governor, etc., maybe they would begin to act on behalf of these exploited children. I’m planning on writing my first letter today.
Secondly, particularly for those who live in urban areas, the lack of shelter beds for children who are being exploited seems tragic. I don’t know what it would have to look like, but it seems to me that we could create opportunities and places to provide shelter to victims of exploitation. Whether it be an actual home, or a network of homes, those of us who love Christ and love children should be the most likely to step up and help facilitate this kind of care.
May God have mercy on these children, and may the church step up and be their advocates.
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Cross-posted from Micah’s personal blog.
Micah, I work for Project Red Light Rescue, and so I’m looking at these stats all day every day. But even then, nothing prepares me for the frustration I feel when I see children being called sex-workers and prostitutes—or treated like criminals. Most of those kids have spent their entire lives being abused in some fashion, and have very little regard for their own well-being, beyond the next meal—which their captor, pimp, or trafficker withholds from them. They are beaten and put back out on the street or used in horrifying ways. The 6,000 number is NOT an exaggeration—and I think in some ways, it’s such a big number that it seems impossible to confront. But it’s not.
People don’t think this, but pornography use is actually contributing to the problem in massive ways. The more acceptable porn is, the more demand for it there is, the more demand for it there is, the more desensitized to it the viewer becomes, and the greater the degradation of its victims, and so more people are trafficked or abused in the process. It is a slippery slope and one that our world has muddied the waters on.
Thanks for drawing attention to this. If anyone is interested in getting involved I’d love to talk to them about how they can.
Thank you for this. I have recently become more aware of the not-so hidden realities of Sexual Slavery, and am overwhelmed by the number of young women who are in desperate need of redemption. One organization that I can wholeheartedly commend to you is Not For Sale. The work they are doing is far reaching, and growing. It is my hope and prayer that their work within the US will continue to grow as well…
Lore,
Thanks for your comment. I’m just now back in the saddle after a week out of the country so my reply has been a bit delayed. More than your comment, though, thanks for your work. My prayer is that more and more will engage as we, the church, continue to be awakened to this nightmare in our backyard.