A few churches take the tragedy of human trafficking seriously. Most ignore it.
One of the great programs that take this tragedy head-on is delivered by the Dream Center in Los Angeles, California, where they minister to those who have suffered untold degradation as a result of human trafficking
- The girls’ ages range from 9-19…the average 11.
- An estimated 300,000 U.S. children a year are introduced to trafficking in the sex industry.
- 14,000-18,000 girls are smuggled every year into the U.S. from other countries.
- The top reasons for children who become sex slaves are:
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- Force: abduction and smuggling…or parents/guardians selling the child
- Deception: Seeking security, self worth, fame, money, “love.”
- It’s estimated this is a billion-dollar industry…
- Not just “pimps” or criminals. Business people and often the wealthy are behind it. In wealthy Palos Verdes Estates, a ring by a wealthy businessman was recently broken.
- Most kids come from divorced, single parent homes usually with some form of abuse
- See the film “Eden” for a true sense of the horror. (I cautiously recommend “Taken” for another look.)
- There are many outreach groups for these children.
1. The Dream Center in C.A. has a great program: http://www.dreamcenter.org/
2. Share Hope International: http://sharedhope.org/
- You can report that a child is in danger by contacting the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
If you or a child you know is in danger, contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at https://report.cybertip.org or by calling 800-THE-LOST (800-843-5678).
The Polaris Project provides the National Human Trafficking Resource Center, which is a toll-free hotline available for calls and texts from anywhere in the country 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year. Call it at 888-373-7888, or text “help” or “info” to BE-FREE (233733).
What do you think?
Email me at [email protected]
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