I attended a program at the Hillside Church here in town on Human Traficking.
A horrible event in so many people in this country and all over the world.
The trafickers know how to pick out vulnerable people and pull them into this horrible sub world of the human trafickers.
The poor are most vulnerable – the traficker will make romantic advances and then force them into a massage parlor or other place like that which then lures them into prostitution – when the money goes to the prostitute the traficker will take the money and then make that person dependant on him.
Young children can be very vulnerable – using social media and making like the person is the childs age – the vulnerable child can be reeled into the underworld of the traficker.
There was a story of a young woman who was lost and she got involved with a man that appeared to be rich… he wined and dined her. Then had her go to a massage parlor, there she got introduced to prostitution. When she had a lot of money the traficker threatened her and her family and she handed the money over. She was totally dependent on him for everything. She was able to escape and tell her story.
The traficker that makes the person dependant then charges for Housing, Food and the prices are so high the person can not pay, add on interest and the person is dependent on the traficker..
There can be a forced marriage.
The statistics on those affected by this horrible thing are:
- 49% Women
- 23% Girls
- 21% Men
- 7% Boys
There are many apps that are availble to the young people that can be used to lure the kids into this horrible world…
There are other areas:
- Organ harvesting – in foreign countries the person will give a few hundred or maybe a thousand depending on the country – then sell the organ on black market for hundreds of thousands and maybe more…. the operation of course is not sanitary…. Poor people in poor countries are most vulnerable to this.
Other vulnerable groups are LBQT groups, people with PTSD, women of child bearing age are vulnerable, there are forced aboration for those in prostitution.
The two organizations that spoke were:
- Bloom – located in Pennsylvania runs safe houses for people in recovery from traficking. There are networks of these type of facilities throughout the country. They help the residents in finances, daily tasks and through partners get them jobs…. on the general market a background check would make them ineligible. Bloom operates Sisters Closet, a low cost outlet for residents to buy needed clothing which is donated. https://bloomforwomen.org/
- International Justice Mission – a worldwide organization which works with police and the justice system of countries throughout the world to focus on the perpertarator and not the prostitute or person being traficked.. Also make that public so the cycle can start to be broken. It has been broken in Sweeded which passed strong laws against the user of prostitutes. ijm.org
I hope I have made you aware of the problem and if you are interested check out these two organizations and if possible donate to them.
If you should suspect traficking call this number 1-866-347-2423, do not take matters into your own hands and put yourself at risk, unless the person is clearly alone.
Prayer works so pray for our country and the world that this horrible thing can be erradicated…