What would you do if you had absolutely no control over the amount, extent or intensity of the labor you were to partake in? What about sexual exploitation? What if it was forced on you over and over and over again? What if it was happening to your child? How do you feel knowing this could happen to you?
Human trafficking is better known as “modern-day slavery.” Slavery was abolished over 150 years ago, but there is more slavery now around the world than there was then. Why? Human trafficking is a multi-billion dollar industry that prides itself in the ability to make people of all genders and ages feel worthless through forceful labor or sexual relations. According to the International Labor Organization, 150 billion illegal dollars are generated in this economy each year. There is child abduction, forced marriage, forced sexual relations, organ theft, selling newborn babies, living in human cages and prostitution included in this industry. Merriam-Webster’s dictionary definition of this issue is, “the illegal practice of procuring or trading in human beings for the purpose of prostitution, forced labor or other forms of exploitation.” Reading this definition and knowing that it is such a prominent issue all over the world causes one’s skin to crawl out of pure disbelief, and from the pure poignancy of it.
Being a Christian and knowing the reality of human trafficking around the world is absolutely disheartening, seeing as most Christians would love to see a world with a foundation of compassion and respect for each and every person. However, knowing that there are humans all around the world being sold, being locked away and being forced into countless acts of prostitution and labor is demoralizing. For, Galatians 3:28 says, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus", stating that no one man is greater than another. Human trafficking states just the opposite.
A common misconception of this issue is that this only occurs in other countries across the world. However, in the United States alone, there have been 27,775 cases of human trafficking since 2007, according to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center.
What makes this okay?
Now, let's think about children. There are so many things that bring children happiness and love. The delight and comfort that derives from infinite affection from parents or guardians, the joy that is so present on the faces of children on their birthdays and the amenity and relief that is extracted from cuddling up in a crib or bed at the end of a day. Though this may not be a reality for every child, it is often a happy possibility. However, when a child is sold into prostitution at 10-years-old or given away as a newborn in exchange for something temporary and provisional, this life is quickly deemed as preposterous and absurd. This life of living inside of cages and being moved from place to place out of convenience for the egotistical men and women partaking in this vial act of trafficking, is the reality for 26 percent of all victims. That states that roughly 7,222 victims in the United States in the past nine years have been under 18 years of age out the 27,775 reported US cases.
This is unacceptable for humans of any age, but to think of a child who has no way of foreseeing the things he/she could accomplish further in their life is heartbreaking and dire.
With this knowledge, putting an end to this selfish act of exchange and negotiation should be a very prime concern. So, why isn't it?
If you also wish to help put a stop to this issue, there are a plethora of places to showcase your concern and support. It can be done so here: https://traffickingresourcecenter.org/get-involved on the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Website. You can sign up to receive newsletters about the issue, to report a case or to donate by using the blue button towards the top of the webpage.
Don't let this issue go unnoticed. Take action.
http://www.ilo.org/global/topics/forced-labour/lang--en/index.htm
http://info.gozoe.org/what-is-human-trafficking?gc...
