If someone told you that slavery still exists today and continues to grow as the third largest money-making industry in the world, would that surprise you? And if someone explained that the trafficking of human beings, even young women and children is an exploding industry right here in America, would you believe that? What if they told you that it is more profitable, more widespread and more atrocious than even the trans-Atlantic Slave Trade was centuries ago? In the recent Breakpoint Worldview Newsletter, writer Angelise Anderson asserts exactly these things. In her article, she notes that the major difference between the old slavery of the past and the slavery of today is that today we face the challenge of convincing people that it actually still exists.
Perhaps we have heard about the tragic kidnapping of young girls and small children in poor, developing countries such as Cambodia, Mexico or India. We can look at Eastern Europe and point to the problems in their internationally known sex industry. But what many of us do not realize is that people are being exploited and sent to “the land of the free” to face horrific bondage from forced prostitution to indentured servitude and black-market smuggling. We face a domestic slave problem as well.
Consider these startling facts:
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According to the FBI, Washington, D.C., is close to becoming the child prostitution capital of America, along with 14 other hubs like Tampa, Miami, and Atlanta. There are reportedly up to 300,000 child prostitutes in the United States. And that number is growing daily.
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The peddling of human flesh is more profitable than the notorious illegal trade of selling drugs. The FBI reported that the sexual exploitation of kids is the third largest moneymaker for organized crime.
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These facts do not even include the victims illegally brought into the United States! The sad reality is that with the growing acceptance of pornography and a perspective of tolerance, even children who have been born and raised in this country face abuse and sexual exploitation. Anderson further notes that teen runaways can be picked up by a pimp within just 48-hours on the streets. We must see this as one of the foremost issues of our time and wake up to the growing attack on the innocent right here at home!
The church has an important task and opportunity. William Wilberforce brought slavery to the forefront of his generation and through constant efforts to bring this atrocity to light, it paved the way for emancipation and freedom for thousands in bondage. Please read this article and explore the resources given to fight modern-day slavery. It is happening all around us and the church cannot turn a blind eye? If we do not stand in the gap, who will? This is a catastrophe that demands we be globally conscience while responding by insisting our national governments take action to end this travesty. If you are outraged, contact your authorized representatives.
Principle Based Evaluation: Racism, sexism, classism and human prejudices turn people into objects, thus making it easier to oppress them, enslave them and destroy them. It may be difficult but we must face that evil people are still exploiting the weak and we must do everything in our power to stop this abuse wherever it raises its ugliness.
Ramah L. Walker
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A Sad Reality I know that this article was just information based, but I couldn't go without saying something. This subject just does something in my heart that just makes me want to cry. Just the thought of innocent children and people being treated as someone or something of lower class. I even feel more sad just thinking about all that William Wilberforce had to go through just to stop the trade in England. He spent his entire life devoted to seeing the abolition of the slave trade. Nowadays we see the same thing. I like the line that Angelise Anderson said about the major difference in past and present slave trade is the knowledge of it. Recently I just found out all that was happening in my own state. Until recently I didn't really know about all that was happening. In an article in the Seattle Times, Washington was reported as the hotbed for human trafficking. (http://seattletimes.nwsource.c...ng14m.html) This article was written in 2004, but it has only increased since then. Recently a report was issued that global human trafficking has increased since the recession (http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/11/...index.html) But there is hope. As long as we bring this to the attention of all those around the world we will see that there will be change. I just found this article on how many children have been recovered. (http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/...cnnSTCText) This shows me that people care about those that are treated not the right way. God created man in His image and we are to respect and honor all that God has done in man. Christ called us to love one another and we can do that by brining this up to show people that slavery still exists. We have to act in order to see change, even if it takes our whole lives. |
jordyn cline
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... The beginning statement of this article is all too true. People today tend to think that slavery in America was a problem during Abraham Lincoln’s time. But the reality is, slavery is just as, and even more prevalent today in our Nation than the 1800’s. The majority of American girls who become involved in human trafficking come from broken family homes where they have not been genuinely loved. The ones who take them in make their trade look appealing by pretending to love and care for these girls and give them the things their parents weren’t. One testimony of a girl who used to be a victim of the industry said that “I had fled an abusive home when I was young…I thought he [employer] loved me, so I wanted to be around him.” Only after she had been put through the horror did she realize she had been drawn in by emotional manipulation, not love. [1.] Instead of being showered with drugs, empty love, and abandonment, these girls need to be shown what real love is like. In order to begin to eradicate this 21st century slave trade, the church needs to take a stand. Who better to show and extend the love of our heavenly Father than the church? These girls are drawn in by an allure of a false freedom that will only lead to painful consequences. Examples of Kingdom based families, relationships and marriages need to be seen in our culture today. The church needs to face the ugliness of the exploitation of young American girls, and counter it with biblical examples of love. [1.] http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05...jU1BDKZ7wg [2.] http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08...man-t.html |
Jessica Rankin
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... I agree that the church needs to open her eyes to take this problem seriously. Each year, an estimated 14,500 to 17,500 foreign nationals are trafficked into the United States. The number of U.S. citizens trafficked within the country each year is even higher, with an estimated 200,000 American children at risk for trafficking into the sex industry[1]. The affects of human-trafficking go beyond the physical abuse, it can also have health and mental issues on those who are put through it. Victims of human trafficking have reported symptoms afterwards such as dizziness, headaches, fatigue, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, not to mention the common concern of STD's and pregnancies. Mental issues include post-traumatic stress disorder, flashbacks, insomnia, disassociation, depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts[2]. A lifetime of pain and suffering is the price for a few weeks of satisfaction. We need a modern day William Wilberforce to rise up against human trafficking. Wilberforce pushed himself to the point of being bed-sick for days in order to see that the slave trade was abolished. In his own words, "So enormous, so dreadful, so irremediable did the Trade's wickedness appear that my own mind was completely made up for Abolition. Let the consequences be what they would, I from this time determined that I would never rest until I had effected its abolition.” As Christians, we cannot sit back and let this happen. We must not rest until we see this injustice ended. [1]http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/ncvrw/2005/pg5l.html [2]http://www.energyofanation.org/sites/25e1f498-741c-478a-8a08-aa486d8533a5/uploads/Sex_Trafficking_Fact_Sheet_AUGUST_2009_Revised.pdf |
