Abolitionists - Saving One Child at a Time

A few days ago, I went to see a documentary on human trafficking called "The Abolitionists".  It was about a group of men and women who travel the world saving children from human trafficking.  They do brave work freeing these children.  The amount of work that goes into these sting operations to set these traffickers up requires much time and diligent planning.  Sometimes the plan falls apart as was the case on one occasion during the documentary.  Other sting operations resulted in multiple arrests (which left the movie audience cheering).

It was appalling seeing grown men talk about children (ages 8-16) as if they were pieces of meat, describing sex acts they would perform that some grown folks would even cringe at.  Even as some of the trafficking victims were talking during the documentary, some would refuse to show their faces for fear of retribution and the feeling of shame.  One fourteen year old victim was placed into sex trafficking by her mother who just happened to be a prostitute on the streets herself.  Some were kidnapped off the street or duped by someone promising them money and a better life.  The stories and heartbreak was endless.  During the documentary, one lady in Haiti was selling children straight out of the orphanage she was running.  Many of these children were left homeless as orphans after the earthquake that took place in Haiti.  She is despicable and justice was finally served to her.  How does one devalue the life of a child so heartlessly?  Is money the ultimate prize over morality?

It just goes to show you the moral decline in society. The work of the abolitionists probably won't be able to save every single child from human trafficking, but they continue to save one child at a time.  I cannot state how important their work has become over the years.  Human trafficking is happening at an alarming rate - possibly in our own communities.  We need to take a stand in our own communities. If you notice someone suspicious, don't be afraid to notify authorities.  Get involved in a local group.  At the very least, be aware of those around you.  Stand up for the children of the world; sometimes their voices are not heard.

If you or someone you know needs help to escape human trafficking or to report a tip call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline at 1-888-373-7888 

Children Have Eyes and Ears Too

For too many children, home is a place of conflict among grown-ups. Sometimes children get caught up in the violence and are physically harmed. Other times, children are emotionally scarred by witnessing domestic violence.  It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to hide domestic violence from children.  They do have eyes and ears that function as well as our own.  And the impact of domestic violence can have a lasting impact on their young lives forever and even carry over into their own relationships.


Looking back now as an adult, the effects domestic violence had on one of my best childhood friend, was everlasting.  My friend also had other siblings - three sisters and two brothers affected as well.  They lived with domestic violence for almost twelve years before their parents divorced, most of their childhood.  My friend (I'll refer to her as Jane), was the oldest of the siblings, and developed low self-esteem, began using various drugs, and lead a life of self-destruction.  I have not seen her in about 25 years, but I hear there is still disconnection with her entire family.  And her brother, who is still close to my family to this day, is a father himself now and has taken great strides to be everything his father was not.  He still has anger and resentment but has channeled it in a way to not disrupt his own family.  Domestic violence can rip through a family, shredding its every fiber.  There is no way to hide it indefinitely. 

The effects on children are not always visible. Children who are exposed to battering and screaming become fearful and anxious, always feeling on guard.  They sit and wait for the next event to occur.  There is a constant worry for themselves, their parents and other siblings. Many times children will keep the family secret, looking fine to the outside world while living in their own fear and chaos.  Domestic violence is a vicious cycle and trickles down to the youngest member of the family.  Remember...children have eyes and ears too.

Human Trafficking - Another Type of Violence Surrounds Us

Another type of violence lurks in our communities.  It is called human trafficking.  And just what is human trafficking?  It is a modern form of slavery where men, women and children are forced by traffickers and given to another person by payment.  By far, the most popular form of human trafficking is those sold into sexual slavery and mostly consist of younger adults and children.  Many are even taken from their own country and shipped abroad.  Traffickers, who are some of the lowest scum on Earth, trick and deceive their prey.  They coerce young adults and children by promising them a better life full of pleasure and meeting their every need, or they threaten to harm their families if they don't abide by their wishes.  Many traffickers go as far as abducting their victims.  And this very crime goes on in almost every community right under our noses.  It may not be easy to spot and is kept hidden as much as possible by those profiting from human trafficking.  We will delve into this subject more but here are some facts about human trafficking:

1. There are an estimated 27 million slaves in the world today. That’s the highest recorded number of slaves in history!

2. The average cost of a slave around the world is $90.

3. Human trafficking has been identified as the largest human rights violation in the history of mankind.

4. Human trafficking is the second largest criminal enterprise in the world, after drug smuggling and arms dealing.

5. The United States is one of the top three destination points for trafficked victims. California, New York, Texas and Nevada are the top destination states within the country.

6. According to estimates, approximately 80 percent of trafficking involves sexual exploitation, and 19 percent involves labor exploitation.

7. The average age of a young woman being trafficked is 12–14 years old.

8. Immigration agents estimate that 10,000 women are being held in Los Angeles’ underground brothels; this does not include the thousands of victims in domestic work, sweatshops or other informal industries.

9. An estimated 13 million children are enslaved around the world today, accounting for nearly half of trafficking victims in the world.

10. Trafficked children are significantly more likely to develop mental health problems, abuse substances, engage in prostitution as adults, and either commit or be victimized by violent crimes later in life.