Int'l Women's Day: 5 Ways You Can Stop Human Trafficking
Linda Tomczak, one of my sheroes
Today is InternationalWomen's Day. And because 80 percent of human trafficking victims are women,I've asked my friend Linda Tomczak, who works tirelessly to fight humantrafficking, to share five ways readers can help stop this injustice againstwomen. Here's what she said:
1. Pray.
The crime of human trafficking reflects a powerful clash ofspiritual forces. Don't minimize the importance of your prayers. The battledeserves and requires the best resources available: God’s favor, power, wisdom,and protection. A Heart for Justice has collected several ministries’ prayer guides.
2. Learn.
Educate yourself andthose you influence. For starters, here are a few facts about humantrafficking:
· After drug dealing,human trafficking (both sex trafficking and trafficking for forced labor) istied with the illegal arms industry as the second largest criminal industry inthe world today, and it is the fastest growing (source: U.S. Department ofHeath and Human Services).
· Worldwide, there arenearly two million children in the commercial sex trade (source: UNICEF).
· There are an estimated600,000 to 800,000 children, women and men trafficked across internationalborders annually (source: U.S. Department of State).
· Approximately 80 percentof human trafficking victims are women and girls, and up to 50 percent areminors (source: U.S. Department of State).
· The total market valueof illicit human trafficking is estimated to be in excess of $32 billion(source: U.N.).
· Sex trafficking is anengine of the global AIDS epidemic (source: U.S. Department of State).
· Learn all you can, thenconsider becoming a resource person, volunteering to speak at churches, organizations,retreats, and in other venues. You can easily become knowledgeable on humantrafficking through information readily available on websites, in articles, andin books.
· An attorney whoprosecutes human trafficking cases said one of her biggest challenges isconvincing a jury that this sort of thing really happens. Most are sooverwhelmed by the horrors of the case that they have difficulty believing it'strue. She encourages the general public to educate themselves abouttrafficking, so, should they have the opportunity to serve as a juror on ahuman trafficking case, they are able to listen objectively and rule fairly.
· The award-winningmovie, Human Trafficking, featuring Mira Sorvino andDonald Sutherland, is a fictional thriller, but gives viewers a realistic viewof the life of trafficking victims, and it shows how easily young women canbecome ensnared in the trafficking network. (This is not a movie for children.)
· Slavery 101 isa very informative twelve-minute video on multiple aspects of slavery.
· The Love146 website containsa wealth of information, survivors’ stories, videos, and ways to make adifference.
· Free the Captives Houston provides acomprehensive resource for current trafficking issues, updated regularly.
· Set up a google alert.Just type "human trafficking" in the search query, adjust thepreferences to your liking, and you can receive a daily or weekly email withthe latest articles or blogs, including links and a brief synopsis, aboutthis—or any—subject.
3. Read a good book.
· Terrify No More, by Gary Haugen and Gregg Hunter
· Escaping the Devil's Bedroom, by Dawn H. Jewell
· Renting Lacey, by Linda Smith
· Disposable People, by Kevin Bales
· Not For Sale, by David Batstone
· Priceless, by Tom Davis
4. Express your concerns to your politicalrepresentatives.
Men who buy sex with girls are rarely arrested.In the last year and a half in Houston, Texas, one of the main U.S. cities forsex trafficking, only two men were arrested for buying sex, while hundreds ofgirls were sold a multitude of times. Free the Captives is trying to gather30,000 letters in March, asking Texas Governor Perry to pass legislationtargeting the buyers of sex, the ones who drive the demand. This tactic provedvery successful in Sweden, and can here as well. Join their campaign and encourageothers to participate as well. (You don't have to be from Texas for your letterto count!) Details can be found here.
5. Be a responsible consumer.
Look for a “fair trade” logo when you purchase coffee andespecially chocolate, since child slaves harvest most cocoa. Learn more abouthow cocoa pods are harvested and look for companies who offer fair trade chocolate.
The handmade carpet industry exploits nearly250,000 children. Look for the rugmark seal to buy a rug that has beenethically made.
Recycle your electronics. DisposablePeople.org recyclesunwanted computer and electronic equipment, putting it back into the secondhandmarket, and donates a portion of the profits to end modern-day slavery.
Purchase gifts for others from organizationsthat provide housing and rehabilitation for rescued victims of trafficking:
· Jewelry from EdenMinistry is handcrafted by women in China rescued fromprostitution. The women now work in a safe, joy-filled environment. And if youcreate jewelry, and would like to help them come up with new designs, they areopen to ideas.
· BajaliaTrading Company pays fair prices for beautiful handmade itemsfrom artisans around the globe, helps finance Christian ministries in theartisans' communities, and partners with organizations that rescue and restorevictims of sex trafficking.