Human Trafficking

Human trafficking is a sin against God and a crime against humanity. Tuesday morning, April 11, I spoke on human trafficking at a “Coffee Chat” seminar for our Kendall Christian School parents: What we need to know about it; how to help “traffic-proof” our children against the real and present dangers it presents; and what we can do to help in the fight against it here in Miami and beyond. Here is a brief summary of what we discussed.

What we need to know

There are an estimated 40-50 million slaves in the world today, more than ever before in recorded history. It is a $150 billion a year enterprise – two-thirds of that from commercial sexual exploitation, the rest from economic enslavement. Almost 1.7 million children are currently being exploited in sex trafficking. The average age victims are taken in and enslaved is 13; pimps or traffickers are known to prey on victims as young as nine.

Florida is the third-worst state in the United States for trafficking (after California and Texas). Miami-Dade is the number one county in Florida and the third-leading county in the entire country.

Kendall Presbyterian Church is committed to helping fight this evil both globally and locally. We are a pro-life church. We believe every human being is created in God’s image (Genesis 1:26-28) and as such should be treated with dignity, respect and compassion from the moment of conception to the point of natural death – including those caught up in the horrors of being trafficked.

Toward that end, KPC supports International Justice Mission (www.ijm.org), the leading organization fighting human trafficking on a global level. Here in Miami we help those who have been rescued from trafficking by providing therapy through Wellspring Counseling (https://www.wellspringmiami.org/). This year our goal is to raise $8030 to support one young woman on her road to recovery and a healthy, productive, Christ-centered life. If you would like to help us reach that goal and help this young woman through our Human Trafficking Survivor Support fund at Wellspring, click here.

How to help “traffic-proof” our children

Online safety is a huge issue. 10 things not to do on social networking sites (actually nine “don’t’s” and one “do”):

•  Never post your full name.

•  Never post your date of birth.

•  Never post your contact information, including your phone number, email or address.

•  Never post pictures that you don’t want everyone to see.

•  Never assume any online communication is private.

•  Never post information about your school or work.

•  Never share places or times of where you’re going to be.

•  Never post information about new purchases.

•  Never add friends you don’t really know.

•  DO enable privacy on all accounts.

(https://surviveandthriveadvocacy.org/human-trafficking-and-social-media-safety-for-kids/.)

Parents, be nosy. You pay for those phones and/or computers and internet connections; check what your kids are doing online frequently. And if you did allow them the privilege of having a phone, make sure you take it away at bedtime, if not earlier. Give it back the next morning or whenever you deem appropriate. As shocking as it may seem, you don’t actually have to give your child(ren) a phone at all. It is a privilege, not a birthright. If you do give them one, do it when they show they are old enough, mature enough and responsible enough – which is when you decide they are. And then stay vigilant. Your child’s safety depends on it.

Some important things to watch for: How do I identify a victim of human trafficking? If a child or young person:

•   Demonstrates a sudden change in attire, personal hygiene, relationships, or material possessions

•   Acts uncharacteristically promiscuous and/or makes references to sexual situations or terminology that are beyond age-specific norms

•   Has a “boyfriend” or “girlfriend” who is noticeably older

•   Attempts to conceal recent scars (also tattoos and branding)

•   Exhibits bruises or other signs of physical trauma, withdrawn behavior, depression, anxiety, or fear

•   Is hungry, malnourished, deprived of sleep, or inappropriately dressed (based on weather conditions or surroundings)

•   Demonstrates an inability to attend school on a regular basis and/or has unexplained absences

•   Frequently runs away from home

•   Makes references to frequent travel to other cities

•   Lacks control over his or her schedule and/or identification or travel documents

•   Shows signs of drug addiction

•   Has coached/rehearsed responses to questions
(https://oese.ed.gov/human-trafficking-of-children-in-the-united-states-a-fact-sheet-for-schools/.)

If you see a child or young person exhibiting some or a lot of these behaviors, be alert. You may be able to save that young life from a terrible fate. Call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center: 1 (888) 373-7888.

What we can do to help in the fight

First and foremost, pray. Pray for: trafficking victims; families who are so dysfunctional – or dangerous – young children or adolescents feel compelled to leave home and put themselves at risk of being lured, trapped, or forced into such slavery; those who put themselves in harm’s way to rescue victims; those who work with victims to help them recover from the ravages of being enslaved; and the gospel of God’s grace and salvation through Jesus Christ to go forth and change the hearts, minds and lives of everyone involved in this insidious trade.

Get informed. This scourge is not going away without a fight. We need to be shrewd as serpents, innocent as doves (Matthew 10:16).

Resources:

·         IJM: International Justice Mission | End Modern Slavery for Good (ijm.org)

Sex Trafficking | International Justice Mission (ijm.org)

·         National Human Trafficking Resource Center – Phone: 1 (888) 373-7888 https://humantraffickinghotline.org/

·         Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center (STAC): https://surviveandthriveadvocacy.org/human-trafficking-and-social-media-safety-for-kids/

·         Glory House: https://gloryhouseofmiami.org/

·         Wellspring: Wellspring Counseling (wellspringmiami.org)

·         To give to our Human Trafficking Survivor Support fund at Wellspring click here.

Thanks again to all who participated in the session Tuesday morning, and thank you for taking the time to read this and to care about our city, our state, our country, all those ensnared in this horrific web and most importantly, our kids.

God bless you,

Kent