Human Trafficking is Real
When I started hearing about human trafficking, it immediately resonated due to my background of abuse. I understand helplessness and vulnerability. God gave me an opportunity to get involved in making people aware of it and to begin making an impact.
The plight of trafficking women and children for slave labor and sex is unacceptable. Human trafficking ranks second in global crime, only behind drug trafficking, which ranks number one.
It involves millions of people every day – the ones being trafficked, the ones selling them, and the ones buying them. It is a multi-billion dollar business.
Runaway kids, low income single women, and undocumented foreign nationals are just a few of the groups targeted. They are vulnerable and desperate - people whom Jesus loves and died for.
One of whom was my friend, Barbara Maphet.
1.5 million kids run away from home in the United States every year. One million are girls. When a girl runs away from home, she is usually propositioned within 24 hours to trade sex for food and shelter. 72% of them admit to participating in survival sex. The average age for a girl to have her first pimp is 13.
All victims self-medicate with drugs and alcohol. Many of them also engage in other destructive behaviors such as cutting.
1% are rescued.
As this horrendous situation is being exposed, many organizations are getting involved and are courageously doing great things. I have the privilege of serving on the Task Force Against Human Trafficking with the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma.
We work closely with Mark Elam, the Executive Director of O.A.T.H.
