Facts:1. Human trafficking comprises the fastest growing criminal industry in the world based on the recruitment, harboring, and transportation of people solely for the purpose of exploitation.
2. Every year traffickers generate billions of dollars in profits at the expense of victimizing millions of people around the world.
3. An estimated 17,500 foreign nationals are trafficked annually in the US alone.
4. An estimated 200,000 American children are at high risk for trafficking into the sex industry each year.
Take a look at these ways you can help stop Human Trafficking and Slavery in the World!!
1. Contact: local shelters to find out if they assist trafficked victims and how you can be supportive.
2. Demand: “slave-free” goods. Buy “fair-trade” products, such as handcrafts, coffee, tea, cocoa sugar, fruit, or flowers. Encourage your church to do the same.
3. Remember: the facts. Memorize the statistics about child and sex slavery. Tell people.
4. Do: what you love. Do an art project and display it in a public place. Use a sports event or concert to raise awareness and funds for the issue. Write about the issue on blogs.
5. Study: God’s word regarding injustice. You may want to start with Isaiah 5:8, Micah 6, and Hebrews 13:1-3
6. Know: the warning signs of slavery and human trafficking, and report suspicious behavior to your local services provider or police station. Or call the 24-hour National Human Trafficking Center hotline (1-888-373-7888).
7. Advocate: for change. Call or write your elected U.S. officials (
www.senate.gov,
www.house.gov ) or Canadian officials
www.parl.gc.ca) Tell them that you care about the issue of human trafficking and want stronger laws to protect victims. Get new from
www.polarisproject.org on how to engage in political action and advocacy.
8. Walk: Global March has freed over 60,000 slaves in India. Their marches promote education for children instead of forced labor and exploitation:
www.globamarch.org.
9. Fight: sex tourism. Ask travel agencies, hotels and tour operators to sign the Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children in travel and tourism ( www,thecode.org)
10. Learn: more. Find useful documents to download at
www.freetheslaves.net and
http://www.state.gov/g/tip/ris/tiprpt/2008/11. Consume: wisely. Hold businesses accountable and ask corporations to join the fight. At
www.chainstorereaction.com email companies to ensure that their products are slave free.
12. Write: Submit an op-ed. Encourage newspapers, magazines, and television stations to publish or write stories about modern-day slavery, and how to stop it.
13. Watch: and discuss a video with your family, friends or small group: Modern Slavery (
www.freetheslaves.net), a good introduction to modern-day slavery or Amazing Grace (2006), the story of William Wilberforce who demanded abolition of the African Slave trade in the UK in the 1800s.
14. Read: Be the Change: Your Guide to Freeing Slaves and Changing the World by Zack Hunter and discuss it with family, friends or small group.
15. Organize: a Bible study or human trafficking scripture to consider: Matthew 25:31-46, Luke 11:37-444. And Psalm 10.
Sources
www.imj.org and
www.callandresponse.com
