My first introduction to human trafficking was in 2009 when I saw the movie Taken with Liam Neeson. I’m always a little embarrassed to admit that. I feel like I should’ve been aware of this global problem long before 2009, and that my first introduction to it shouldn’t have been a Hollywood movie. But that’s how it happened. (God does work in mysterious ways, doesn’t He?)
If you’ve seen Taken, you’ll know the premise of the movie: Bryan Mills (Neeson), a retired CIA field operative, travels to Paris after his teenage daughter, Kim, and a friend of hers are kidnapped by an Albanian human trafficking ring. Mills is told by a colleague that he has four days to find his daughter — after that, she’ll be impossible to find.
There’s one scene in the movie that’s still etched in my memory. While Mills is on the hunt for his daughter he discovers that the Albanians have set up a brothel at a construction site. When he enters it, he sees hundreds of beds separated by hanging sheets, girls drugged almost to the point of unconsciousness, and lines of men waiting to enter.
Even as I write this, my stomach turns at the memory of this scene, because I’ve come to learn that this is a reality for a lot of young girls (and boys). They’re drugged, beaten, treated like animals, and forced to have sex with countless men every day.
After I saw that movie, I was determined to learn more about human trafficking. So I attended one of IJM’s (International Justice Mission) fundraising events in Nashville and learned that, worldwide, there are approximately 2 million children (the average age of a victim of sex trafficking is 13) forced into human trafficking, which is a $32 billion industry.
Human Trafficking is most predominant in poor countries where it’s common for children to accept fake job offers in order to support their families, only to be forced into sexual slavery. And justice systems in these countries are typically weak, so perpetrators easily get away with it. But sexual slavery is also an issue in America.
Sunday, January 11, is Human Trafficking Awareness Day. Now that you’re aware of the problem, how will you respond? Below are some amazing Christian organizations that are helping victims of sexual slavery all over the world. Do some research and see how God is leading you to help. He probably won’t call you to quit your job and go out on the field to rescue children (although, He might!), but maybe He’ll put it on your heart to give financially to those who do. And even if you can’t give, you can pray. You can go before the Almighty God, who hears you, and pray on behalf of the oppressed.
“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed” (Proverbs 31:8, NLT).
Here are three Christian organizations that ensure justice for those crushed by sexual slavery:
– International Justice Mission, founded by Gary Haugen, a former human rights attorney for the Department of Justice.
– A21, founded by Christian speaker Christine Caine.
– Hope for Justice, co-founded by Christian singer Natalie Grant.
Emily Ellis is the publishing team leader of magazines and devotionals at Lifeway. Originally from Boston, she studied Hebrew at Tel Aviv University in Israel.