Every one of us can do something to help stop human trafficking. Here are five ideas. Share your suggestions in the comments below.
- PRAY
- Pray that God would provide volunteers, resources and funding for those who labor to stop trafficking.
- Pray for victims to be rescued, and that they would find hope in Jesus.
- Pray for rescued victims to find physical, emotional and spiritual healing and courage to continue moving forward despite their wounds.
- Pray for law enforcement to track down criminals and bring them to justice.
- Pray for traffickers to turn from their sin and for those who exploit people by purchasing sex, services or slave-made products to change their behavior.
- GET INVOLVED
Find ministries in your area and get involved on a local level. For a larger reach, try:
- International Justice Mission, an organization that protects the poor from violence in the developing world.
- Aruna Project, a non-profit organization that cares deeply about bringing and sustaining freedom to the enslaved in South Asia.
- Cru’s Inner City ministry, which mobilizes urban churches to meet physical and spiritual needs.
- Freedom 58 is dedicated to fighting slavery and violent oppression through advocacy, education, and action.
- READ
There are a number of books on human trafficking we especially recommend:
- Girls Like Us by Rachel Lloyd
- Half the Sky by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn
- The Just Church by Jim Martin
- BE AWARE
Trafficking happens in restaurants, hotels, nail salons, airports and shopping malls. Look out for these signs:
- Victims don’t have freedom to move and are closely watched.
- Excessive security in a workplace or home can signal captivity.
- Traffickers often “brand” their victims with tattoos of a barcode, a dollar sign, or of a man’s name.
- If you suspect someone is being trafficked, call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1-888-373-7888.
- SPREAD THE WORD
- Talk with friends and share information on social media regarding trafficking.
- Warn teens and children about the schemes of human traffickers. They should never meet with anyone they don’t know. Traffickers might approach in person, online or by a mobile device.
- For more information, see Sex Trafficking: The US’ $9.5 Billion Secret.
