After drugs and weapons, human trafficking is the third most profitable crime in the world.
U.S. citizen children are also trafficked within the U.S. It is estimated that annually 125,000-300,000 American children are being sexually exploited. Exploiters include criminal networks, family members and acquaintances, strangers, local pimps, other youth, pedophiles and transient male population. Commercially sexually exploited children cut across socio-economic, race, ethnic and gender lines. 75% of the children are from middle class backgrounds. ( Richard Estes and Neil Alan Weiner, "The commercial sexual exploitation of children in the U.S., Canada and Mexico", University of Pennsylvania School of Social Work, September 2001.) In addition, the National Incidence Studies of Missing, Abducted, Runaway, and Thrownaway Children report that 450,000 children run away from home each year. One out of three teens of the street will be lured into survival sex within 48 hours of leaving home. (taken from http://www.brycs.org/childtrafficking.htm website).
We can do something to help put an end to this vicious cycle. It is my passion and calling in life to help bring rescue and restoration to these precious women and children. I am the state director for the "Not For Sale Campaign" in Kentucky! We are an organization devoted to bringing together smart activists to help re-abolish slavery in our lifetime! And we can do it! We just need your help!
For more information on how you can fight slavery check out our national website at: www.notforsalecampaign.org or check out the KY affliate site at www.notforsaleky.org
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Human Trafficking Is Happening In Your Own Backyard
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About Me
After surviving one of the nation’s first and deadliest school shootings at age 15 I developed an untamed passion for social justice issues across the globe. It was in Cambodia while working in water purification and health education programs that I was first exposed to the underground world of human trafficking.
Upon returning to the states to continue my education I soon discovered that modern-day slavery was happening right in my own backyard…and from there the rest is history! In 2008 I received my Masters in Public Health, became a member of the Lexington, KY Human Trafficking Task Force and a few short months later found myself as the state director for the “Not For Sale Campaign” (www.notforsalecampaign.org).
I strongly believe that slavery can be re-abolished in my lifetime and that we as Christians must take a stand and move from awareness to ACTION!