Modern Day Slavery

badgerherald.com

Editor's Note: Recent events have pointed out the scars of the enslavement of black Africans that remain raw, even a centruy and half after the abolition of slavery in the United States. Slavery was practiced by and upon other people as well—and not as an artifact of history. It exists today, with one of the most pernicious forms being sex trafficking, the subject of Dan's piece today. As many celebrate Father's Day with joy and gratitude, let's recognize anew how precious that is—and resolve to help stop human trafficking, the awful presence of slavery today.

I write with a heavy heart, grieving the evil that traps nearly 5 million people worldwide today through sex trafficking.

It's not just "over there." Do you know that 250,000–350,000 North American children and youth run the very real risk of being trafficked every year? This systemic evil is robbing millions of people among vulnerable populations of their dignity and well-being. Anon. There are other dangerous kinds of trafficking as well you may know..

Human trafficking is a crime where the average age of a teen entering the sex trade in the US is 12 to 14 years old. Many victims are runaway girls who were sexually abused as children and it exploits women, men, and children all over the world. This can include forced labor, marriage, prostitution, and organ removal. 

Cases so often go undetected as only about .04% survivors of human trafficking cases are identified. Roughly $150 billion a year goes to traffickers, $99 billion of which comes from commercial sexual exploitation. Globally, an estimated 71% of enslaved people are women and girls.

Unfortunately, this could happen in yours or my neighborhood and we probably would not be aware of it. So what can or should we do about it?

From the Editor: Here are some links you can check to follow-up on this important topic:

20 Ways You Can Help Fight Human Trafficking in 2020 (U.S. State Department)
PROMISE (Partnership to Rescue Our Minors from Sexual Exploitation - Salvation Army, Chicago)
In Our Backyard ("Linking Arms Across America in the Fight Again Human Trafficking")
National Human Trafficking Hotline (Operated by Polaris)
ICAP (Internataionl Christian Alliance on Prostitution)
Prostitution Research & Education
Restored Relationships (UK - focused on violence against women)