Human Trafficking and how I really feel about it

I am in pain today. I suffer from fibromyalgia; Autumn is a bear. My thoughts are with those who are hurting and helpless. I hope if this is seen that it is truly understood. So here it goes. Let me bare my heart and my soul. I am a survivor of rape. The details don't matter though one of the rapes was brutal.

Years have gone by and I have healed....a lot. Christ has helped me. [Also I am in Celebrate Recovery.] Now as a mother of seven daughters and two sons I wonder and I pray and, although I shouldn't, I worry. Our world is messy to say the least. How do I keep my children safe? How do I teach them?

And, in the mean time, how do I HELP!?! I was fortunate. I was "lucky". The girls I am fighting for aren't much different than I was. But, I wasn't kidnapped or sold for sex trafficking or labor trafficking. I wasn't possessed. They are.

If I told you that I am weeping would you think me crazy? I don't care anymore. I look at my children and even my own baby picture and I think.<<<<<<I think!!!!!.... God, it could have been me. What can I do?

I am becoming more involved. I am a Freedom Fighter for Better Way Imports. I am an Ambassador of Hope with Shared Hope International. It sounds so.....involved. The reality is, I am doing so little. Women who have been victimized need time and support to heal.I am still healing. I am 56 years old. My healing has been slow, mostly because I was NOT supported. 

There is hope though, for me with Celebrate Recovery and for the million who are trafficked across the globe, 100,000 right here in America, there are Modern Day Freedom Fighters stepping up to fight.

Organizations, like Shared Hope International, are working to help girls/women. Truly supporting them in their healing. I WAS ONLY RAPED 3 TIMES IN 4 YEARS....THEY ARE, 20 TIMES A DAY! Let's do the math. Sorry. It needs to be said. 20 X 365 X 4 = 29,200. Even though you may think....."No way!", it will not change the facts. 20 times a day is only a statistic. An average. Unreliable at best.

Unless these girls/women are rescued they have 7 years before they will die.

Do you see? Do you care?

Fight for freedom. Please consider becoming a Modern Day Freedom Fighter. An Abolitionist.

Comments and questions are welcome. Thank you.

About Shared Hope International

Hope is defined as a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen. It's archaic meaning is a feeling of trust. Human trafficking victims lose hope. They are manipulated into believing false promises. They are physically, mentally, and emotionally abused. Society, in general, does not acknowledge their plight. We, the public, have been taught that these women and children want this. Ex-Giant Lawrence Taylor (declared sex-offender served no jail time) defends his actions in several ways including saying that it is the oldest profession in the world. Rape of 2 under age girls is okay? Really?!! We promote, yes, even encourage sexual promiscuity through media and then wonder why we have a demand for sex-trafficking.

No child can ever be a prostitute!

Here some examples of what Shared Hope provides:   

Increasing awareness, learning how to identify victims and possible victims of trafficking and by providing genuine and holistic response within our services and justice system is accomplished with training programs and resources. Shared Hope works to "equip professionals and community members to advance the network of protection offered to survivors of trafficking." (quote from SHI website)                                                    

Shared Hope International states that they were "established to provide hope to the hopeless women Washington State Congresswoman Linda Smith found enslaved in the brothels of Mumbai in 1998. Our early efforts targeted the international sex trafficking industry.  As we became established leaders in the international movement to end slavery, our eyes were opened to the scourge of sex trafficking in the U.S. We could not ignore this injustice and expanded our impact to bring hope to American women and children victimized in the commercial sex industry. Today, we lead prevention strategies, restoration programs and justice initiatives to combat trafficking in the U.S. and abroad." (italics mine; quote from SHI website)

Here are the Basics of Shared Hope

Youth Sex Trafficking Prevention Kit

Prevention Strategies:                                                 

 National Training, Collaborative Community Sex Trafficking Identification and Response Training, Customized Training, Intervene, Specialized Sex Trafficking Training for Juvenile Justice Plus....Training Resources like CHOSEN or the new Gang TRAP (Trafficking Response and Prevention) Training Guide and Video Series this 4-part training DVD for law enforcement for a donation of $20. 
Restoration Programs:

When a woman or child is rescued from sex trafficking they are not free yet! Their bodies are damaged, their mental and emotional health is shattered. Without someone (actually groups of people) coming along side them to walk them through the many steps to complete recovery they will never recover. Shelter and service providers are mandatory. Restoring their physical, mental, and emotional health, although an absolute must, is not enough. The Shared Hope site says, "providing survivors with the skills and means of creating their own economic sustainability helps reduce the risk of re-victimization." They must be taught how to re-enter society and then live in it safely. Many have joined other freedom fighters in the trenches working to pull others out of the living hell of sex-trafficking.
                                                                                    
Justice Initiatives:

Coordinating with the growing network of protection is crucial. Working together will increase our success providing victims with complete support. Shared Hope International "believes we can create a world where every survivor is surrounded by trained professionals, an alert community, just law and policy, knowledgeable service providers and appropriate shelter options."

In a March 18th, 2014 article entitled South Dakota man sentenced to life for sex trafficking in the Sioux City Journal South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley said the 2014 state Legislature passed two laws to help combat sex trafficking.

One law establishes a procedure to forfeit personal property in child pornography, human trafficking, child solicitation or exploitation cases, and to direct money toward preventive efforts and victims. Another will allow human trafficking victims to file lawsuits against a perpetrator.

"South Dakota is off limits for human trafficking and crimes against children," Jackley said.

Good for Jackley! This attitude is the very thing that will begin the process of cleaning up the state of South Dakota which presently has a "F" rating according to their Shared Hope Report Card. You can go the the report card link and click on your state and find out how it's doing. Shared Hope has Bill Tracking so you can also check out your states effort to put in place laws to protect women and children.

Find your states rate. Report Card link above.

We need to increase awareness. We must take action. We must not only seek justice we must demand justice!

If you have questions or comments please leave a comment.