“You mean like in Asia?”

This past weekend I worked my first event with Shared Hope International (SHI). As I stood at our booth talking to men and women alike, I had to explain what human trafficking was and that sex slavery was an issue in the U.S. more than I would have liked to. So many people do not understand that our young girls are being enslaved for their bodies. As I was explaining what our organization does one women asked me “You mean like the brothels in Asia. Yeah I have heard about that…” When I explained that sex slavery goes on in every state in the U.S. she didn’t believe me. “No, not here we are a first world country.” She told me. That is exactly why sex slavery is the most common form of bondage in the U.S. We are an industrial country; we do not have as large of a need for slaves in large factories, field production, mining, child soldiers…

Sex trafficking is driven by demand for commercial sex. This demand is met by criminals wishing to make more money. Demand has increased, for both women and children, as our culture has become more sexually charge. Promiscuity has become normalized. People want sex and they want it whenever they can have it. Because of this women and girls are seen as objects, as a thing to be used then forgotten about. Our founder, former Congress woman, Linda Smith was at the conference. She pointed out that as this election progresses people continue to argue that they are pro-life. Those who focus on pro-life issues, those who take a stand against abortion, the death penalty and euthanasia, forget a large population of American people who are not being helped. Those entrapped in sexual slavery have lost their voice and few are fighting for them. Our culture is against them. It says go do what you want when you want. Sex isn’t about a loving relationship between two people. It’s about gratification, about having fun, trying out as many women as you can. Prostitutes are arrested while the guys rarely get a fine and go back out and buy another woman. Linda’s goal for SHI is to change the laws around minor sex trafficking and prostitution laws. She wants everyone to take a truly pro-life stance, to lend a voice and fight for the women and girls in bondage. She calls men to stand up and become DEFENDERS, taking a stand against the commercial sex industry.

My goal, education. I want to reach as many people as I can. I want you to know about human trafficking, sex slavery, modern day slavery in general. What I am learning as I do my own research astounds me. I want you to be as surprised and shocked as me and then to become angry that our culture allows for this cold-hearted cruelness. I then want you to take a stand, to make a difference however works best for you.