Awareness to Counter Sex Trafficking
Part One
This is the first of three parts of awareness mainly necessary to edify girls between the age group of 15–25 in ALL countries. Unfortunately the ones not educated in English in some countries will not get a chance to read this. But I hope and pray that awareness is translated and reaches them through literate NGO and social workers in parts of India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Thailand, Brazil, Venezuela and others.
Different forms of slavery still exist in many nations. Sex slavery is most prevalent and involves good income for the traffickers involved even in advanced countries. Sex traffickers are all the members who co-ordinate in the network of selling a victim to brothel owners for the purpose of commercial sex. Traffickers could be sweet-talking girls or women too! Shockingly a trafficker could be the girl’s trusted boyfriend or relative. Trafficking is an organized network of criminals. The most common hunting ground for traffickers are rural regions affected by extreme poverty and illiteracy. Besides the sex market in developing countries, victims are being sold for purposes of forced begging, child labor, organ sales and captivated domestic labor. Traffickers cannot conduct smooth operations without the help of corrupt elements who can be small time politicians, local police and border security guards.
With my work experience in AHT [Anti Human Trafficking], I have learned of many shocking experiences a victim is forced to go through in order to satisfy the financial greed of criminals. What the Bible says in John 10:10 — ‘the devil comes to steel, kill and destroy’ is so appropriately applicable for human trafficking. From the moment she first disappears, her respect, dignity, family life, health, education, career and innocence is all stolen, killed and destroyed within a short period. Trafficking for sex slavery has always been flourishing globally because victims are used to satisfy the most common greed needs of traffickers and customers — sexual pleasure and money. My contribution to AHT was always in co-ordination efforts with my under cover team and senior police officers. That led to success of: closing eighteen sex massage parlors and rescuing many under-aged minors [some of them virgins] besides other adult forced victims. Often rescued shattered victims would tearfully approach us with joined palms and emotion choked voices to express gratitude for bringing them out of cruel captivity. Those were moments of their joy as well as ours.
How could we help?
By increasing knowledge of trafficking, security and safety awareness
By edifying parents, girls, teachers and principals. In my personal experience, we met with principals of girls institutions who needed us to speak to senior students who had no idea of sex trafficking
Security can never be taken for granted even in the most secure parts of the world. Predators are around everywhere waiting to pounce on pre-planned targets the moment security measures weaken.
Do not hesitate to report, even if you’re not sure; report any suspicious trafficking activity to emergency, your local police station or any uniformed patrols/guards nearby