Human Trafficking

This past Friday at our MOPs (Mothers of Preschoolers) monthly meeting we had a guest speaker come speak about human trafficking. It was very alarming to say the least! She is apart of The Sold Project. www.thesoldproject.com. She informed us that the truck stop about 5 miles from my house is considered one of the largest human trafficking truck stops in North America. Ummmm what???? Very scary! I told John that Reagan would not be able to play on the playgrounds of any of the restaurants close to the truck stops ever!! And we were encouraged to pray as we pass by the area. I am hearing more and more about this tragic crime. I think just about every crime drama on tv has addressed human trafficking. But I still think we are not as concerned as a country as we should be. So here is a definition and just a few statistics on human trafficking.

Human trafficking is the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons: by the threat or use of kidnapping, force, fraud, deception or coercion, or by the giving or receiving of unlawful payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person and for the purpose of sexual exploitation or forced labor.

An estimated 27 million men, women and children are victims of human trafficking today.

Every year 600,000 to 800,000 are trafficked across international borders.

Women and children comprise 80% of the total number of people being trafficked.

An estimated 200,000 U.S. children are at risk of human trafficking

161 countries out of 192 are involved with human trafficking

Children comprise 50% of human trafficking target. And they become victims as early as 12 to 14 years old and they are most likely to get exposed to sexual exploitation.

Human trafficking, as an organized crime, is approximated to generate 32 billion revenue each year.

Individuals under the age 18, make up half of the total number of humans being trafficked.

There is only one shelter in the U.S. designed specifically to meet the needs of trafficking victims, and it currently only houses a total of seven to nine victims.

Scary scary scary stuff. Please parents watch out for your children, watch them like a hawk. Inform them of the dangers. Awareness is the key!

I know that was a heavy topic for a blog. So to end (I didn't forget) there are 38 days til Christmas!!