# Is trafficking really this bad in the US?



## Pergamum (Jan 30, 2012)

Mission Network News


I was floored to read this article:



> USA (MNN) ― This week is full of sales in the U.S. for chips, soda and household appliances as Americans prepare for the annual football Super Bowl. But other less advertised--and far less innocent--sales are also beginning.
> 
> Human lives are for sale at the Super Bowl.
> 
> ...



Is this being over-hyped, or are there other sources which also verify that this is a major problem? And...WOW.....if this problem is even half as big as it is being reported, what is being done?


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## PuritanCovenanter (Jan 31, 2012)

Stupid is as Stupid does. Yes, It has been bad since I have known about it. I first learned of it back in the 80's. I was somewhat shocked but not taken about by the rule of the world. We live in a fallen world. I can tell you things that would curl your hair here. I am sorry to know about it. So is my mother. And I lie not.


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## PuritanCovenanter (Jan 31, 2012)

The term Human Trafficking is deceptive. Human Slavery is more appropriate. You are stolen and sold. Most die without notice. I imagine it is worse in other countries.


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## Pergamum (Jan 31, 2012)

Why Super Bowl weekend? I don't get the connection.


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## Andres (Jan 31, 2012)

I heard similar stories come out last year when the game was in Dallas. I too was completely taken aback. I don't know what else to do but pray.


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## PhilA (Jan 31, 2012)

It is not just Superbowl. Sadly it is an worldwide association with large sporting events World Cup, Olympics etc.. Steps are already being taken to tackle this issue at the 2012 Olympics. I would go further and say that it goes hand in hand with conferences and trade shows to a lesser extent. The only “hype” tends to be over play of coercion (which makes better copy from the journalist's point of view).


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## PuritanCovenanter (Jan 31, 2012)

I don't know anyone who has taken a blind eye to this situation than they who have over blasphemed. I am as guilty and know about it as do others. Sin kills. We should thank God for His Mercy as well as His justice. I don't understand it.


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## Weston Stoler (Jan 31, 2012)

You know their are more than 27 Million slaves (including sex and Child slaves) around the world. Sex slavery can start as early as 4 years old. In the US it mostly manifests its self in prostitution. Women being taken off the street and told that if they don't work for you then you will kill them and their family. This stuff is real. Their are more slaves today then the entire history of man.


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## FenderPriest (Jan 31, 2012)

Pergamum said:


> Why Super Bowl weekend? I don't get the connection.



Sporting events are a high concentration of (typically) male John's who are away from home and have money to spend on depraved desires. That's the thinking I'd imagine. There was a big deal about this back with the World Cup - same deal, loads of young girls being shipped in through the black market to the stadiums. "Not For Sale" is a recent book that's helpful on this stuff, and there were a few really good articles on the issue in GQ recently (but I wouldn't post links given the type of magazine it is - odd, but they do have good content articles from time to time). On the whole, if you're interested in learning more, basic articles will give you the stats and figures that are generally right on - 27 million world wide, 3rd largest black market (behind weapons and drugs), 800,000+ annually imported _into_ the United States, mostly young girls under 18 for sex trafficking, more males included in that if you look at human slavery in general. There's more in America than you'd imagine. It's a horrific mess and it breaks the heart. Books and articles explore the social aspects behind it that are (predictably) mind boggling - poverty exploiting poverty. It breaks the heart. It's an area one needs to use caution in exploring, given the reality of the subject matter (and it's direct connection with the p0rnography business). Facts and stats are enough for most, use wisdom in learning the stories. That's about all I'd say here... hope this is helpful.


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## Britt (Jan 31, 2012)

That is awful! This is the kind of thing you'd expect in India and other countries, but I had no idea it was such a problem here in the states, and at the Super Bowl!


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## Weston Stoler (Jan 31, 2012)

Britt said:


> That is awful! This is the kind of thing you'd expect in India and other countries, but I had no idea it was such a problem here in the states, and at the Super Bowl!



One of the biggest places for sex trafficking in America is here down in the south, Atlanta, Georgia. The Passion Conference raised 3.2 million dollars for several organizations that combat slave trafficking in it's various forms. Their are many organisations you can get involved in if you want to help out.


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## earl40 (Jan 31, 2012)

This is a slight use of hyperbole in that most of these "sex slaves" are there because of their own free will, which is usually is tainted by drug abuse and other factors that has lead them towards this lifestyle.


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## Scottish Lass (Jan 31, 2012)

They busted a huge ring here in a suburb of Louisville last year that involved dozens of women rotated among three states. They operated out of a house on a street much like my own. It's terrifying to think how common it is. Most of the women had had their identification stolen by the men (and women!) running the ring, which caused even more problems for the survivors/victims.


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## Weston Stoler (Jan 31, 2012)

earl40 said:


> This is a slight use of hyperbole in that most of these "sex slaves" are there because of their own free will, which is usually is tainted by drug abuse and other factors that has lead them towards this lifestyle.



If it can be termed sex slavery then it is not of their own free will, so no that would be an incorrect statement. To say that most of what is called sex slavery is not actually slavery is something I can see. However to say that someone goes into sex slavery of their own free will is an ignorant statement.


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## Christopher88 (Jan 31, 2012)

Weston Stoler said:


> Their are many organisations you can get involved in if you want to help out


List their links please.

This needs to stops. As Christians we need to bring the gospel to the hurting, try to bring it to the pimps if not we need to take proper action with law enforcement to put an end to human trafficking. God help us as your Saints, to do this. To stop evil.


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## RobertPGH1981 (Jan 31, 2012)

That is crazy. I knew this went on but not at the level described in the article. I was always under the impression that prostitutes are in bondage to this lifestyle because they are addicted to drugs. They are also trapped because the people in charge constantly insulting them and bringing them down. They feel like they are worthless and deserve the way they are being treated. I used to watch a show on A&E called Project Runaway (different from "Project Runway"). It was a retired Police offer that worked as a private detective tracking runaway teenagers. Most of the time it was young teenage girls caught up in this lifestyle. Another show called Kidnap and Rescue on the Discovery channel showed many stories when children were kidnapped in the US, and were brought into 3rd word countries and sold as sexual slaves. 

It is a very depraved world we live in..


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## rookie (Jan 31, 2012)

I know there is one girl in our church that is VERY active in this...she has the heart of a soldier and has made some presentations on it. But I agree, we should be more involved in stopping this. My big fear however, is that there are some "Christians" that are falling to their lust and participating in this as well, in secret of course.


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## Kim G (Jan 31, 2012)

I had a coworker whose teenage sister was a prostitute on the streets because she needed to get her drug fix. The problem is, many girls don't realize what they're getting into and can get caught in awful situations that become nearly impossible to get out of (like pimps who take almost all their money and threaten to kill the girl's family if she doesn't make a certain amount or blows the pimp's cover). Praise the Lord, this girl was able to get out of her situation, turned to Christ, stopped prostituting, stopped doing drugs, and is now married. Others are not so lucky.


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## J. Dean (Jan 31, 2012)

I have mixed feelings on this.

Is it a terrible trade? Absolutely. Even worse to see that such things happen in the United States.

But as I said elsewhere, exactly what are we supposed to do? Am I allowed to go take my shotgun and start taking out the people responsible for this trade? Am I supposed to give voice about it and say "It's wrong"? Am I supposed to write my legislator? Give money? Join the police? Yes, I realize I can join organizations, but to be honest it seems as if joining an activist organization more often than not simply becomes like one of those ribbon causes that becomes nothing more than symbolic care. This sounds more like a matter for civil government to be active in, as it is the job of government to administer the sword of justice.

The other thing I'm worrying about is that this is a "safe sin," meaning it's something that doesn't offend anybody in the world because even blatant non-Christians for the most part oppose sex trafficking. It's easy to join a cause when everybody and their brother with half a moral standard agrees with you; the challenge is taking a more unpopular stance on something, and my concern is that this will become an "easy out" to avoid matters that the world and the church butt heads on. 

So while this is being addressed, let's be careful not to let our good intentions turn into a distraction from the Great Commission.


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## jwithnell (Jan 31, 2012)

Another part of the scam is to import women and children, then retain their passports and threaten them with arrest if they try to leave. I suspect this is even worse now because the US/Mexican border is practically run by the drug gangs, so getting through can exact a very high price. 

(And this is nothing new -- Japanese women were forced out to the islands with the fighting troops in WW 2 for the "comfort" of the Japanese soldiers.)

I'm at a loss too about what we can do. Our local homeless shelter is seeing more and more teens; right now, it appears they are mostly with their families.


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## Weston Stoler (Jan 31, 2012)

Sonny said:


> Weston Stoler said:
> 
> 
> > Their are many organisations you can get involved in if you want to help out
> ...



Home - Hagar USA
Not For Sale: End Human Trafficking and Slavery
Welcome to the A21 Campaign

and I am sure you can find more to do on the "Do Something Now Campaign"

Giving to causes that fight the injustice of slave and sex trafficking is the best way to help, another way to help is to identify what is being made by slave labor (a lot of things) and refused to buy them. The Government has a list of things that are made by slave labor, http://www.dol.gov/ilab/programs/ocft/PDF/2011TVPRA.pdf

At the end of the day their is nothing we can do but urge our law makers to make anti-slavery issues a front issue, this is an issue as big as abortion. A modern day injustice.

---------- Post added at 11:41 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:38 AM ----------

If you would like to get your church involved in the ministry of HAGAR then I have contacts with a women in the ministry and would love to get you connected. They are very excited to partner with churches.


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## Rufus (Jan 31, 2012)

Britt said:


> That is awful! This is the kind of thing you'd expect in India and other countries, but I had no idea it was such a problem here in the states, and at the Super Bowl!



I think it could be said that much of the trafficking in the United States is among illegal immigrants (most sex slaves in the U.S. are brought over from Latin America or elsewhere) and the poor, so we rarely recognize it.


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## J. Dean (Jan 31, 2012)

Rufus said:


> Britt said:
> 
> 
> > That is awful! This is the kind of thing you'd expect in India and other countries, but I had no idea it was such a problem here in the states, and at the Super Bowl!
> ...



If that is the case, cracking down on illegals would stop a good portion of this.


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## Scottish Lass (Jan 31, 2012)

Expanded article on the issue (also names some organizations that fight trafficking) in our local paper today. Scope of Indianapolis child sex trafficking elusive | The Courier-Journal | courier-journal.com


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## Andres (Jan 31, 2012)

J. Dean said:


> Rufus said:
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> > Britt said:
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## lynnie (Jan 31, 2012)

The situation in Romania and Eastern Europe in general is horrific. They promise the girls a job as a nanny or waitress or some such thing and haul them off to brothels, either local or in the Arab states. They are usually dead within 10 years. Theer is also a big market in kidneys- sell a kidney for maybe hundreds or a thousand dollars, the middle man on the street gets 10 or 15 grand, the recipient can pay out as much as $100,000 to get it. Our missionary contact in Romania says his (former gypsy orphans) get accosted constantly to sell kidneys. Brotheling the orphans when they get out at age 18 is so bad that sometimes the orphanages inform the traffickers when girls will be released, the girls have nowhere to go and are duped by promises of a job, and the orphange worker gets a kickback. 

One of the best things you can do is support a ministry to street kids. It gives them at least a chance, however small, to escape the whole depraved situation. There are millions of street kids all over the world and they are all at risk for trafficking, but Christian ministries among them are working to feed, educate, and teach the gospel.


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## py3ak (Jan 31, 2012)

J. Dean said:


> I have mixed feelings on this.
> 
> Is it a terrible trade? Absolutely. Even worse to see that such things happen in the United States.
> 
> ...



This doesn't seem to be an area that permits of too much variety in your feelings about it.

What are you supposed to do? Well you can start by doing as much as in you lies to make sure that someone who has a problem can ask for help without being silenced by shame. That a girl could be blackmailed into prostitution for fear of her parents' reaction, for fear of her priest's reaction, is a terrible thing. Obviously anyone experiencing such things will feel shame; but they should know that those around would _help_ rather than excoriate. Cases of child abuse in Reformed and conservative circles have not always been well handled. According to our callings and stations, we should be vigilant to prevent any further such miscarriages.

The Great Commission is the ultimate answer to this problem: we don't have to choose.


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## Rufus (Jan 31, 2012)

J. Dean said:


> Rufus said:
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> > Britt said:
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Or move it below the border, I believe prostitution is legal and regulated in Mexico.


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## Pergamum (Jan 31, 2012)

J. Dean said:


> I have mixed feelings on this.
> 
> Is it a terrible trade? Absolutely. Even worse to see that such things happen in the United States.
> 
> ...



J. Dean:




> So while this is being addressed, let's be careful not to let our good intentions turn into a distraction from the Great Commission.



If this is really so truly bad in the US, then there should be plenty of US-Christians who have no plans of going overseas who can tackle these problems without any loss of personnel from foreign fields.

---------- Post added at 12:42 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:35 AM ----------




Scottish Lass said:


> They busted a huge ring here in a suburb of Louisville last year that involved dozens of women rotated among three states. They operated out of a house on a street much like my own. It's terrifying to think how common it is. Most of the women had had their identification stolen by the men (and women!) running the ring, which caused even more problems for the survivors/victims.



Wow, in Louiseville?


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## Scottish Lass (Jan 31, 2012)

Pergamum said:


> ---------- Post added at 12:42 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:35 AM ----------
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In J-town, technically, but yeah.


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## Edward (Jan 31, 2012)

Pergamum said:


> Is this being over-hyped,



Yes. 

Similar organizations pulled the same stunt in Dallas last year. The reporters who dug beyond the press releases debunked the bulk of the scare stories. 

I won't link to the weekly paper that did most of the work, since there is much that is unwholesome in it, but it does excellent investigative reporting, and I'll trust them over organizations with agenda$.


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## J. Dean (Jan 31, 2012)

py3ak said:


> This doesn't seem to be an area that permits of too much variety in your feelings about it.


 Forgive me if I sound like I'm being overly-reluctant, but I've too often seen well-intentioned movements turn into substitutes for the gospel instead of the results of gospel living. I've seen churches take good causes-legitamately good ones, to be sure-and make them the center of church, and the gospel is set aside as "something to include once in a while," while the social causes become the be-all-end-all of Christianity a la social gospel. I just don't want to see the church turn into merely another activist group is all, and the temptation to fall into this is easier than some people think. The Flint area in Michigan is full of churches like this, and not all of them are necessarily theologically liberal ones.



> What are you supposed to do? Well you can start by doing as much as in you lies to make sure that someone who has a problem can ask for help without being silenced by shame. That a girl could be blackmailed into prostitution for fear of her parents' reaction, for fear of her priest's reaction, is a terrible thing. Obviously anyone experiencing such things will feel shame; but they should know that those around would _help_ rather than excoriate. Cases of child abuse in Reformed and conservative circles have not always been well handled. According to our callings and stations, we should be vigilant to prevent any further such miscarriages.
> 
> The Great Commission is the ultimate answer to this problem: we don't have to choose.


And insofar as I can directly affect that, I completely agree. If I ever found out that something like this was happening, you bet that I'd be giving the cops a call on it. As a teacher, I'm on the lookout for it, and am required by law (not to mention my duty to God as a Christian) to report anything to my superiors. As a Christian, I know to be ready to minister to anyone hurting in any way I can. I pray that God may grant me that opportunity on a regular basis.

---------- Post added at 09:05 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:03 PM ----------




Pergamum said:


> If this is really so truly bad in the US, then there should be plenty of US-Christians who have no plans of going overseas who can tackle these problems without any loss of personnel from foreign fields.


And as I said to py3ak, insofar as that comes across my life directly I am more than ready and willing to act accordingly.


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## Weston Stoler (Jan 31, 2012)

The point of the matter is, their is sex trafficking. No matter if it is hyped up or not it should be stopped. I don't see it being a substitution for evangelism considering you should be witnessing to people regardless of what causes you are for. It isn't the cause or the passion for a cause that stops evangelism, it is the person themselves.


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## Hamalas (Feb 4, 2012)

Wichita is a huge center for this (because of our central location) so it's something that I've been aware of for awhile.

Two things that Christians can do:

1) Thoughtfully and persistently urge and encourage the civil magistrate to crack down on this problem.

&

2) Be faithful in the work of the church _particularly_ to those in these types of situations. Be fervent in prayer and bold in evangelism. The "authorities" may be able to curb some of the symptoms of this problem but it will take the Holy Spirit working through the church to truly produce change.


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## John Bunyan (Feb 4, 2012)

In my country poor persons are promissed jobs in the USA/EU and, arriving there as illegals, are enslaved by their companions. This is not really as widespread as one may think (I mean, there are 27 million slaves and 7 billiong humans in this planet) but it does happen sometimes, especially in the poorest places of our northeast and on the south (where there is the largest percentage of white women, whom americans and european prefer).

On another thought, however, I must say: although those slaves are usually from poor countries, their traffickers (or their abusers) are not - as is the case with drugs, which are made in Mexico, Afghanistan, Colombia and Bolivia but mostly bought in rich countries. - by the way, is really sad that only the US and Colombia seem to really fight against drugs.


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## Pergamum (Feb 4, 2012)

John Bunyan said:


> In my country poor persons are promissed jobs in the USA/EU and, arriving there as illegals, are enslaved by their companions. This is not really as widespread as one may think (I mean, there are 27 million slaves and 7 billiong humans in this planet) but it does happen sometimes, especially in the poorest places of our northeast and on the south (where there is the largest percentage of white women, whom americans and european prefer).
> 
> On another thought, however, I must say: although those slaves are usually from poor countries, their traffickers (or their abusers) are not - as is the case with drugs, which are made in Mexico, Afghanistan, Colombia and Bolivia but mostly bought in rich countries. - by the way, is really sad that only the US and Colombia seem to really fight against drugs.



What can churches do to help this situation, especially in areas where there are lots of immigrants?


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## Miss Marple (Feb 5, 2012)

It occurs to me that one way to think of this terrible phenomenon is to realize that, without customers, there is no profit in keeping these women/children/boys? in this type of slavery.

So the preaching of the gospel and holding men (? I assume the customers are men) would be, from my perspective, a very effective effort.

How to find these men? How to approach them? How to hold them accountable? How to discourage them from this evil?

It seems a combination of gospel preaching, witnessing, intervention, public awareness-type campaigns, and civil government involvement would all be called for.


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## John Bunyan (Feb 5, 2012)

Pergamum said:


> John Bunyan said:
> 
> 
> > In my country poor persons are promissed jobs in the USA/EU and, arriving there as illegals, are enslaved by their companions. This is not really as widespread as one may think (I mean, there are 27 million slaves and 7 billiong humans in this planet) but it does happen sometimes, especially in the poorest places of our northeast and on the south (where there is the largest percentage of white women, whom americans and european prefer).
> ...


Well, I think they may denounce these evil actions to raise public awareness. Concern should also be shown to the government, wich should be harder on that crime, punishing both traffickers and 'consumers'. Churches could also confront the traffickers directly, looking for them in such events and calling the police.

But the most simple answer would be to offer support for these arriving immigrants and trying to give them opportunities of living, by teaching them english, law and all that stuff - but without breaking the law by giving to much support for the occurrance of illegal immigration.

Well, sorry. I just saw that I wrote a lot but said nothing.


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## Pergamum (Feb 5, 2012)

John,

So if churches reached out to new immigrants more, we could identify and stop some of this trafficking, right? Welcome immigrants into services, have Spanish-language services, emergency food-pantries, etc, for the poor?


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## Scottish Lass (Feb 5, 2012)

But, at least in our area, the women are hidden away.


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## Brother John (Feb 5, 2012)

Weston Stoler said:


> You know their are more than 27 Million slaves (including sex and Child slaves) around the world. Sex slavery can start as early as 4 years old. In the US it mostly manifests its self in prostitution. Women being taken off the street and told that if they don't work for you then you will kill them and their family. This stuff is real. *Their are more slaves today then the entire history of man*.



Weston I am not trying to minimize or blow off the issue but are you sure about that last statistic in your statement, do you have a source for those numbers. Considering that slavery was very common world wide throughout history I find it hard to believe there are more slaves living today than all slaves in history combined. I am not attacking your passion for working to eradicate this evil, its evil no matter what the numbers are.


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## Scottish Lass (Feb 5, 2012)

Brother John said:


> Weston Stoler said:
> 
> 
> > You know their are more than 27 Million slaves (including sex and Child slaves) around the world. Sex slavery can start as early as 4 years old. In the US it mostly manifests its self in prostitution. Women being taken off the street and told that if they don't work for you then you will kill them and their family. This stuff is real. *Their are more slaves today then the entire history of man*.
> ...


The formatting below is odd, but the bolded appears in Wiki's history of slavery article but is footnoted as attributed to the link below.

By E. Benjamin Skinner Monday, 18 Jan. 2010 (2010-01-18). "sex trafficking in South Africa: World Cup slavery fear". _Time_. Retrieved 2010-08-29 as Footnote 7 History of slavery - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## Miss Marple (Feb 6, 2012)

I don't know. It's hard for me to imagine that the women/boys who are sex slaves are just running around free to go to church, go to English classes, visit an emergency food pantry.

I imagine them being sequestered and not given any liberty.

So I don't know how you would get access to them, except for maybe an isolated opportunity here and there. I don't know much about what goes on.

The customers, however, are free men. It seems to me they'd be easier to intercept.


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## Pergamum (Feb 6, 2012)

Miss Marple said:


> I don't know. It's hard for me to imagine that the women/boys who are sex slaves are just running around free to go to church, go to English classes, visit an emergency food pantry.
> 
> I imagine them being sequestered and not given any liberty.
> 
> ...



Good points. 

If this is true, it sounds like the church can only get involved after law enforcement takes back these women. However, if these women/kids are illegals, are they merely returned back to their home nation (without receiving any sort of aid or counseling)?


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## Dwimble (Feb 6, 2012)

This is a subject very important to our family. We've been supporting *International Justice Mission (IJM)* for awhile now. It is an excellent organization that is fighting slavery and human trafficking around the world.


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## Scottish Lass (Feb 6, 2012)

Pergamum said:


> Miss Marple said:
> 
> 
> > I don't know. It's hard for me to imagine that the women/boys who are sex slaves are just running around free to go to church, go to English classes, visit an emergency food pantry.
> ...


In the case I mentioned, that wasn't possible, either. No documents/ID means no way to verify where they should go or to make another country take them. By the time one adds in the time and effort trying to determine any of that, I imagine it was easier to let them stay here for the time being. I honestly don't know how all of it was resolved.


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## Brother John (Feb 6, 2012)

Scottish Lass said:


> Brother John said:
> 
> 
> > Weston Stoler said:
> ...




Anna thanks for the link. I did read it and this is the portion of the Time article that speaks to the numbers:


> Despite more than a dozen international conventions banning slavery in the past 150 years, there are more slaves today than at any point in human history. Slaves are those forced to perform services for no pay beyond subsistence and for the profit of others who hold them through fraud and violence.
> 
> Read more: Sex Trafficking in South Africa: World Cup Slavery Fear - TIME


Only problem is there are no citations to where the author got the numbers from. As I said earlier I do not discount the evil of this activity I would just like to read the statistics that verify that today there are more living slaves than all slaves in history combined. Thanks again for the link


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## Scottish Lass (Feb 6, 2012)

I agree--the _Time_ author has no citation, but that's not unusual. I found all that with less than thirty seconds of searching. I imagine five minutes would get you hard data. I've seen the claim in reputable sources.


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## jogri17 (Feb 7, 2012)

Yes, sadly. I know a Canadian girl who thought that she was supposed to be doing a semester abroad while in college at 18 or 19 in South America through a small company in Montréal and was held captive for about 1.5 years there untill her home Church got her out. Out of shame she never went to the police and she just moved to a different city.


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## Miss Marple (Feb 7, 2012)

How horrid. Ministry to her leaps to mind. Like I said in my previous post, I think it is hard to find these women/boys, but when one pops up there you are, there is someone to help.

Makes me want to take out an ad in Soldier of Fortune and send a team down to the South American location! Can nothing be done?


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## Pilgrim (Feb 7, 2012)

With the end of the worldwide economic crisis nowhere in sight, it is to be feared that this problem is only going to worsen with desperate parents either selling or abandoning their children. This article about children being abandoned by their parents in Greece is one example, and the juxtaposition of the story with the typical fixation on celebrity culture is telling.


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