What exactly is Trafficking?

Its January and with that brings human trafficking awareness month. Over the next couple weeks, we will be giving you a glimpse into trafficking and the different elements associated with it. First off, I want to start with a quick overview of what trafficking is and who it effects.

Human Trafficking by definition is the recruitment, transportation, or harboring of an individual by threat, force or coercion. There are different forms of trafficking that occur from forced labor, to selling an individual for sex, to requiring payment of sexual acts for products such as drugs, alcohol...all the way to taking a person for the use of their organs. This crime hugely impacts people who are the most vulnerable such as those effected by poverty, substance abuse, physical abuse, foster care, and lack of education. It is not however limited to this demographic, we have seen many cases where woman and young girls of all demographics are simply lured in by manipulation of a boyfriend or family member.  Many offenders of sex trafficking cases involve a family member or close friend.  

Andrew and I primarily work towards fighting sex trafficking through helping create employment for woman who have been formerly exploited by this industry and by raising awareness for this growing problem. You may be wondering how creating work is helping fight this problem? By placing these woman in an environment where they can learn a trade, find healing and restoration, they very powerfully become the change in their own culture and communities. We have seen over and over that real change comes when people within their own culture are raised up and empowered to pioneer a new path for the people around them.  This is our hope for the woman we work with in Thailand and we have already seen much evidence of this happening.

We always welcome those that want to be a part of creating change.