Warning: There is a lot of trigger information in this article. It's not pretty. It will make you feel kind of awful. But it's real, and we should be aware of it.
The three cheers? These are not happy-fun cheers. They are relieved cheers. Angry cheers. We want to see these people behind bars, cheers.
We will not take this sitting down.
That's what the FBI said this past week when they instigated a sting-sweep that rescued 84 children and led to the arrest of 120 sex traffickers. One hundred and twenty. Just in case you didn't think it was that big of a problem in the U.S. This sting took took place over the course of four days; from October 12 to October 15. (Sting)
You think that's troubling? How about the discovery that a 5-year-old girl and her 3-month-old sister were up for sale? 600 dollars for the pair? The sickness that has enveloped the dark corners of the world is being exposed. This is my soapbox. My cause. I need this to not be okay in any part of the world. Because I have children. And if you don't, does it really matter? You were a child once. You might have nieces and nephews and neighbors. Think about that. Think about that cute 12-year-old girl around the corner.
Human trafficking of any kind shouldn't exist. While I can't understand why anybody would want to exploit another human being this way, I want to stop it from happening. I can't do much, but here's what I can do:
Operation Underground Railroad is a great site to follow. They are on facebook and instagram, and you can volunteer, donate, spread the word, etc. For someone like me, it's a great way to get involved when you don't otherwise know how.
Fight Human Trafficking on CNN lists 7 sites with information on safe houses, rehabilitation centers, education, therapy, and more. Education is one of the best ways we can help with this effort. It was only a few years ago that I realized human trafficking even existed, and I was disgusted.
Live Your Dream is also dedicated to helping educate the world about sex trafficking as well as provide support for victims. Their site awakens us to the fact that this can happen anywhere, even in my safe little corner of town. I recently read about a woman that had a strange experience at a Target just a couple of miles from my house. She was approached by two women who wanted to hold her baby. One of the women kept looking at her two-year-old daughter and wanted to hold her as well. When the mom told them "NO," they asked if they could just touch their faces (or pinch their cheeks), and that's when more red flags went up. The mom gave them another firm no, got in her car, and drove away. She then reported to incident to police, who said that wasn't the first call they'd had that week about the same problem.
Really, just be aware. Take notice. Spread the word. If that's the least we can do, then we do it. We are all humans. Children, especially, need advocates. They have been taken from their homes and from lives that could have been. When I think about my own kids, I know I have to be extra cautious. I have to be on alert. Don't let anyone tell you that you have to let creepy people touch your kids because you have to be nice. The good in humanity is not letting people take advantage of you. It's standing up. Protecting those you love.
We are coming for them.
The three cheers? These are not happy-fun cheers. They are relieved cheers. Angry cheers. We want to see these people behind bars, cheers.
We will not take this sitting down.
That's what the FBI said this past week when they instigated a sting-sweep that rescued 84 children and led to the arrest of 120 sex traffickers. One hundred and twenty. Just in case you didn't think it was that big of a problem in the U.S. This sting took took place over the course of four days; from October 12 to October 15. (Sting)
You think that's troubling? How about the discovery that a 5-year-old girl and her 3-month-old sister were up for sale? 600 dollars for the pair? The sickness that has enveloped the dark corners of the world is being exposed. This is my soapbox. My cause. I need this to not be okay in any part of the world. Because I have children. And if you don't, does it really matter? You were a child once. You might have nieces and nephews and neighbors. Think about that. Think about that cute 12-year-old girl around the corner.
Human trafficking of any kind shouldn't exist. While I can't understand why anybody would want to exploit another human being this way, I want to stop it from happening. I can't do much, but here's what I can do:
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| Operation Underground Railroad |
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| CNN Ways to Help |
 |
| Live Your Dream |
Really, just be aware. Take notice. Spread the word. If that's the least we can do, then we do it. We are all humans. Children, especially, need advocates. They have been taken from their homes and from lives that could have been. When I think about my own kids, I know I have to be extra cautious. I have to be on alert. Don't let anyone tell you that you have to let creepy people touch your kids because you have to be nice. The good in humanity is not letting people take advantage of you. It's standing up. Protecting those you love.
We are coming for them.
Works Cited
"FBI Sex Trafficking Sting Rescues 84 Children - Including a 3-month Old Girl." Madan, Monique. Miami Herald, 19 Oct 2017. Accessed 20 Oct 2017. http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/national/article179874941.html
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