MODERN DAY SLAVERY

Save and Free the Children (and adults!)

40.3 million people live in modern-day slavery because of human trafficking.

This stat is from The Global Slavery Index. It is our moral duty to protect the vulnerable and try to save those who are already being tortured, enslaved, and many times killed. 

Globally, over HALF of all children experience violence against them. That’s unacceptable. And too tragic for words.

Base case estimates showed a minimum of 50% or more of children in Asia, Africa, and Northern America experienced past-year violence, and that globally over half of all children—1 billion children, ages 2–17 years—experienced physical, sexual, or emotional violence or neglect in the past year. That is completely unacceptable. Many of these children are CONFINED, meaning they can’t leave the abuse, which means they are prisoners. Trapped. Far from free.

Living my blessed life feels bad sometimes.

When I work out in my exercise room in the mornings, or enjoy my daily coffee while I work on my business from my computer, or play with my baby in her beautiful, safe play room, many times I will pause and cry. Because these things that are important for my life, and for my family, can seem really trivial when I think of the tens of millions of little children and babies suffering in pain around the world at that very moment.

I will admit, there are nights when I am awake for hours thinking of a young child, much like my own little baby, on hard concrete or in a cage somewhere, crying out for love and help in that very moment. And being met with callousness, anger, abuse, torture, coldness, and nothing but unending suffering and pain. All while I’m lying there in my comfortable bed, secure with my family, surrounded by love. I grieve for these children.

Every single child in this world deserves freedom, love, affection, protection, and caring guardians.

They should feel valued, special, and safe. Every. Single. One.

Unfortunately, some of these children are harmed by the very people who should have loved and protected them, like family members. As is often the case, many of these predators are also in positions of trust and authority – like teachers, cops, pastors, government officials, etc. It’s very scary.

Child sex trafficking, child rape, child kidnappings, child torture…

these are things that are difficult for good people to stomach. Some will turn away from the stories. Some will try to block it out of their minds. But please don’t do that.

These little children have to live through the horror. The never-ending nightmare.

The least we can do is hear their stories. Know what they’ve been through. Pray for them. And figure out solutions so future children are not prey to this evil. There is raw, dark, scary, predatory evil in this world. And we need to be able to face it and fight it. We must know who our enemies are. But I know we must also find a way to still experience joy from the beauty and love in our lives.

Don’t let fear debilitate you. Hear and read these poor babies’ stories.

Find ways to help. And pray and thank God for the goodness that He has blessed this earth with, including the good things in your own life. #savethechildren

Let’s not forget the other innocents who are victims of slavery around the world. There are many adults, most likely many who started off as slave victims when they were children, who need saving as well.

The situation can seem hopeless and devastating, but there are always solutions…below I offer some.

  1. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/violence-against-children

  2. https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2016/01/25/peds.2015-4079

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