This evening I will be presenting my last talk for the year on the issue of human trafficking and slavery, specifically, sex slavery. In my work with TEAR Fund I have done many talks throughout the year on this issue, from all girls high-school classes, through to tonight’s presentation to a Rotary Club. I’ve spoken in schools, churches, on the radio, and various other places. I’ve also done short talks as well as lengthy workshops and I’ve learned a lot along the way.
TEAR Fund has been involved in this issue for many years but this year we’ve really stepped it up and have been working hard to highlight the amazing efforts of our partner organisations whom we support in the areas of prevention, rescue, rehabilitation of victims, and prosecution of the perpetrators.
To truly work out what we needed to be doing we first did some market research to find out how much the general public actually knew/knows about the issues of trafficking and slavery and what is known. Our research surprised us. We found that much of the general public doesn’t actually know that there is a problem, that modern slavery is a thing. When you’re in our circles it’s generally well known and the natural next step is the question of what we’re going to do about it, but that’s not where the wider population is at.
With that in mind I stepped back and immersed myself in getting to know the issue well, so we could craft a good introductory level approach to the problem. Over the last year I’ve gotten to know as much about the issue as I could. I’m no expert but I’ve found out a bit more than the average person. I’ve learned statistics, read information, gotten to know the stories of girls and women who have been brutalised by the sex slavery industry and those who have been freed and rehabilitated. I’ve looked at the links with various forms of commercialised sex – prostitution and pornography. I’ve been disturbed, had sleepless nights, cried and attended counselling sessions.
Out of it all I’ve produced an introductory paper, given plenty of talks, and I have an introductory study booklet for individuals and small groups that is currently in the hands of our graphic designer. TEAR Fund will be publishing that in the near future. Most of all though, I’ve watched the lights being turned on for people. I’ve watched the shock on the faces of people, young and old, as I’ve shared the reality of this issue in our world and they’ve encountered it for the first time. I’ve watched it land for people of faith as they’ve realised that doing something about issues like this is what we’re supposed to be about. I’ve watched people light up in churches as they’ve heard about the historical part that people of faith have played in fighting this problem with one simple truth in mind – that every person is created in the image of God and endowed with dignity and freedom that we have a duty to uphold it.
When I’ve spoken I’ve seen the passion of young people wanting to run at the problem with full force. I’ve encountered the tears of mothers as they’ve considered what it would mean if their own children were taken. I’ve seen men express an anger at the problem and wanting to get in the fight. I’ve also see many land a realisation of the part we might all be playing in perpetuating the problem, and venturing into the challenge to change so we can be part of shaping a better world for all.
You see, finding out about the problem of human trafficking and slavery doesn’t end with us all knowing just a little bit more about another of the world’s problems, walking away, and saying ‘that was interesting.’ Finding out about it is just the beginning. From there it continues with a determination to live differently. That difference may be throwing ourselves into the fight of the abolitionist, or supporting an organisation like TEAR Fund in that fight, but it may also be as simple as reorienting our lives so that we no longer enslave others in any way – we no longer turn others into a product serving our wants and desires, and we no longer stand idly by and allow the culture around us to cheapen and turn others into a commodity, including where this involves our sexuality or that of others. No person is a commodity.
Whilst tonight marks the last public talk I have on the issue for this year and I’m looking forward to a rest, I’ll be back into it next year. If you’d like to explore the possibility of having me to talk about the issues of human trafficking and slavery to a group you’re connected with, use the contact page here on this site and we can chat.