What do you do when you see a young girl dressed scantily? Do you move your family as far away from her as you can, hoping they didn’t notice her? Do you reach out to her, hoping to learn if she’s in trouble or not?
Domestic sex trafficking is a real and growing issue.
We’d all like to think it only takes place in third world countries, but the reality is it takes place not only in our nation, but in our cities and neighborhoods.
According to Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute, the term sex trafficking means,
the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for the purpose of a commercial sex act.”
But what does that look like? How are you and I to determine if the person we’re looking at in a fast food restaurant or the mall is a victim of sex trafficking? Are there clues? Is there a checklist?
Actually, we’ve learned a great deal from survivors of sex trafficking as well as from those who have rescued them. We’ve been able to formulate lists of indicators of sex trafficking. You can go to my website and find a variety of free resources, including PDFs of indicators of sex trafficking to print off, review and share with your friends.
But how great would it be if there was an APP for that, as there seems to be for everything else?
Well, thanks to Resolution Hope there is. You can now go to the iTunes store and download an APP called Abolitionist U to your smartphone for $.99. This APP provides a list of indicators for medical providers, general public, educators, law enforcement, and counselors.
Once you tap on the designation that applies to you, a list of indicators will pop up. Tap on the ones you see present. If you tap on eight of the indicators, you’ll be directed on how to connect to the proper law enforcement or rescue resource in the area, using your GPS tracking device in your smartphone. If you don’t see eight of the indicators present, but you still feel something is just off about the situation, you can still report the crime by sliding the menu to the right and clicking law enforcement offices. You will see a map indicating your location and a red button that says call where you can report your findings and allow the experts to get involved.
Never make an attempt to intervene on your own. Sex trafficking is a very lucrative business and, therefore, those involved in it may be armed and very dangerous. There’s no need to try and go all Liam Neeson on your own. Allow the professionals to do their job.
From time to time we all get that sick feeling in the pit of our stomach that tells us something’s just not right. Some call it a gut instinct. I call it the Holy Spirit talking to me. Colossians 1:9 says,
For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding…”
In John 14:26 Jesus says,
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”
With the help of the Holy Spirit, we’ll be alerted to things that aren’t right. What we do with that knowledge is up to us. There are resources out there to help you. The difference between bondage and rescue may be as close as your smartphone. Is a girl’s freedom worth $.99 to you? If so, act today. Download the APP. Place the call. Get involved and raise your voice for hope.
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