Two Very Common Ways Teen Girls Get Trafficked

She's young and looking for someone to give her value and worth through what she calls love. He finds her on the internet...

She needs a job, and a friend takes her hand and says she'll provide...

The video below is Chinese, showing that this problem is not just in our country but worldwide. It is worth watching. In it you hear the stories from girls, what they are thinking along the process of getting trapped.

On the site, the creators posted, "This DVD will be shown in middle and high schools all over China. We have also posted it on many Chinese websites, please pray this video will be a big hit and many young women will be warned about the dangers of traffickers."

I wish we had something like this showing in American schools! The average age for a girls in the US to get trafficked is 12-14, when they are young enough to often not know the dangers. A video like this makes them aware enough so that, if confronted with such situations, they will know to think twice before assuming what's presented to them is good.



Once a girl is trafficked, her life span lowers to an average of only 5 years. Better than rescuing them after they are trafficked is rescuing them before they are trafficked. Videos like this help do that. Feel free to pass it along!


Related Posts: Trafficking and Your Teens-the Day I got Propositioned Online

Trafficking, 12-year-olds, and Willow Smith's new Music Video

Trafficking and Your Teens--the Day I Got Propositioned Online

I'm not a teenager. I'm not gorgeous and don't post photos of myself on Facebook wearing low tops or bikinis (we can all say thanks for that!). Nevertheless, I've been propositioned online. The first time, I wasn't sure that's what it was, wrote the guy back, etc. I think of that now and wonder how many women or girls, younger than me, who aren't aware of the tactics, have encountered that situation and walked right into something dangerous.

If you have teens, or even for yourself, those natural internal red flags could save your life. For young people, though, their familiarity with social media might bypass some of those things we'd recognize as predatory, leaving them more vulnerable.

So what happened with me? I sold my hair online. If you've ever read The Gift of the Magi, you may sigh at my idea of selling my waist-long hair to buy Christmas gifts for my husband one year (yes, that really is why, and yes, I do love that story so it felt pretty cool doing it in real life). I had found a website where you could sell your hair, like selling an outfit on e-bay to people who use it to make wigs or dolls or whatever. I thought that was pretty exciting, so took pictures of my long, thick hair and posted them. No pictures of my face. No personal info.

The 14 inches of hair I sold.

I heard back from one guy who offered a certain amount and I was to send the hair to him after I got it cut according to his very specific directions.

I heard from another guy who offered more than double that other offer, and he liked to cut the hair himself, so could I meet him at his office after hours or at a hotel?

Red flag. I thought that was strange, but being new to this, I wondered if I was overreacting. When my husband came home, I had him read the message, and it wasn't unclear to him at all. Then I mentioned the price he offered to the other guy who wanted to buy my hair and he wrote back saying, "You don't know much about men, do you?"

Guess not. Not those kind of men anyway!

On to the next situation. This one wasn't so creepy, just some guy who wanted to friend me on Facebook. I get a lot of friend requests from people I've met at speaking events or who have read my books, so I accepted this guy's not thinking much it. Here's part of the message I got next...


...When i saw your profile,i was thrilled,every thing about you interests me,you look honest,caring,and above all you are beautiful.I want to have a communication with you and see where it leads us,do not mind the age difference as its onlya number while distance can be countered with a good communication...

Even if the grammar and punctuation hadn't been atrocious, the man's suggestions let me know I didn't want to be his friend after all. But then I think of young girls who might get a message like that, one that is well-written, accompanied by a picture of, say, a seventeen-year-old guy, who tells them they are beautiful, they could be a model, who feeds into their desire for worth and acceptance. In time, this new "friend," suggests they meet somewhere, emphasizing the appealing secrecy of their relationship, telling them not to tell anyone and to come alone.

Most of us would have red flags waving all over the place, but what if you're a girl in a lousy home situation, you desperately want to escape, and he's offering a way out? What if you're insecure and he makes you feel like you matter? What if whoever he is begins posing as a girl the same age and you've decided she's your best friend and the only person you can trust?

The internet has become a large playground for predators, and this is one of the ways trafficking happens.

This post isn't to scare you into never letting your kids touch a computer. However, it is to warn you what is out there, and hopefully give you some ways to avoid the dangers, such as:

1. From the beginning, make it clear with your children that you have access to every social media account your kids have. They'll think it's mean. Do it anyway.

2. Every once in awhile, check into their accounts, see what kinds of friends they have, what kinds of posts they make. For one, it will help you know them better, for another, it will give you a springboard of topics to talk about, and for another, you may feel those red flags in places they might not. I'd actually recommend doing this with them present, try to make it an opportunity to get to meet their friends and see what's important to them.

3. Care more about them than what they think of you. If it comes down to it, don't let them continue a dangerous behavior or friendship just because you don't want them mad at you. I think of that girl who got raped in Steubenville. Why were no parents mentioned in regard to that entire night? Did none of those parents care that their teens were in compromising positions? I don't know, but I wonder if there were worried parents all over town that night, who had allowed their kids to go to that party because they didn't want to say no and have their kids be unpopular or upset, hoping it would work out. It didn't work out.

4. Know what to do. The guy who wanted me to meet him in a hotel--I wanted to report him but had no idea how to, so I didn't. He probably moved on to someone more vulnerable, or who really needed the money, and fed his line to her. Please memorize the trafficking phone number (which didn't exist back then) and use it if you suspect any predatory activity. 1-888-373-7888

5. Point out situations and teach your kids to be aware, and what to do if they see something. A friend just yesterday told me she'd seen something at night in her small, nice little town. She described what she saw and right away I gave her the trafficking hotline. The thing that bothered her most was all the people who saw and moved on, not doing anything about it. People who don't know what to do often do nothing. Don't be that person when it comes to your teens.

That's all I have for the moment, but what about you? Any thoughts to add from your own knowledge and experience?

Why Her? How Pimps Target Trafficking Victims (Guest Post by Shared Hope)

In 1943, Abraham Maslow published “A Theory of Human Motivation.” His theory is that humans have a hierarchy of needs ranging from the most fundamental needs at the lowest level to the need for self-actualization at the highest level. Humans can’t reach the next level of “need” until they achieve the prior level.

Here is a simple example of this concept:

But today traffickers are using this theory to identify the needs of our youth.

Traffickers may follow a recruitment process similar to this:

1. Identify the need of the child
2. Fulfill the need
3. Remove any other sources of need fulfillment 
4. Exploit the child’s dependence for need fulfillment by forcing them into prostitution

One reason traffickers pray on kids is because they are more vulnerable than adults. They are more naive, and at-risk kids who have experienced abuse or extreme conflict in their homes may not only be eager to run away, but may also be desperate for the love and attention of an adult. Many kids who run away from home do so because they experience abuse, or because a member of the family is an addict, is violent, or both. If runaways have nowhere to go – no friends or other family members they can rely on and trust – they need to find food and shelter someplace else, which makes them especially vulnerable to trafficking.

Here’s how a pimp might use Maslow’s theory:

“It could never happen to my child”

That’s what Brianna’s parents thought too. Unfortunately, the scary, inconvenient truth is that unless your child has reached self-actualization and has no further needs, they could unsuspectingly fall victim to a trafficker.

Brianna was a 17-year-old high school student, involved in cheerleading, taking college courses for an early start on her nursing degree and worked at a local restaurant with her sister. She had no idea that friendly conversations she had with a regular customer could end with a trafficking ring planning to transport her to Arizona, likely to be sold.

You are not powerless.

On the contrary, you are the best advocate we have. Know why? Because you are here, reading this article about an issue that has still barely crept on to the radar of our society.

If you know or meet a girl who exhibits some of these signs, don’t be afraid to ask questions:

• At risk of being homeless or running away from home
• Severe family issues like drug addiction, alcoholism or abuse
• Signs of fear, anxiety, depression, tension or nervousness
• Hyper-vigilant or paranoid behavior
• Interest in relationships with older men
• Unexplained shopping trips or purchases of new clothing and/or jewelry, especially if the clothing is revealing or suggestive
• A “boyfriend” who seems overly-concerned with her whereabouts or is otherwise controlling

If she is in trouble, you may be the only one who tries to intervene. If you need help or guidance, or want to report a suspected case of human trafficking, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline: 888.373.7888.




Thank you for this post Shared Hope!

http://sharedhope.org/2013/04/10/why-her-what-you-need-to-know-about-how-pimps-choose/

Shared Hope International

 

Amber's African-Bead Necklaces Fight Human Trafficking!

I love hearing about people fighting human trafficking in creative ways, especially when I can share how you can join in.
Amber Hauser is one of those people. Her sister is going to South Africa to fight trafficking, and Amber is helping make it happen!
I'll let her tell you more about it . . .

Me and Dee-dee

My sister has had a heart for the people of Africa since spending time there in 2008/2009. This past year she felt another cause impressing upon her heart, the issue of human trafficking and slavery. As she served on different service projects through her church in the city of Atlanta, the burden became stronger. She met another young woman who had just returned from Africa serving with Beautiful Dream Society and was instantly drawn to the organization and mission. She began praying about the opportunity and eventually interviewed and was accepted to come and serve for a year in Lesotho with BDS. In a few weeks, she leaves behind all the comfort of the USA, her amazing church, her small group, her bible study, her job, her house, her car....her life....for a chance at helping hurting people.  I am significantly impacted by her choice to follow God in this journey and have to say that I could not be a more proud big sister!  I have a heart for these people as well, but I am not in a position in my life where I can forsake all and give up so much.  I could write a little check to help, but I just had this feeling in my heart, that I needed to do more.  That I had the ability to do more. I work for a talented jewelry designer part-time and started chatting with her about coming up with a necklace that I could sell to help her fund raise.  She helped me find the beautiful fair trade recycled glass beads made by village women in Africa.  She also donated supplies and helped me with design elements of Dee-dee's blog and the necklace website. Thank you, Samantha! I was hoping maybe I'd sell fifty, but was okay if it was less than that because it was more than my little check would be. But all my friends on facebook, instagram, and family and friends in person, blew me away.  As of today, almost 200 necklaces have sold!!  I'm overwhelmed and just humbled that God decided to use a few simple pretty necklaces to, not only help her fund-raise, but spread the word about human trafficking and Beautiful Dream Society! Because it is so much more than a $20 necklace:

 Read some of the statistics below about what the Beautiful Dream society has already accomplished just since 2010 in Lesotho, South Africa.

• Over 4,410 meals served in the Beautiful Dream Society Safe House for victims of human trafficking.
• Over 1,470 beds filled in the safe house.
• 31 victims of human trafficking fed, clothed, empowered, and loved.
• 9 (Xiu Li, Nthaby, Lebo, Maselai, Elsie, Ethel, Adanech, Mamasi, Khethang) survivors of human trafficking and 6 children assisted in our transition program with occupational and educational transition into society (Distance learning, sewing school, sewing instructor, driving school, farming job, baking business).
• 38 (2011-2012) awareness events presented to young people throughout the country of Lesotho to warn them of the dangers of human trafficking.
• First ever conviction of a human trafficking perpetrator in the country of Lesotho.
• Scholarships for young women and vulnerable orphans by providing their tuition and funding their school expenses. Without this assistance, these young people would not be able to attend school.
• Implemented life skills, creative arts, computer skills, English lessons, art therapy, group therapy, self-esteem & empowerment program into our Crisis Care Program.
• Clients placed in internships and employment.
• Implementation of skills and job training programs and income generating activities.
• Over twenty client appearances in court.
• BDS (Beautiful Dream Society) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Social Development.
• BDS maintains a strong partnership with the U.S Embassy.
• Developed and continued partnerships with several government ministries and non-governmental organization’s.
• BDS is a member and active participant of the Multi-Sectoral Committee. This committee is made up of government ministries and NGO’s in order to combat human trafficking in Lesotho. During these meetings we have assisted in drafting regulations for the Anti-Trafficking in Person’s Act of 2011, National Action Plan, the referral mechanisms and provided information to the U.S. State Department for the yearly Trafficking in Persons Report.

I don't know about you, but that gives me chill bumps.  THAT is what this is all about!  Every time you share about your necklace and share about this amazing organization, you can spread hope for some of the most helpless souls on our earth.    You can purchase your necklace or t-shirt HERE! You should also know that I am not making ANY money off of these!  I'm giving 100% of the profit straight to her fund-raising campaign!

Trafficking, 12-year-olds, and Willow Smith's new Music Video

I have spoken on human trafficking in churches and school, libraries and conference rooms, to groups of hundreds and groups of less than a dozen. I have researched and studied trafficking, and discovered things I have shared with many others. I have also discovered things so horrible I will never tell you.

Tonight, I came across Willow Smith's new music video about having a summer fling, and I'm so disturbed I can't not write about it. Not the video itself, or the music, but how it collides with something else--a statistic.

Willow Smith is twelve years old.

The average age for an American girl to get trafficked is 12-14.

Before you think I've gone off the deep end, let me share with you what was disturbing to me about the video, and then please take the time to let me say why.

What disturbed me about what I heard in the song:
1. She's taking walks at midnight and lying on the beach with a guy she barely knows.
2. She's calling him, he's calling her, hanging out, kissing.
3. She mentions many times, "It's just a couple months, but we do it anyway."
4. She talks about them saying, "I love you," when the whole song is about it being just a summer fling.
5. "You say that I'm the one. I say it's just for fun."

What disturbed me about what I saw in the video:
1. A twelve-year-old flirting, touching, being touched, by a guy she barely knows.
2. The guy being nowhere near twelve years old.
3. Lots of couples touching, including what I think was a lesbian couple (with colored hair and lots of tattoos--maybe to show her sense of diversity?)
4. Absolutely no adults anywhere.




Now, before you think I'm saying Willow Smith has anything to do with trafficking, I'll say now I seriously doubt she has any idea her music video and song present a recipe traffickers love.

And that's my point.

Back to the statistic that the average age for a girl to get trafficked is 12-14. Why do you think that is?

I don't think 12-14-year-olds are targeted because girls are most desirable at that age. Trafficking is exploiting vulnerability, and younger girls are more vulnerable to exploitation. They are ripe for targeting. They are easier to lie to, entice, and ultimately take into a world so destructive, the life expectancy is a mere five years.

Here's what I'm talking about. Willow Smith's video shows girls that having an older guy pay attention to them is cool and makes them cool. Having him call them, pursue them, and touch them, despite not knowing them for very long, and having no intention of building a genuine lasting relationship, is cool. As she sings over and over (and over--52 times that I counted), "...do it anyway."

Traffickers know this is a very effective seduction to young girls. A trafficker isn't necessarily an old, ugly guy who looks like the bad guy. Sometimes they are young, well-dressed, and very attractive. These traffickers know that a young girl feels special when an older guy notices her, pays attention to her, gives her things. So a trafficker targets a girl who is vulnerable (say, one who is looking for approval, shows off her body to get attention, has no adult keeping track of her schedule or activities, or is considering running away). He finds out what she longs for and provides it. He becomes what she needs, until she not only trusts him, but feels loved by him. As one very effective trafficker said with a smile, "I sell dreams."

Willow Smith's video scares me. Not just for her (Why would her parents let her be out at midnight with some guy they don't even know, much less make a song and video about it?), but for all the 12 and 10 and 8-year-old girls who are going to watch it, memorize the song, and wish they could be like her.

(FYI: If you think I'm going for shock factor here, trying to convince you of something, I'd like to let you know that what I'm saying is just surface information. This doesn't even touch the shock value aspects of this.)

So what should parents do? If you have a young girl, help her choose her influences wisely. Use things like this music video to start conversations about things that really matter. This short video could spark questions like:
1. Do you think a girl that young should have a boyfriend? Why or why not?
2. Do you think having a relationship with someone you don't really know is good? Can you think of how it could be bad or dangerous?
3. Why do you think I don't let you _______________?
4. What should you do if a guy you like starts to _____________________?
5. Do you know where the line is between touching that is okay and touching that is not?
6. If someone crosses that line, do you know that it's okay to do whatever you have to do to get away from him? What are some things you could do?

As much as I wish it were not true, 12-year-old girls need to know what is the boundary between acceptable and unacceptable touch. They need to be trained on how to get out of a dangerous situation. And they need to know that if something bad happens to them, that you are never going to blame them for it, but you will help them. They need to know to never keep something like that a secret, and they need to know if they came to you and told you something like that, that you would not brush it off or let it fall into silence.

They also need to know the lines exploiters use, such as:
1. If you love me, you'll ___________.
2. You owe me.
3. It's your fault because of what you wore/said/did.
4. You're bad. You shouldn't tell because everyone will know you did something bad.
5. If you tell, I'll _______________________.
6. I couldn't help it. I'll never do it again.

I hate the idea of even talking about this with my daughter when she gets older. Before I started studying trafficking, I thought age 16 would be a good age to bring it up. Maybe 15. I never imagined I'd have to be ready to discuss this at age 10or 11.

But unfortunately, that's one of the reasons 12-14 year olds are so exploitable. Their lack of knowledge and lack of training makes them vulnerable. Add to that a culture that says being pursued by an older guy when you're a pre-teen makes you special, and you have a truly dangerous situation.

Perhaps this music video will show parents that they should be more involved in what their children watch and listen to. Perhaps it will convince us to talk with our children and prepare them for this world. Perhaps it will even spark the desire to give them an understanding of their own value, so much so that they don't need to get their sense of worth from a summer fling, an older guy, or even a famous music career.

If that happens, then maybe watching the video wasn't a bad thing after all.

What do you think this video tells young girls? Do you think the controversy over this video is warranted?

Related Posts:   Nancy Drew Isn't Real and the Traffickers aren't that Stupid

Pretty Woman and the Media's Galmourization of Prostitution

Beyonce's Halftime Show and Human Trafficking

Special Post: Charles Ramsey, Human Trafficking, and the Hero Next Door

Defining moments do not create heroes among us; they simply bring to light those among us who already are.

If you haven't been on the internet or seen the news over the past week, and thus don't know who Charles Ramsey is, he's the ordinary-looking neighbor who rescued three girls who had been trafficked and trapped in a house for 10 years. Yes, 10 years. One even had a child during that time. More than one suffered miscarriages. You don't need me to fill in the details.

People had searched for these missing girls. Had vigils. Cried. Prayed.

Then one random day, after bar-b-ques in the man's backyard and chats with neighbors and the trafficker playing with kids in the area--one day a man saw something that wasn't right.

And he did what was right.

 

For a moment, let's put ourselves in their shoes:

First, the trapped girls.

Amanda Berry

Each had been stolen after one important mistake--each had gotten into a stranger's car. That one moment led to 10 years of horror. Though in a "normal" neighborhood, they were slaves. Should they try to escape? Would anyone help them? Would anyone believe their story?
In many cases like this, the beatings endured are not just physical. Trafficked victims are told it is their fault, they deserve what happened to them, there is nothing good for them outside, the only person who will love them or take care of them is the trafficker himself, etc. In time, if you hear a lie enough, you begin to believe it, even if that lie is that you are worth nothing and nobody out there cares about you.
Then there is fear. If you try to escape and are caught, there are many methods traffickers use to make sure you regret it. Unspeakable things. And not only to you, but to anyone you love. Threats against family or friends have kept many trafficked victims silent. Add to that the possibility that, if you get out, no one will believe you and you will be sent back.Or you may encounter someone who looks at your clothing and decides what kind of person you are, and refuses to help because you "must have done something to deserve all this." (Horrible thought, but it happens.)

Knowing all that, it makes Amanda Berry's escape attempt all the more heroic. That took incredible courage.

What might have happened? Any of the above, and she would once again be trapped in that house while the owner laughed with neighbors out in the yard.

Instead, a random person saw. He not only saw, but he acted.

From his perspective:

Mr. Ramsey could have decided:

It was none of his business.
It was likely a domestic dispute (which is what he at first thought) and he didn't want to get in the middle of that.
He didn't have time to get involved.
Things could get messy, he didn't want to get caught up in a legal problem.
It could be dangerous.
Why should he care anyway?
He didn't know what to do, so better to do nothing.

In the Post Office yesterday, I heard the mail workers laughing over Charles Ramsey's quote: "Bro, I knew something was wrong when a little, pretty white girl ran into a black man's arms. Something is wrong here."

While I'm impressed that he cracked a joke rather than turning the moment into a racial argument, I was even more impressed when he was offered reward money and said, "I already get a paycheck. Give it to the girls who were rescued."

Wow. The world is looking at a man who was defined by a moment. However, it wasn't the moment itself that defined him. It was what he did in that moment, acting on stuff that was already inside him.

What about you? If a moment came your way, would you tell yourself the above excuses and turn away? Trafficking thrives on apathy; people coming up with reasons not to get involved. It thrives on lack of awareness; people not knowing what to do.

My question today is not whether you are out actively looking for victims to help. My questions is, if one came running your way, what would you do? Would the moment define you as a hero?

Charles Ramsey, I thank you for how you answered that question!


Sources:
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57583345/charles-ramsey-ohio-hero-and-internet-sensation/
http://news.yahoo.com/charles-ramsey-hero-amanda-berry-rescue
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/castro-note-120750000.html

Kermit Gosnell, Abortion, and Human Trafficking

I write and speak and research on human trafficking. A lot. But one thing I have to avoid is the trafficking of young children. I can tell people that 300 children are sold in Atlanta every month, but I cannot bear to study what happens to so many of those children. It is unspeakable.

Many define human trafficking as the buying and selling of people--of bodies--yet it encompasses much more than that. International Consultant Lauran Bethall, in Nefarius, defines it as "the exploitation of vulnerability."

Do Kermit Gosnell's actions not fill that definition to the brim?. His story is sickening because he harmed children too small to defend themselves, too helpless to speak up for their rights. In my opinion, this is human trafficking at its worst--one person benefiting from the exploitation and destruction of those too helpless to fight back.

When I was 12 weeks pregnant, I had my first ultrasound in a little hospital via-5-seater-airplane in Indonesia. My tiny baby son, enjoying the orange juice I'd had awhile earlier, twirled and kicked and flipped, to the delight of everyone in the room. It was one of the most precious things I'd ever seen.

No one on the planet could have convinced me that my baby was "just" a fetus, and I could destroy his life at will without guilt.

My second child was born 6 1/2 weeks early. The moment she was born, had someone taken scissors and cut her spine, it would have been murder. However, had someone done the same exact thing thirty minutes before she exited my body, it would be called late-term abortion.

You may not agree with me, but I consider abortion to be the worst kind of human trafficking.

If you have had an abortion, I do not condemn you. You have suffered, and Jesus holds out forgiveness, freedom, and peace to you. As one commentor said:
"Those who are in favor of abortion like to call themselves 'pro-choice'  But this is not accurate at all.  The women I know who had abortions did not have them because they believed abortion to be a good choice.  They had abortions because a lack of financial, medical, or psychological support made them feel as if they had NO choice.  Tragically, they now realize the so-called 'choice' they made will haunt them for the rest of their lives."  Why I Didn't Write About Gosnell's Trial

Were it in my right to condemn, I would point toward those who not only do these things, but teach others that it is right. Those who, like Gosnell, actually break babies in pieces and throw them in the trash (whether out of the womb or inside--logically, what is the difference?), and those who, by their silence, give their approval. 14 Theories for Why Kermit Gosnell's Case Didn't Get More Attention

The media ignored Gosnell's story completely, until finally the American public gave such an outcry that their silence became embarrassingly obvious. Media Acknowledge Blowing Gosnell Story

Edmund Burke once said, "All it takes for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." He also said there comes a time when forbearance ceases to be a virtue.

I have an even better quote from a higher authority. For anyone who does not think it matters:
Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. Matthew 18:10

For anyone who thinks it's not your problem:
Open your mouth for the speechless,in the cause of all who are appointed to die.Open your mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy. Proverbs 31:8-9

As Ann Vonskamp said, For Christ followers, it’s more than being pro-choice and pro-life — it’s about always being pro-the-least-of-these. What Gosenell and the Gospel mean for the Brave

When someone charges into a school and shoots kindergarten children, the world is outraged and horrified. However, if every single one of those exact same children had been killed before birth, they would just be a few more in the 1 million children silenced each year in our nation. Those broken and discarded each year at 12 weeks, when I had my ultrasound: over 110,000. Those killed at 21+ weeks, up to and past the time when my precious little girl was born: over 18,000 a year.

You may disagree that abortion is human trafficking. That's fine. But can you see how the one perspective feeds the other? If it is okay to decide that certain life can be destroyed without guilt, is it not also okay to decide certain people can be abused without guilt?

If a puppy was cut into pieces and thrown in the trash, it would be "inhumane."

If an eagle still inside it's egg is harmed, it is a federal crime.

If it happens to a baby outside the womb, it is murder.

If it happens to a baby inside the womb, it's funded by the government, promoted by a company with "parenthood" in its title, and shoved down our cultural throats by the media.

In my opinion, Grosnell is a human trafficker. He will answer to God for what he has done.

We also will answer to God for what we do, or don't do, in the face of a nation that says killing babies is okay as long as they are tucked safely inside a woman's body and we cannot watch them die or hear them scream.

Does it take a trial like Gosnell's to make it clear, or are we just choosing to look the other way?

For I, the LORD, love justice. Isaiah 61:8

And they have built the high places...to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my heart.Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no more be called Tophet...but the valley of slaughter: 

for they shall bury in Tophet, till there be no place. Jeremiah 7:31-32

Statistics from: Q&A about Abortion

Related Articles: Beyonce and Human Trafficking

Beyonce and Human Trafficking

A lot of money was spent for the Super Bowl halftime show. I watched parts of it, saw a famous and very beautiful woman slither around, lie down, and visually seduce thousands of men in that stadium and around the world.

We all know sex sells. Our culture is saturated with it. It is estimated that up to 10,000 girls are brought into town for Super Bowl weekend just for that purpose. However, these girls are not famous like Beyonce. They don't have the freedom to only visually sell themselves.

They are trafficked. Slaves. Forced to do whatever it takes to make it through the night and get their quota to keep from being beaten or worse.

And in my opinion, Beyonce is part of the problem.

I watched clips of her show. She wore lingerie--what most of us women wouldn't wear outside our bedrooms. It was clear her show was less about music and more about, well, sex. She sang and danced and rolled around on the stage, visually enticing thousands of men. Then what? The show ended, the game came back on.

Later that night, what happened to all those men who were affected by her performance? Please pardon my frankness, but how many of them got online and ordered a girl to come finish what Beyonce started?

If a pizza company had paid millions to strategically place a long, luscious pizza ad during the Super Bowl, then later that night thousands of people ordered pizzas, that ad manager would feel himself a big success.

Well, thousands of girls were used that night, ordered over the internet as easily as one can order a pizza. In my opinion, Beyonce was part of that.

If asked, I'm sure she would say that trafficking is wrong and should be stopped. Most people think that. But it's not what we think; it's what we do that shows who we really are. Beyonce sells sexuality, and the rampant sexuality in our culture fuels human trafficking. It sends messages to men that women are objects to be used and enjoyed. It sends messages to girls that to be valuable they must be not only beautiful and thin, but sexy and seductive. Both messages are wrong. Both feed trafficking, because men who believe women are objects have no problem paying to use one. Girls who believe they are only valuable for their sexuality are vulnerable to exploitation.

Beyonce once said in an interview,
“I’m really kind of shy...more reserved, and, um, nothing like Sasha (the spirit she says possesses her on stage). But I guess I wouldn't be very entertaining on stage, so Sasha comes out and she's fearless, you know, she can do things that I cannot do while in rehearsal....right before I performed, I raised my hands up, and it was kind of the first time I felt something, you know, come into me."

Another time she said,
"When I see a video of myself on stage or TV I'm like, 'Who is that girl? That's not me. I wouldn't dare do that.'"

If Beyonce is letting other voices entice her to sell herself, it is not a far stretch to think she wouldn't mind letting her voice tell others to do the same. I am horrified that so many girls see her as a role model and so many parents allow it. The young girls may not recognize the messages coming through her performances, but every adult certainly should.

One more quote from Beyonce, "I am more powerful than my mind can even digest or understand."

True. That power could be used for such good. Right now it is being used to fuel something totally wrong. A perspective for girls that at its end is trafficking. A perspective for men that at its end is trafficking.

Rescuing trafficked girls is never going to fix the problem of trafficking. The problem starts with demand. As long as major events like the Super Bowl and major stars like Beyonce promote sex and the objectification of women, trafficking will thrive.

This message will likely never get anywhere near Beyonce, so I won't ask her to stop selling herself and learn her worth is in more than her sexuality. You, however, are reading it, so I will talk to you. Your worth is in more than your body, your looks, your power over men, or any other thing that is less than what God says your worth comes from. Your are valuable, priceless, because God made you in His image, and Jesus says you're worth dying for.

No matter how many millions are spent on a pizza ad, if the pizza's lousy, the pizza's lousy. Don't let the world convince you of it's message, no matter how beautiful or popular the package.

 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—

is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; 

but he who does the will of God abides forever. 1 John 2:16-17

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If you don't believe the quotes, here's a video of every one of them and more:  
Beyonce, "I get possessed"