Human Trafficking 101

First of all, thanks to all of you who joined me in my launch party this week. This week's winners are Charity and suseduhbee! Leave a comment on this post between now and next Thursday, with a way to contact you, for another chance to win another copy of Blood Ransom. I'll post the winner next Friday.



What is Human Trafficking?

Until I did research for Blood Ransom, I had no idea that slavery was still a huge global issue. According to the Polaris Project's Action Center, "Human trafficking is the second largest and fastest growing criminal industry in the world. Victims experience a loss of freedom and exploitation at the hands of their traffickers who buy and sell them in pursuit of profit. As a result, human trafficking is commonly known as modern-day slavery.

In human trafficking situations, traffickers gain complete control over victims and force them into the labor, services, or commercial sex industry in order to generate profit from their labor and commercial sex acts. Some of the forms of violence traffickers use to control their victims include brutal beatings, rape, lies and deception, threats of serious harm or familial harm, and psychological abuse."

Victims can be anyone. U.S. citizens or foreign nationals, any race, mail or female, child or adult, rich or poor, educated or uneducated. And the situation isn't limited to exotic locals. The US State Department estimates that there are around 16,000 people trafficked into the US annually. And thousands of American children are lured into the industry every year.








RESCUED CHILDREN IN GHANA

There are people who are trying to make a difference and who are determined to put an end to this horror. Touch A Life Foundation, for example, are working with a children's home in Ghana where they rescue children working as slaves and give them hope. For a more personal look at what is being done, I'll be interviewing Rachel from this organization on my Inspired blog next week.

Thanks so much to the Polaris Project for allowing me to post this video and much of this information. And for Touch a Life Foundation for the photo. For more information on how you can find out more and get involved, visit these websites.

Touch A Life Foundation
Polaris Project
Not For Sale Campaign

Be blessed today!

Lisa

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