TODAY is World Day Against Trafficking in Persons

Today is World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. Did you know the average national age for a child to be lured into sex trafficking is between 11 and 12 years old? More than 300,000 children are exploited in the U.S. each year through trafficking.

Human trafficking, also known as modern slavery, involves the use of force, fraud or coercion to obtain labor or commercial sex acts against the will of the person trafficked. It’s the second most lucrative illegal industry in the world.

Today, we’d like to take a moment to make sure you know how to potentially recognize someone who is being trafficked:

• Is there evidence of a person being controlled?
• Is that person not allowed to talk for themselves?
• Is there evidence of an inability to move or leave a job?
• Do you see obvious bruises or other signs of physical abuse?
• Is that person’s form of identification controlled or held by someone else?

If you think you see someone being trafficked, call the National Hotline:
1-888-373-7888. Please enter this number into your phone before you’re done reading this message!

At Reclaiming Hope, we journey with domestic survivors of sex-trafficking from the point of rescue, through the restoration and reintegration processes.

We collaborate with FBI Victim Specialists, law enforcement, trauma counselors, and the church community to restore survivors.

Restoration Bags include new clothing, a hygiene kit, a blanket, comfort items, snacks and a personal note, and are provided to survivors at the time of their recovery. These backpacks are age- and gender-specific, designed for toddlers, children, teens and adults, in 13 different sizes.

The Reclaiming Hope Mentor Program matches trained, accountable mentors with survivors. Mentoring greatly reduces the risk of recidivism to high-risk trafficking situations. Each young woman’s emotional, physical and relational needs are addressed in the context of a long-term, trusted relationship.

We believe that everyone has a purpose in life and deserves to be loved unconditionally. Our goal is to walk with survivors with grace, truth and compassion, and provide help and hope as they restore their identities and reintegrate into the community in a healthy way.

A few of our mentee survivors said:

• “The relationship with my mentor is the only healthy relationship I’ve had in my life!”
• “Reclaiming Hope is the real deal – when life’s tough, they don’t disappear.”

What can you do about trafficking? Become educated. There are many ways to learn. To keep kids from being vulnerable to trafficking, make certain that the kids in your lives have trusting relationships with adults. Help them develop healthy self-identities. 

Join us in prayer for our education journeys, the mission of fellow nonprofits addressing trafficking, and every single person who finds themselves in trafficking situations. It’s an honor to stand and pray alongside you and so many around the world today.

In Christ,
Sues Hess