Human Trafficking
Take action against an illicit industry whose victims are mostly women and children
What is it?
A criminal activity in which people are recruited, harbored, transported, bought, provided, or kidnapped, and are exploited through fraud, force, or coercion in situations such as sexual slavery, forced labor, or child soldiery.
Poverty, gender inequalities, lack of education, and discrimination against ethnic minorities are key contributing factors to trafficking; war or armed conflict, domestic abuse, materialism, and demand for women and children for sex all contribute to this complex problem as well. Some are kidnapped or lured by promises of education, a new skill, or a "good job."
Slavery takes place within and across borders. The U.S. State Department estimates that 600,000 to 820,000 men, women, and children are trafficked across international borders each year, though many millions more never cross a border. Nearly 80 percent of trafficked persons are women and girls, and up to 50 percent are children (under 18 years old). It is estimated that upwards of 17,000 people are trafficked into the United States each year, and an additional 200,000 American children are considered "at risk" for trafficking in the sex industry. At any given time around the world, anywhere from 12.3 to 27 million people are being trafficked.
(Note: Many of the statistics and descriptions used here are from the
U.S. Justice Department and
EPCAT International, a global network of organizations and individuals working together to eliminate child prostitution, child pornography and the trafficking of children for sexual purposes.)
To join the fight to stop human trafficking:
- Download this bulletin insert and use it in your congregation near National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, January 11.
- Join the “Blue Heart Campaign Against Human Trafficking” sponsored by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) or on Facebook. Invite others to join!
- Sign up for a Google Alert on human trafficking. Go to www.google.com/alerts. Under “Search Terms,” enter “human trafficking,” and select the sources you want to receive information from. Google will email you all the top stories about human trafficking.
- Visit the following websites to learn more about human trafficking.
- The Polaris Project provides a comprehensive approach to the combating human trafficking and modern-day slavery.
- Free the Slaves seeks to end slavery worldwide.
- Many branches of the United States government have human trafficking offices: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Department of Education, Department of Health and Human Services (Rescue and Restore), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Department of Justice, Depart of Labor, Department of State (look for the annual “Trafficking in Persons”—TIP—report on trafficking).
- Visit ELCA Justice for Women and learn more about the root causes of trafficking and our call to educate, advocate, and lead in making justice for women and all God’s Creation a reality.
- Reach young people with this issue! Empower youth to lead with the educational series available at the ELCA Justice for Women.
Why Women of the ELCA is committed to exposing and combating human trafficking
The fortunes that are made in this criminal exploitation of women and children are alarming, and its victims are mostly women and children. After selling drugs, trafficking in human beings is the most profitable business in the world,
estimated at $32 billion.
Plenty of people make big money in human trafficking, and it dovetails easily into the
commercial sexual exploitation market, which Women of the ELCA is also committed to working against.
Because of the role human trafficking plays in tandem with commercial sexual exploitation, Women of the ELCA joins other organizations, such as ECPAT International, in advocating for the adoption of effective anti-trafficking legislation that criminalizes the traffickers rather than the victims. We encourage our member units to become knowledgeable of these related issues and to be a voice for the voiceless.
Worship resources for observing National Human Trafficking Awareness Day: January 11
The Senate resolution for this day of observance was first proposed by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D- California), John Cornyn (R- Texas), Barack Obama (D- Illinois), and Dick Lugar (R- Indiana). The resolution was overwhelmingly passed by the Senate on June 27, 2007. In 2010, January 10 is the Sunday of the Baptism of our Lord. The following worship materials have been written with this particular Sunday in mind, but they can also be used at another time or for a special service.
CONFESSION & FORGIVENESS
Holy Creator God, you created us in your image and provided us the example of your Son. But sin has broken the world and our society, and our lives reflect the bondage of sin, as displayed in the victimization of trafficking victims around the world and in our communities. We have refused to bear witness to all the forms of forced pornography, forced prostitution, forced labor, soldiery, and debt bondage that women and girls fall victim to in our world. For the sake of your Son, who pleased you so completely, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Amen.
God, who is faithful and just, forgives us who have been baptized and accepted in the Beloved Son of God. As a called and ordained minister in the church of Christ, I declare to you the forgiveness of all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Father in heaven, at the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan, you proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit. Make all who are baptized into Christ bold in their calling to live in this world as your children and as inheritors with him of everlasting life. Grant us the grace to make a difference in this world, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
LITANY
Holy God, show us ways to stand against the human brokenness of greed, sexual bondage, and sexual exploitation that creates the demand for women and youth for exploitation and profiteering. Show us, O God ...
Grant us the grace to be healers!
Glorious Mother, teach us how to build an equitable world so that families will no longer see sending their daughters with strangers and the promise of a job in another county as giving their children opportunity. Teach us, O God ...
Grant us the grace to build a world of justice!
Holy Spirit, bear witness to our commitment to bring the light of your love into the lives of those held in the bondage of human trafficking. Cultivate in our community the boldness to be a voice for the voiceless and shelter for those breaking free of this bondage. Be our witness, O God ...
Grant us the boldness to speak and live for justice!
Precious Lord, illuminate our understanding of how human trafficking works so that we can learn ways to advocate for policies, practices, and laws that will create a more just society and world and bring an end to human trafficking. Enlighten us, O Lord ...
Grant us the grace to be like your Son, who did your will!
For the liberation of all who are held in bondage in modern slavery, for the creation of an agreement among just societies that stands against this evil, and for the church to be clearly seen among those who oppose human trafficking: Lead us, O Lord ...
Amen!