Global Statics show that there are over 40.3 million men , women, and children who are victims of modern day slavery world wide. Two weeks ago footage from the slave trade in Libya went viral and has brought awareness to this atrocity. The widespread outrage from the world has caused officials and the United Nations to further investigate this criminal matter. There's footage of hundreds of people on boats stuck in the Mediterranean Sea. Thousands have died trying to escape and few rescue boats are being sent. The harsh reality that this slave trade is real and has been going on for years is not only heart breaking and mind boggling , but it leaves you in a place wondering how can you help ? Hearing these three words "I was sold" just brings about unexplainable emotion. The images that were seeing today look similar to pictures of the past. Your heart doesn't want to believe that what your seeing is actually happening.
In some cases parents sell children due to lack of financial stability. In other cases people are promised education, money, or a better life and none of it is true. Its all a ploy to capture more slaves and use them for labor, sex, drug mules, and other cruel reasons. Girls, women, and children are constantly sold , abused, and kept in terrible conditions . In some cases males are castrated and women are mutilated. Its overall sickening and unbelievable. European Countries are trying to block Libyan citizens from entering the country and are policing the waters. Those that are captured are detained in inhumane detention centers. The victims feel that if they leave Libya they can escape being beaten , raped, killed or sold again. This is no way for people to live. Families are torn apart . This is not fake, this is indeed very real. Forced labor , human trafficking , mass incarceration and forced marriages are all forms of slavery. It is reported that there are more female slaves than males and one in four victims are children. Although there are slaves all around the world, the statistics in Africa are the highest. You can find out more about the statistics on www.alliance87.org. You can help by continuing to raise awareness, donate, support relief efforts, pray and visit www.aidforafrica.org , www.who.int and Buzzfeed whom has listed more ways to help. This issue can not just get swept under the rug. Celebrities and people from across the globe have shared their thoughts about the slave trade on social media . Continue to research and share information that you come across. We can't forget about them. Some of the footage below is hard to watch, but its even harder for them to live through.
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I was my parents jewel and yet I am treated like trash . I have been taken ? I am separated from my family. I do not know where I am. The conditions are horrible. I am abused, not fed, and forced to do unimaginable things every day. I am beaten . I am starved. I am not allowed to bathe some days. The room barely has light . I don't even understand how I'm still alive. I miss my family. I can not get online to see your hashtags although millions of you posted them . But you don't even know I am missing. Have you forgotten? I am more than a hashtag. I am a human being and a victim of human trafficking.
Human trafficking is a world-wide crime that forces women, little girls, teenagers, little boys and men and exploits them sexually and forces them to do hard labor. This is a serious matter, that needs to be addressed. Can you imagine everywhere you are going , you are looking for your loved one? I was walking with a friend a few years ago and a lady was staring at me so hard. We kept walking and then she said said "Wait! Stop!" We weren't to far away from her so we did. She then said "You look so much like my daughter, I just thought you were her. She's been missing for a while and I really thought you were her." My heart broke for her. I couldn't imagine being in her position, that everywhere she goes, she is hoping to find her daughter. I pray she does one day. I think about that moment all the time because there's so many people missing and they're never returning HOME! Remember a few weeks ago when all of those girls went missing in D.C ? Did you forget ? Was it just a popular hashtag to post in the moment. Does anyone know if all of them were returned ? We may never know. Remember the Boko Haram girls? Some of them were returned and others are still gone. What about the thousands of others that our taken each year to foreign countries or other states? Human Trafficking isn't something to take lightly. Lives are being changed and taken for the worst. Some escape and return to tell the stories. Some people like flight attendant Shelia Fredrick who intercepted and saved the life of of a 14 or 15 year old girl whom was with tried to engage conversation with the girl but the older man she was with was angered. During the flight Shelia left a note in one of the bathrooms and the little girl wrote back "I need help" on it . The pilot was notified and police arrested the man when the plane landed. Thankful to Shelia and all the flight attendants whom are trained to spot human trafficking victims . The criminal justice system has to work harder at prosecuting these horrible traffickers that our stealing lives and turning them into slaves. Freedom is being ripped swiftly from so many lives to benefit others for profit or work. It's horrible and men aren't the only traffickers , there are women traffickers, and even family members whom sell their child for money or a pay off a debt . There's so much going on in this world. We can't just let social media post be a topic for a minute and not continue to discuss the true meaning behind it. Or to high light it's importance. It's importance because you could be in that position. What would you do if you were? We must unite to end this and help find the missing. People might say "Well they ran away." It does not matter! Even if they ran away they do not deserve to be taken advantage of assaulted, held against their will . This is an on going problem and we need to do more to help this situation. The National Human Trafficking phone number is 1 (888) 373-7888 . I pray all victims of human trafficking out taken home. |
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