Sex Trafficking Children, What Has This World Come To?

One of my pieces from my Creative Non Fiction Class  in college, that I wanted to share with you all. This is one of my new blogs, one where I will share my passion to fight for Justice :)

                A few years ago there was a documentary at a Release event on North Central University’s campus. This is a group who advocates on behalf of the problem of sex trafficking composed of college students in a small private university. This showed a video of 3 or 4 young children ranging from 6 to 7. They were all in a circle and as men walked in the kids got excited because they had been trained to think that oral sex and or sex was a good thing. They were as excited as a child getting their favorite treat from the candy store. They stated in the film that the some of the youngest victims of human trafficking ranged from three years old and up. When I heard that and saw those children in this film, it broke my heart. Do you remember being a kid and even knowing what sex was at that point? Many things come to mind when we think of sex trafficking; we might think a prostitute making money to survive, a girl being deceived into the sex trade, but now we are talking about three year old children. Sex trafficking children has tons of effects such as: loss of innocence for children, injustice, and local and international dilemma.

  Loss of Innocence for Children

           Children are to be treasured, not used like an object, a condom used up one night and thrown away the morning after. In some countries, specifically overseas, parents do whatever they need to provide for their family: selling their own child into the sex trade. Sadly children in this situation are taken advantage of and are not given the right of having a say to an innocent upbringing. They are constantly being constrained by their experience and do not get to enjoy the innocence that they deserve. One story of M.S. on ABC News was told. She was a 12 year old girl who had lost her mother at a young age and rarely saw her father. A man found her going up and down the street, where she lived, giving her that “love” and attention she never received. She was sold into the sex trade for four years and rarely received her pay, along with being physically and mentally abused from the man who she had thought loved her. She said at age 17, “I got my childhood taken from me.” This girl is a pure example of why sex trafficking is wrong and robs a child’s innocence.

  Injustice:

           There are more than 30 million slaves in the world today, more than at any other point in human history according to Not for Sale (a nonprofit organization advocating on behalf of this issue). When I hear the words child, oral sex, or sex with a middle aged man, something stirs me. Don’t worry Americans also go oversea as tourists and have sex with children too, not only here. Did you have a great family, loving parents? Did anyone pay you to do things like that? Number one to all of those out there, sex is meant to be sacred and is a lot more than just a hobby. It is a psychological tie between two people. Those kids need to have fun, enjoy life, play outside, and not think about those things; because as all adults know those ideas distract us or even cause our minds to think about things that we should not. So why have these little kids have the problems we struggle with daily. In the end, I think everyone who does or doesn’t do this knows it is wrong and they are simply living a selfish life and not caring about the lives of others. Take some perspective and try to understand we are talking about the lives of the future generations. Local and International Dilemma If you are reading this from the United States, yes this is happening here and now. In 2005, the Department of Justice reported there have been 100,000 to 150,000 sex slaves in the U.S. since 2001. Almost 300,000 American children are at risk for trafficking into the sex industry (U.S. Dept of State). I remember after going to a charity banquet at North Central University called “Banquet for The Broken” the speaker spoke on her own experience as a young girl in America being sex trafficked for 14 years. I began thinking about this business as some people would call it. I called my mom a few days after and she did not even know that was happening here in the states. Seeing that, I realized there is a need to advocate and be aware of what is going on around you. That does not mean being scared of every corner but means paying attention to details and the people around you.

  Conclusion

          Sex trafficking children is wrong, and we need to help by knowing the issues the loss of the innocence of the future generations, the children. This is a problem with multiple societies, not one or the other. It’s happening from the United States, Latin America, Asia, and all around the world. Know there are ways to help through non-profits such as Breaking Free or Not for Sale. You are able to donate or also advocate on behalf of the people who are victims which could be simply speaking up to someone who does not know about that topic or giving a presentation in class. You know as well as I do selling or buying children for sex from ages 3 and up is wrong, so please stay informed and advocate social change.

So people, stand up, write, go out, do something, feel compassion, Pray, AND FIGHT FOR JUSTICE! :)

This article is written by me :)