Human trafficking is the 2nd largest criminal industry in the world and yields an estimated $9 billion in profits each year. It is a low-risk endeavor for traffickers and often carries penalties far less severe than that of drug trafficking. For that reason there is now an international and domestic market for the trade of human beings. The most common victims of this crime are women and young children. The United States is especially challenged with a large internal or domestic component of human trafficking for the purpose of both sexual and labor exploitation.
Houston is a major hub for both international and domestic human trafficking. Texas is especially vulnerable to this crime as the I-10 corridor has been named by the Dept. of Justice as the main route for human trafficking in the U.S.
Nationally 450,000 children run away each year. It has been reported that within 48 hours of being on the street one out of every three children (150,000) is lured into prostitution or pornography. In the U.S. the average age of entry is 12. Seventy-five percent of these children are controlled by a person who solicits them for prostitution, receives money and then maintains control of their daily lives. In Houston approximately 600 children and adolescents are victims of this horrendous crime every night!
The Presbyterian Church (USA) Human Trafficking Roundtable is at work to lift up the issue of modern-day slavery, provide resources and advocate for further action to eradicate human trafficking. Modern day slavery is a violation of human rights and a global phenomenon that manifests itself in the U.S. as well as around the world. Our whole society, from corporations to law enforcement, from the U.S. Dept. of Justice to the church, must be involved if we are to put an end to human trafficking. As Christians we have a biblical mandate both to establish justice and to care for the powerless. For example, Micah 6:8 tells us that we are to do justice and love kindness; Amos 2:6 speaks of God’s judgment on those who "sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes" and the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29) reminds us of our responsibility to those who need our help.
In Houston the Houston Coalition Against Human Trafficking (CAHT) helps care for 100 young women who have been rescued after being trafficked into the U.S. with false promises of jobs. The U.S. Government has a T-visa for people who have been severely trafficked that allows them to bring their families here. They are kept hidden in residences around Houston to protect them. CAHT has a Christmas party every year for them and we have been asked to donate children’s toys and other household items. Watch for the November Beacon for more information. — Phyllis Freeman
