Did you know slavery still exists? The sinful experiences of slavery against African-Americans in the past should certainly cause us to repent of any racism in our hearts. As horrific as that is, there are some who are deceived into believing that all forms of slavery have been eradicated. Yet, the reality is sex slavery, which can also be known as human trafficking, is “the world’s fastest growing criminal industry” (A21.org). Women and children are especially targeted and become victims of forced manual and sexual labor. They are trapped in this illegal and immoral act of slavery and are bonded, forced, and trafficked.
It’s Not Just There; It’s Here
By the way, this is not an issue only occurring in other parts of the world like Nepal. This injustice is literally taking place in our midst. Just this month the Indy Star featured an article about a teen being trafficked for sex. The article shares the story of anguish from a teen girl who ran away from her home and vulnerable, crossing paths with a man who lured her into a hotel room. The man, then, forced her into submission to engage in sexual acts, not only with him but with as many as 11 men in one night. The emotional scars and physical body damage can only begin to describe the tragic affect this satanic industry of sex trafficking has had on this girl and many like her. This is a problem both across the ocean and across the street.
As the people of God, we cannot stand for this sinful way of life! We cannot remain silent while those made in the image of God are trafficked and forced into sex slavery, being manipulated and raped. We cannot close our eyes and pretend there is not a problem. Rather, we must to look to Scripture and see that God is the Owner of life (Gen 1:1-25) and He has created every human being in His image (Gen 1:26-27). Every man, woman, or child has dignity as they are made in the image of God. Therefore, as followers of the one true God, our convictions founded in God’s Word should lead us to speak up and speak out about this injustice.
What steps are we to take? We must make people aware that slavery still exists. Today has been marked “Shine a Light on Slavery Day”. The END IT Movement encourages everyone to draw a red X on your hand, snap a selfie and post it using #enditmovement. They wisely and correctly say, “Awareness isn’t everything, but without it, slavery will never end.”
The Connection to Pornography
Awareness of this problem will shed light on the seriousness and soberness of this matter. However, there is an important word here for those, especially within the church, who are flirting and are addicted with pornography. There is a link between pornography, prostitution, and sex trafficking. If you are watching porn, you are creating a higher demand for sex trafficking through prostitution. This strikes dead the objection that pornography does not hurt anyone. It most certainly hurts the one watching it, the ones around them, and the person whose body is being viewed. As David Platt points out on page 123 of his book Counter Culture, “Every time a man or woman views pornography online, we are contributing to a cycle of sex slavery from the privacy of our own computers”. This is all to say that , if someone is viewing porn and is addicted to porn, they are contributing to this problem and they need to take radical actions to stop this act. Repent of your sexual sins (Matthew 5:27-30) and trust in the Lord for His forgiveness and His provision for you to overcome this temptation. Do not be part of the problem; be part of the solution.
Action Points: Prayer, Support, and Involvement
So, what does this solution involve? To be sure, there are no easy and simple answers. The problem is complex and the solution will be too. Nevertheless, we must pray for the rescue of these victims, that in their feelings of filth, they would trust in the Savior who has compassion for them. We must pray, too, for the redemption of those involved in the industry, that God would open their eyes to their sin so that their hearts may be changed to produce repentance and faith in the gospel. Dr. David Platt adds that we need to be aware of ministries that address the problem of sex slavery, support them, and consider ways we can be involved in their work (For more on approaching this subject from a biblical perspective, see chapter 5 of Counter Culture by David Platt).
Slavery still exists. We cannot be indifferent about that. We cannot be silent about that. We must care and we must act. Let’s be in it to END IT!
Check out these websites for more information:
Entrusted By GOD Ministries 