All text and images © 2012 International Justice Mission
1. Pray
- Prayer is powerful..and free! Ask God to work in the lives of the 29 million, the traffickers, and those taking a stand against slavery, like you.
2. Buy fair trade chocolate/ coffee
- Much of the coffee and chocolate that is sold in the U.S. is made from raw products (coffee beans and cocoa beans) that are harvested by slaves. In response to this, some companies have begun producing fair trade certified chocolate and coffee. The product and the company go through an inspection process that ensures that the producers and their workers are paid living wages for their labor. Of course, this makes the final product more expensive, but the reason non-fair trade chocolate (Hershey, Nestle, etc.) is so cheap is because some of the workers are not paid. Plus, fair trade products tend to use more natural, whole ingredients, which provide a richer, more delicious flavor. Best of all, there are opportunities to buy fair trade products to buy fair trade products right here in Muncie. The Downtown Farmstand is a grocery store in downtown Muncie that carries a variety of fair trade chocolate bars. Also, Starbucks is one of the largest purchasers of fair trade cocoa beans and tea (Tazo brand), and is moving consistently towards buying all fair trade beans through their ethical sourcing initiatives.
3. Fly Delta/Stay at Carlson and Hilton Hotels
- The Delta, Carlson and Hilton companies have all signed a code known as the ECPAT code, which requires them to train their staff to recognize victims of trafficking. Airlines and hotels are two of the largest industries that traffickers use to exploit victims, and so it is important to support companies who are taking a stand against trafficking.
4. Cut pornography out of your life
- One of the biggest reasons why sex trafficking flourishes is because of men's ability to mentally transform women from human beings into sexual objects. One of the basic premises of pornography is that women exist solely to satisfy men's sexual desires. As long as men are taught by the porn industry that women are not people but are instead "sexual service providers," sex trafficking will continue to exist. Anyone, man or woman, who views pornography is supporting an industry that perpetuates human trafficking.
5. Speak out against the use of strip clubs with your peers
- This is similar to the last point. At the best, these are places for men to further objectify women, and at worst are venues for sex trafficking. The women and girls in these places wear fake smiles and put on a show because their livelihood depends on it, not because they genuinely enjoy their exploitation.
6. Don't blame the victims
- One of the largest reasons why victims of sex trafficking and prostitution stay in their exploitative situations is because people see them as "dirty" women who choose to sell their bodies. The reality is that an overwhelming majority of these women are tricked, manipulated or forced into prostitution by their circumstances (poverty/addiction), and desperately want an escape. Still, we tend to judge them and shun them instead of loving them. These women are not criminals---the people who exploit them are.
7. Educate yourself
- This website is only an introduction to the injustice of trafficking. There are many more great sources of information to be explored, beginning with IJM's official website. Here are other awesome sources to check out:
- polarisproject.org
- streetlightusa.org
- thecnnfreedomproject.blogs.cnn.com
- mattoo.org
- gems-girls.org
- prostitutionresearch.com
- www.sharedhope.org
human trafficking hotline:
1-888-373-7888
- This hotline coordinates efforts with local police and FBI.
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