The more I read and study about the subject of human trafficking, the more passionate and angry I become….passionate and angry enough that I’m ready to help in this fight and struggle for human dignity. When I read stories of young girls being sold for as little as $1,000 USD, it angers me that human life is so cheaply bought, that it’s worth no more than another dollar bill in someone’s pocket….that the ones who are doing this have no less revere for God and another human life than to throw it all away for their own evil, selfish desires. You see, that is what human trafficking is….it’s evil at its very core, and it’s an evil that we, as Christians, must meet eye to eye with, in order to destroy. As my pastor would say, it’s an area where we need to “raze hell.” In fact, it’s definitely an area that I want to “raze hell” in.
Prajwala is an organization that I’ve been looking into more and more lately. I really want to highlight organizations and individuals who are bold enough to step into the path of danger, in order to do the right thing, to save a life….and this statement made on their website is quite bold, in my opinion: Today, sex trafficking in women and children is one of the fastest growing areas of national and international criminal activity. It has created a complex criminal network – at times, with the patronage of those in power. Prajwala is an organization in India, founded by Dr. Sunitha Krishnan and Bro. Jose Vetticatil, that works to not only prevent human trafficking and the forcing of women and children into prostitution or sex slavery, but they work to rescue, rehabilitate, and reintegrate those who have already been forced into this life.
In regards to prevention, Prajwala works to educate communities and get them involved. The Community Based Prevention Programs work to educate young teens, women, and men of this growing problem and how they can prevent it from happening to them or to one of their loved ones. They also work closely with police and administrative people in these communities. Another form of prevention is through working with children of women who are involved in prostitution. A lot of times, the cycle will continue with the children, and through the work of transition centers and education, these children are given a second chance at life, an opportunity to become something other than a prostitute or a pimp. Through these transition centers, over 5000 children have been helped, to date.
Rescue of a trafficked individual can be quite tricky, as so many times, the person has been “desensitized,” so much so that they trust noone. Prajwala used to do the rescue work, but at the present time, mothers themselves are doing a lot of the rescuing, with Prajwala a valuable resource and help to them. Prajwala still does rescues, but they do this with the help of police, as well. Crisis Counseling is another way that young girls and adults have been rescued. A lot of times, young girls will run away from home, and they’ll meet up with someone who offers them the “greener grass” perspective….someone who promises a job, or a modeling position, or an acting role, etc. In the cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad, Prajwala has crisis counselors who maintain positions in bus stations and railway stations to keep a lookout for girls who are on the run and need help. Working out of the police station, they’re also able to counsel older women who are caught up in prostitution, women who are at potential risk for becoming traffickers themselves. Through this crisis counseling approach, they have prevented over 1200 girls from being trafficked. That’s huge!
Imagine the psychological effects that trafficking has on a young heart and mind. Imagine, if you will, being a young girl whose own family has sold you into prostitution. These rescued souls can be rescued, but the rehabilitation that is needed for these girls is tremendous. They need not only psychological rehabiliation, but physical, as well, as many of them come out with horrific injuries to their bodies, a host of sexually transmitted diseases, or even the fatal diagnosis of HIV/AIDS. Prajwala works to gain these individuals housing, employment, counseling, and the proper medical care that is necessary.
Prajwala also works with rescued individuals to help them reintegrate into society. They work to help restore their family relationships or even help them to live independently, if necessary.
Another way that Prajwala fights the evils of human trafficking is through advocating for the victims through the proper government channels. They lobby for policy changes on all levels of government, whether state, national, or international.
India is a nation that is heavily trafficked….yet they are only one nation. This is an agenda that has taken over our entire world, even here in our own communities. I can’t say that this is, for sure, true, but I personally believe that a lot of our children who are kidnapped are trafficked and sold into sex slavery or prostitution. Children are so vulnerable, as are young girls and adults just finding their way in the world. The traffickers and pimps know this, and that is why they prey on our kids. It’s one of the scariest things to think about, and I can hardly bear to think of this happening to my own children, but it’s time to wake up, because this is happening to people’s children right here in our very own country, in India, in Europe, etc. It’s everywhere, but we can help to stop the spread by supporting organizations like Prajwala. Sometimes it’s as small as donating to the organizations; sometimes it goes as far as volunteering and partnering with the organizations to stop the spread. With Prajwala, you can even volunteer to teach young girls, living in shelters, skills or trades.
In the fight against human trafficking, don’t sit there and read this, thinking, “Well, that’s all nice and good….but I can’t afford to help.” No, instead, think, “What can I do here? What can I do now? Where can I get involved?” We can’t afford not to help, to not wake up and realize what is going on. Questions will lead to answers, I promise you. Wake up, because our children need our ultimate protection….shine your light!
