Why Fight It?

Why the Fight Against Human Trafficking?

People Matter: Women, Girls, Boys, and Men.
Human trafficking doesn’t discriminate based on gender or age.

ALL PEOPLE MATTER: All of Humanity.
Human trafficking knows no racial boundaries.

Human trafficking is a crime against humanity.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Blue Campaign video below demonstrates how students are recruited in schools. For more educational and awareness resources please visit www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign

Drugs are used once and they are gone. Victims of child trafficking can be used and abused over and over. A $32 billion-a-year industry, human trafficking is on the rise and is in all 50 states (U.S. Government). Up to 300,000 Americans under 18 are lured into the commercial sex trade every year.
Ark of Hope for Children - https://arkofhopeforchildren.org/child-trafficking/child-trafficking-statistics

About three years ago when I began volunteering with Shining Stars, the average age of boys being introduced into human trafficking was 13 and the average age of girls was 15-16. Now I have seen it stated that the average age for girls has dropped to 13, with some victims being of younger age.
Ken Kostedt - Shining Stars Volunteer

Studies have indicated that runaways, homeless youth, foster kids, and sexually abused children are some of the most vulnerable to being trafficked and exploited.
1 in every 10 children either has experienced abuse, is experiencing abuse, or will experience abuse by the time they are 18... Just over four million babies are born in the U.S. annually. Assuming that child sexual abuse rates remain constant over the next 17 years, about 400,000 babies born this year (10% of all babies born) will become victims of sexual abuse before they turn 18.
Darkness to Light - End Child Sexual Abuse: https://www.d2l.org/the-issue/prevalence/

The last quote is devastating enough, but it also indicates that the supply for human traffickers is endless. It is an American problem that can have a dramatic effect on our country’s future if we don’t address it now.