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Photo: Kay Chemush for U.S. State Dept. |
A woman, now 58, relates how she was
kidnapped at the age of 13 as she and a friend hitchhiked across
Illinois. They were taken to a house in Missouri and forced into
prostitution. She doesn't recall how she escaped, but she kept her
secret for many years for fear of being labeled a “bad girl” by
friends and family at the time.
Another story comes to light of a girl
on a outing to a mall with other young girls she met on the internet.
The girls were the bait the criminal used to entice her into the
meeting. She was grabbed and taken to a house where she was raped and
beaten until she succumbed to submission. She was later rescued and
lived to tell her story.
One of the dark stains against humanity
all over the world is slavery. Every year billions of dollars are
generated by perpetrators through abducting, coercing, and selling
millions of people, mostly women and children. It is one of the
fastest growing crimes in the world.
This epidemic is a major curve
we need to navigate as a society.
This is not a crime exclusive to poorer
countries. It happens every day in the United States, as well.
Don't let the staggering statistics
lull you into thinking nothing can be done. Every person who is
helped is one less victim criminals have control over. That one
person will be grateful someone was willing to reach out.
I urge you to read the information on
the added page of this site and find out more. There are links with
information on rescuing and restoring those who have been trapped.
Do you have a story or have you met a victim? Please share your comment.