Written by Leanna Westerhof. Media by Kayla Morton.
It’s the day when everybody orders wings and pizza, goes to the local sports bar or sits around with their buddies at their house around the tv. It’s the day when some people are more excited for the commercials than the actual football game taking place. It’s the day that some team goes down in history as winners. It is also the biggest day for sex trafficking.
Sex trafficking is rampant during the weekend of the Super Bowl and every year local and federal law enforcement start planning to combat this phenomenon in the city where the game is held. And every year after the game, the news headlines proclaim the number of rescued victims and compromised trafficking rings. The FBI is on the scene every year trying new tactics to bring in the criminals and make them face justice. They work side-by-side with non-profits to help make contact with these women and hopefully bring them in or try to turn them against their pimps.
You don’t have to stop watching the Super Bowl, but be aware that there are things going on behind the curtain. Isn’t it interesting that sex trafficking makes national headlines every year during the Super Bowl, but not the rest of the year? Sex trafficking doesn’t just happen for this ONE weekend, it happens every day around the world.
Greenville is doing its part every day to help raise awareness about this growing problem. The Set Free Movement is a Free Methodist movement with a team right here in Bond County. Also, Greenville is home to Eden’s Glory, a safe house for women who have been trafficked to come live a restored life.
You don’t have to be involved with either of these organizations, but you need to be aware that some of your actions can help prevent or further modern day slavery. You can trace back slavery to the clothes you purchase, the coffee you drink and the chocolate you eat. In one way or another, we all contribute (click to see how many slaves work for you) to this growing problem. Human trafficking affects all races, both men and women and people of all ages.
This problem isn’t about the men or women who want these peoples’ services, it is about the culture we live in. If there was no demand, there would be no supply. Modern day slavery wouldn’t exist and we wouldn’t be exploiting fellow human beings for our own pleasure. Culture objectifies these people and says the affluent get what they want for the sake of the unfortunate. These victims may have been born in the wrong place or trusted the wrong people; the victims could have been you or me.
