July 30th is such a special day is my sister in Law’s bday a special women of God that has been a blessing to my family.
It is also the World Day Against Sex Trafficking but… did you see it on google? I mean, every time I search for something there is a sign with a national day reminder, donut day, hot dog day and other none relevant national days but something as REAL and CLEAR as sex trafficking was not even mentioned and that is just one quick example that I kept on thinking about today as I meditated on this truth. KIDS ARE BEING SOLD AND ABUSED, PEOPLE ARE PAYING FOR THEM AND ABUSING THEM.
1 out of 5 pornographic images is of a child, pornography is a 3 BILLION dollar industry and THE U.S. is the #1 both consumer and producer of child pornography and why is this not being shared EVERYDAY in the news?
Ask yourself and please research why.
It breaks my heart, I get a knot in my stomach and Gosh! I feel so impotent because this is happening everyday at every hour and in every state. Honestly this is a real pandemic, a big elephant in the room that very few are willing to speak about.
I am a mom, a Kid’s and youth Pastor and I feel responsible to speak about this subject, why? because research shows that 34% of children ages 10 to 17 have received unwanted exposure to sexual material in their own homes! and in 82% of online sex crimes, the offender used the victims social networking site to gain information about the victims and their whereabouts at specific times.
kids are being groomed and exposed to pornography and the predators inside our own homes, with our own electronic devices and the wi-fi we pay for.
Parents, Leaders, Adults: We need to do something, we cannot stay quiet scrolling to social media posts and documentaries while our kids are being abandoned in their own electronic devices while being entertained by the media, YouTube videos and online games that based in all of those documentaries are proven to be the #1 method predators are using today to hurt our children.
This is real and it can happen in our homes. KIDS ARE BEING EXPOSED and in some cases the first image, a video or conversation happened through the internet while searching for something or an unsupervised online game.
WE NEED TO WAKE UP!
Little lives (including my own) are today depending on a voice to raise up, speak up, search for ways to speak the truth to our own kids and create change in the circle of influence that we have.
It is not a coincidence that about 3 months ago I read the book of Elizabeth Smart . I came across an interview she did where she explained that she was kidnapped from her own home, her parents were sleeping, she was in her room with her sister and her kidnappers took her from her own home and was held captive for 9 months. I couldn’t help but buy the book that same day and read it in a week. (It is worth the read) Her story opened my eyes to Pedophilia which is a disorder as the DSM 5 defines it and studies show that an estimated 20 percent of American children have been sexually molested, making pedophilia a common paraphilia (Abnormal sexual desires) and the offenders are usually family friends or relatives.
PEDOPHILIA IS NOT A SEXUAL ORIENTATION and the offenders need to be held accountable.
Let’s stop pretending that sexual exploitation is happening rarely or that it doesn’t exist at all. Let’s commit and use our voices AT HOME and in our circle of influence to raise up, open our eyes, ask uncomfortable questions, speak up if you see anything inappropriate and get informed.
Here is a video https://youtu.be/YK3bcZMwQxU I saw that was recorded on February of this year, their stories wrecked me and the reality is that it can be someone we know! Please do me a favor and watch it until the end; their stories are extraordinary.
Lastly take all of this to God and ask him for clear instructions. SEX TRAFFICKING should matter to all of us and I pray God uses you to bring awareness and make the difference in your circle.
Here are some accounts on IG that I am following for information and support:
@ourrescue , @A21, @enditmovement, @Fightthenewdrug
Parents, Leaders and Adults: It is time to RAISE UP!
-Stephany
