We love seeing Rebels FIGHT FOR FREEDOM in creative ways! A high school student sent us this poem after he received a presentation from one of our team members. Real and raw, Armand addresses sex trafficking from a blunt perspective. Any feelings of shock are immediately sobered by the realization that he is describing reality. 

The root causes of sex trafficking are multifaceted and crossover into many other challenges our generation faces today: low self-esteem, depression, abuse, peer pressure, broken families, unhealthy relationships, etc.

Sonora is a Rebel who heard a presentation about sex trafficking, and even though she had never experienced it, found that the information resonated powerfully with her own experiences. A survivor of assault, Sonora is now boldly taking a stand to speak out about the causes that are important to her. May you be inspired by her powerful message! 

Fortifying our freedom against sex trafficking is not an isolated act. Learning about the dangers and keeping that information only for ourselves has no lasting impact. We must invest in and care for those around us enough to spread the word and look out for one another.

When Amy sent us her story about why she helped start the RLR club at her school, we wanted to share. The love that she has for her friends and family overflowed to others when she finally understood the dangers of sex trafficking. We hope that you are inspired by Amy's passion for awareness!

Hearing about sex trafficking is one thing, but diving deep by doing research, hearing from survivors, and having our eyes opened to the heinousness of exploitation causes a lot of questioning. Doing hundreds of presentations a year, we hear a lot of people wonder aloud, "How can people do this to other people?"

Brittany recently sent us her story of why sex trafficking is an important cause to her. Riddled with questions of "How?" and "Why?" these things happen, Brittany found purpose and outlets to make a difference. May you be as inspired as we were to turn our questions and the horror of sex trafficking into action that motivates and uplifts others! 

Do you remember your first crush? Or those sweet love notes that took a second to write, but would take forever to build the courage to pass across the classroom?

Sexual predators know this and intentionally manipulate the victim so that he/she feels loved and valued. Pimps are no different; after all, they are master manipulators. They have studied the best ways to convince a new victim of their affection, love, loyalty, and dedication. Pimps are posers and they oftentimes pose as a boyfriend/girlfriend to potential victims.

Pimps. 

We see them in the music videos, watch them in movies and TV shows, and hear about them roaming around the bad parts of town. Their lifestyle is sensationalized, their line of "work" is romanticized, and very little is based off reality.

Pimps are just like other sexual predators in the sense that they take advantage of those who are vulnerable, lack power, or are overly trusting. Unlike other sexual predators, however, they do not do it for their own sexual gratification. Instead they use the victim to gain money, power, and status.

These predators are successful at what they do because they are master manipulators. They brag that P.I.M.P. stands for: Power In Manipulating People. It is a craft they study and master, an area of pride for them. It is one of the things that makes them so dangerous. 

You see, pimps are posers. 

The heinous crime of child sex slavery is a multifaceted and controversial human rights issue that is sweeping the world as the next hot topic for activism.  It does not seem like the issue of raping children for profit would be very complicated–it is wrong and needs to be stopped.  But when dealing with anything surrounding the topic of sex, things tend to get complicated very fast. Many times, peoples’ uneducated beliefs about prostitution influence their beliefs about child sex slavery.  

Contrary to popular opinion, prostitution is NOT a victimless crime

A victimless crime is commonly described as an illegal act agreed upon by all parties involved that harms no one.

Many people believe that prostitution is a victimless crime because the woman selling sex and the man buying sex are both agreeing to the exchange; consensual sex is rarely ever harmful to either party.

But the statistics prove otherwise. 

How can prostitution be consensual and victimless when over 70% of women are physically assaulted in prostitution?

Or, when 75% of women are raped in prostitution;

Between 65% and 95% were sexually assaulted as children;

90% experience verbal abuse and social contempt for their “work”; and

almost 70% meet the criteria for post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a disorder than many soldiers develop after war?

This is the violence experienced by the majority of women involved in all types of prostitution, legal and illegal. So when the majority of women in prostitution report sexual assault from those purchasing their bodies, prostitution can no longer be considered a victimless crime.

A woman has the right to do whatever she wants with her body; but a man has no right to do whatever he wants with a woman’s body. Prostitution is an industry where the man gets what he wants because the woman is servicing him. Therefore, prostitution is NOT a victimless crime; it is a crime that victimizes every woman involved.