What would you do to rescue a woman from the world of sex trafficking?
For WorldCrafts, the answer to this question is the Support Freedom campaign. Through this campaign, WorldCrafts has partnered with over 20 artisans groups around the world who offer the hope of freedom to victims of sex trafficking and human exploitation.
The Need for Rescue from Sex Trafficking
Globally, sex trafficking is one of the fastest growing criminal enterprises. The growth of pornography and booming sex tourism destinations have created an increased demand for women and children. And, poverty-stricken women are particularly vulnerable as they search for ways to improve their lives. They are often plied with promises of prosperity and well-paying jobs. Some are tricked into thinking they are receiving the opportunity to marry a wealthy man. Others are sold by their families or are abducted.
Once ensnared in the traffickers’ web, a woman has virtually no chance of escape. Her identification is confiscated. She is injected with drugs, not allowed to sleep, and tortured into forced submission. Her captors threaten the lives of her children and family to prevent her from trying to run away. Caged in desolate environments, sex trafficking victims lose their dignity and hope. Every moment is filled with terror as they contemplate what lies ahead.
The Hope of Restoration after Sex Trafficking
In the midst of this evil, groups representing the hope of a new life seek out victims of sex trafficking. They forge into streets and back alleys offering rescue and help. When a sex trafficking victim accepts their offer, the groups offer refuge and restoration, providing medical care as well as emotional therapy. Once a woman begins the healing process, she receives spiritual guidance and vocational training. With the offer of eternal hope and the promise of self-sufficiency, broken victims experience a total metamorphosis, becoming beautiful overcomers.
WorldCrafts focuses on creating sustainable partnerships with the Support Freedom artisans so that they are assured of a living wage and a brighter future.
WorldCrafts is currently partnering with many such groups who have taught sex trafficking victims to create beautiful handcrafted items. From jewelry to household accessories to Christmas ornaments, the Support Freedom artisans make products that represent their return of a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair (Isaiah 61:3). WorldCrafts focuses on creating sustainable partnerships with the Support Freedom artisans so that they are assured of a living wage and a brighter future.
The Demand for Responsibility
Throughout the Word, we are instructed to care for the fatherless, for the orphans and widows, for all who live without hope. Who could be more hopeless than victims of trafficking and those who are most vulnerable to exploitation? So, we return to our earlier question, “What would you do to rescue women from trafficking?”
Are you willing to help us in the fight against sex trafficking and exploitation? What if we tell you that you can help without ever leaving the comfort of your home?
- Pray. Make prayer for exploited women a priority. You can pray for each continent. If you pray for one continent a day, you can cover the globe in one week. Or, select scripture to pray through each day. Focus on the words that instruct us how to love the least among us. If you would like a focused prayer guide, pray through the WorldCrafts Support Freedom Prayer Guide.
- Shop with WorldCrafts. Each purchase of a beautiful handmade item from the Support Freedom artisans represents a life changed. Some purchases represent a full week of meals for the artisans’ families. Some will afford an artisan’s child the opportunity to attend school. Others will provide the means to reunite artisans and their children.
- Educate yourself. Dig around the Support Freedom campaign on our website. Here you will learn more about individual artisans and their groups. Browse our new Support Freedom catalog and order more to share within your community.
- Share. As you pray, shop, and learn more, please share what you’ve learned with your friends and family. Encourage them to think more about their purchases, and whether their purchases offer fair or unfair wages to the person who creates them.
- Host a Party. Are you feeling led to go beyond your own walls to help women who’ve been trafficked or exploited? Consider hosting a Support Freedom party designed by WorldCrafts. In our Support Freedom party resources, you will find simple directions for hosting a party and links to free downloads, including wording for invitations, artisan biographies, and recipes
The Promise of Redemption
Here is what your commitment to Support Freedom means:
“We are working hard to help every family have some kind of an income which will help them leave the life of prostitution and still be able to send their children to school and pay for their medical insurance, food and rent. This is the vision we have! By creating beautiful things with their hands and receiving a financial benefit from them, this helps to restore their dignity and self-esteem to break the cycle of poverty they find themselves in.” – More than Sparrows (Rwanda)
Many of our workers come with heavy burdens. When we become friends, they share their burdens and that gives us the opportunity to share a word of eternal hope with them – Artisan from Thai Country Trim (Thailand)
“Rescue is just the first step on the path to restoration for victims of exploitation and trafficking. Even after extensive therapy and time to heal, former victims are extremely vulnerable to being re-exploited, if they have no ability to earn a viable income and provide for themselves and their families . . . Sak Saum recognizes this reality and is committed to ensuring that those in their care are equipped with skills and employment, and earn fair wages in a safe, loving environment.” – Sak Saum (Cambodia)
Are you willing to join the fight?