We are often asked, how can the church help stop this and protect children? And I think one of the reasons the church hasn’t been too concerned about it, is because men aren’t being taught in the church what a real man should be. A lot of men, if I can say this boldly, are […]
Linda Smith’s Perspective on Lacy’s Journey: the Law, The Culture and the Church – Part 1
In the number of years that I’ve worked on many of these cases in the United States, I’ve watched law enforcement change dramatically. They’re realizing that victims of prostitution are just somebody’s daughter, son, mom, cousin, sister or brother. And they’re starting to understand that, and they’re starting to change how they work with girls […]
Faith and Justice
We have taken time to observe and ponder the events of the past several weeks. It has been instructive to watch and listen to what is being said and done as individuals, groups and organizations absorb and react to, our nation’s current events. There are various opinions on roots of the turmoil–and causes and cures–but […]
Shared Hope Statement Regarding FOSTA-SESTA and the Backpage Seizure
Today, with the President’s signing of H.R. 1865, the Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act, also known as FOSTA-SESTA, anti-trafficking advocates and survivors of sex trafficking and their families celebrate this long awaited progress in the effort to combat online sex trafficking. Today’s bill signing comes days after federal agencies seized […]
A Southwest Washington Girl was Rescued and Given Her Name Back
For four long years, Stephanie wasn’t even allowed to use her own name. She was only known by the name her trafficker gave her when he first enslaved her. She was only 13 years old at the time. “He said I was no longer that girl with my old family,” Stephanie remembers, “No longer a […]