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To the Editor:
It was encouraging to see in the Elizabethton STAR, Mayor Curt Alexander proclaiming January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month for Elizabethton. It’s great to see Elizabethton take a strong stand against human trafficking and all Christians should also take a strong stand against human trafficking.
January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Most people wrongly think slavery ended in America. They believe the work of Abe Lincoln ended slavery. Sadly, the institution of slavery is still alive, it just goes by a new name: Human Trafficking. Every day, millions of victims mostly women (one-third children) are bought and sold around the world. Human trafficking is the abuse of children, women and men for their bodies or labor and is modern-day slavery. There are over 40 million people enslaved around the world. The most upsetting fact is one-third of all sex trafficking is of children. Christian Josh Peck won awards for his documentary called, “Silent Cry, The darker side of trafficking” and found a high amount of child sex trafficking is demonic people using and abusing the children for occult purposes. For info on human trafficking visit www.acf.hhs.gov/trafficking or www.endslaverytn.org/ For help or to report a tip call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733 (Befree).
The United States is ranked as one of the worst countries in the world for human trafficking. According to a report by the State Department, the top three nations of origin for victims of human trafficking were the United States, Mexico and the Philippines. America’s dirty little secret is the United States is the number one consumer of paid sex worldwide. So America is driving the demand as a society. Tennessee is the best state in the nation for its response to the threat of human trafficking according to the nation’s leading experts who gave Tennessee a grade of “B.” Shared Hope International grades and ranks every state in the nation, annually assessing law enforcement approaches, legislation and survivor services. Tennessee has room for improvement but scored the highest in the nation on dealing effectively with human trafficking. Sadly, most states are doing little or nothing to stop human trafficking. A total of 37 states received a grade of “F” according to www.sharedhope.org. The Tennessee Human Trafficking Hotline is 855-558-6484. Homeless, runaways and kidnapped children are forced into the sex trade. Traffickers love America’s open borders as they can easily kidnap children and women coming across the border. Where pimps find victims are foster care, social networks, home neighborhoods, clubs, bars, internet and school. Those with an average age of 14 are trafficked, it’s estimated. Abuse of children causes revulsion if anyone has a heart at all for God, His Word the Bible or the children who are being victimized. Pray that God will pour out His justice and pray for mercy and healing for the victims of abuse. Jesus said, “It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.” Porn consumption is contributing to the child sex trafficking epidemic. Alaska and Nevada have the most porn and also have the most rape. The internet and TikTok is full of porn. Anyone who buys porn or even views porn online is hurting children. Also, those who view porn open themselves to demons. There’s growing evil and demonic activity in these end days before Jesus raptures Christians, then the seven-year tribulation happens.
Sometimes the truth is very unpleasant. The Bible in Ephesians says do not only shun the “unfruitful works of darkness, but even expose them.” There is evil in the world and getting worse. We can’t close our eyes and pretend it doesn’t exist, and we can’t fight it with our heads in the sand, thinking happy thoughts. “You can ignore reality but you can’t ignore the consequences of ignoring reality.” Be sure you know who your children are talking to on the phone or internet and teach them to never give their home address. It’s important to be a voice for the voiceless and for victims. Victims have said abuse negatively affected them for decades after the abuse ended. Christian victims said only after they gave their life and past to Jesus, Jesus strengthened them, and delivered them from shame, suicidal thoughts, depression, bitterness and despair. Pain and heartache is real but Jesus with us in our pain and heartache is more real. The Bible says Jesus is near to the brokenhearted! Only Jesus can bring beauty from ashes. However, you will never know what beauty Jesus can make from your ashes or messed up life until you give it to him!

D.D. Nave
Elizabethton