Most of us are familiar with the 2008 movie Taken where Liam Neeson plays a former CIA operative who tracks down his daughter after she is kidnapped by human traffickers in France for sexual slavery. The film likely scared our parents and convinced them to never send their child to a foreign country alone, but it also brought the topic of human trafficking to the table.
The state of Florida is ranked number two in the country for the greatest amount of human trafficking victims. Statewide, the industry produces $235 million in annual revenue, with the city of Miami standing as the gateway to the equivalent of modern day slavery.
The fear of being dragged into human trafficking or of it happening in our vicinity is one that many lack because of the paucity of awareness about this pressing issue. There have been numerous occurrences of sex trafficking rings in downtown Miami in previous years, and women are not the only victims. Men and children have also been victims of human trafficking.
Worldwide, human trafficking is the third largest illegal market, generating a $32 billion profit that surpasses that of guns and drugs. Twenty seven million people are enslaved and more than one million of them are children. A human trafficking victim can be sold ten times a day, which means a “pimp” or “madame” can make about $250,000 on a single victim.
The solution to this global problem is not clear-cut, but there are organizations that are helping victims recover.
Glory House of Miami is a non-profit organization that focuses on turning victims of human trafficking to survivors. The organization is Christ-centered, respects human life and strives for excellence. Director Betty Lara spoke about human trafficking at Wolfson Campus on October 6 and stressed that just because GH of Miami is a religious organization doesn’t mean that they will convert a victim to any religion.
“These victims have been forced to do things for so long and we don’t want them to come here and feel forced,” Lara said. “We approach them with the love and care they need. That’s what they lack the most.”
The Glory House of Miami is a safe house for human trafficking victims between the ages of 18 to 25 for up to two years in length. Victims are referred to this organization by the FBI and the State Attorney. Lara and her team help victims become survivors by teaching them how to trust people again, graduate high school and higher education, and search for jobs. Lara is currently working with a survivor who has been out of this slavery for seven years and has now received a Ph.D., written two books, and is the inspiration for survivors everywhere.
“Human trafficking victims should not receive the same treatment as an addict,” Lara said. “They require around-the-clock care. It doesn’t take six months or even a year. A minimum of two years of treatment is required.” The time it takes for victims to be rehabilitated varies from case to case but the trauma is the common thread in all of these victims.
Through increased awareness of the repercussions of being subjected to human trafficking, and of the avenues to recovery that exist for these victims, we can all contribute to the eventual eradication of this sick industry.
