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Human Trafficking in America’s Backyard

January 24, 2014 · by Elisabeth Epstein

Human trafficking occurs in every corner of the globe from the southernmost foothills of Patagonia to the northernmost region of Siberia. Human trafficking is an egregious violation of human rights – one that often strips its victims of self-worth only to refill them with fear, isolation and desperation.

In the United States, a country most may not immediately associate with human trafficking, the U.S. Department of Justice ranks human trafficking as the second fastest growing criminal industry, behind only drug trafficking, with between 14,500 and 17,500 new people trafficked into America each year.

Every hour, 34 people in America are forced into prostitution. 

In 2013, human trafficking made national headlines when Ariel Castro was arrested (and eventually convicted) for kidnapping, raping, and forcibly locking three girls in his basement for a period spanning over ten years. One victim, Amanda Berry, even bore his child, thereby increasing the victim count to four.

As a result of the Castro case and several others like it, the movement to punish traffickers and to end human trafficking in the United States has been gaining speed.

Expanding on previous attempts to end human trafficking, on January 14th the United States government published its first ever Federal Strategic Action Plan on Services for Victims of Human Trafficking in the United States. The Action Plan aims to crack down on traffickers, develop a strategic action plan to strengthen victim services, and strengthen protections against human traffickers in federal contracts. Additionally, U.S. President Barack Obama proclaimed January as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. However, the federal government is not the only government entity taking a strong stance against human trafficking.

In August, Polaris Project, an organization dedicated to ending human trafficking in the United States, released its 2013 state ratings on human trafficking laws. In 2013 alone, 39 states passed anti-trafficking laws and 32 ranked in Polaris Project’s top Tier 1 category* – up from 21 states last year.

Over the past year, the momentum among advocates, legislators, and state officials to pass robust laws combatting human trafficking has been inspiring. We’ve witnessed a historic turning point now that all fifty states have passed laws criminalizing human trafficking. However, criminals are trafficking women, men, and children from coast to coast at horrendous rates. In every state, we need to give prosecutors and law enforcement the right tools to stop traffickers, and state agencies must have the ability to protect survivors and help them reclaim their freedom.” – Bradley Myles, CEO of Polaris Project.

Additionally, Polaris Project recently published the report, Human Trafficking Trends in the United States. In it, the organization reveals not only a rising number of human trafficking cases but also an increasing level of community awareness. For example, in the five-year period between 2008 and 2012, the National Trafficking Resource Center (NTRC) hotline received a 259%** increase in reports of human trafficking, a statistic undoubtedly due to the combined increase in cases as well as awareness.

Along with governing bodies and anti-trafficking organizations, the growing amount of national media attention also plays an important role in spreading awareness. For example, in August CNN profiled several victims to learn about their experiences in the sex trade; in December The Kansas City Star wrote a five-part series on human trafficking in America; and just a few days ago USA Today warned of high levels of sex trafficking during the Superbowl.

The Superbowl is the single largest human trafficking incident in the United States.” –  Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott

Even though human trafficking statistics in the United States remain at inexcusable levels, the good news is that awareness is on the rise – and awareness is always the first step.

If you are a victim or suspect a case of human trafficking, please call the NTRC at 1-888-373-7888 or text HELP or INFO to BeFree (233733) for support.

For more information, please visit:

Girls’ Globe Posts on Human Trafficking

GEMS Girls

Not for Sale

UNICEF

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Human Trafficking Program

US Department of Homeland Security’s Blue Campaign

*States in the top Tier 1 have passed “significant [anti-trafficking] laws” while states in the lowest tier, Tier 4, have made “minimal effort.”

**The NTRC hotline received 5,746 calls in 2008 and 20,650 in 2012.

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God-Centered Joy

“When we choose well, the paths of surrender, relationship, acceptance and trust lead us to Him and His power.

“Now we are standing in front of another fork.  This time, we’re seeking a path that will deliver us to something we’re all looking for: joy,  What’s interesting, however, it that the trail to joy is unmarked, full of rocks and overgrown  weeds, and rarely traveled.  As a result, whenever we arrive at this fork, we almost always choose the wrong path–and end up wondering why we’re lost.

“To put this is plain terms, we often think possessions and things will make us happy.  Food, Sex. Money.  A new dress, couch, car, home, job or spouse.  We think that if we rearrange the circumstances, everything will get better.  Eventually, some of us figure it out, at least some of the time, that isn’t how it works.  The external possessions and things are enticing and may offer temporary pleasure, but ultimately, they don’t make a difference.  They are the wrong path.

“Joy springs from an internal choice–a decision of the heart about the heart.  It has nothing to do with circumstances and everything to do with God and where we are going with Him.  It also–and this is the part that trips us up–has little to do with what we, in all our “wisdom,” want and believe we need.  The path that leads to joy is based entirely on what God desires for us.  Once we begin to walk in the direction He’s pointing out to us, we discover true delight.

“Said another way, joy results when we focus more on God and less…on ourselves.” – Jim Daly in Stronger

We all want joy in our lives.  We can try to fill that space in our lives with things, and entertainment, but those things are fleeting.  Inner joy comes from being who we are made to be, aligned with God.  Then even when things aren’t perfect we can be content and joyful.

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Is It OK to Masturbate?

http://porntopurity.com/blog/2014/01/24/is-it-ok-to-masturbate/

Posted: 24 Jan 2014 03:00 AM PST

Masturbation is one of those hushed words in many church and family circles.  We don’t talk about it, we struggle with it, we are confused by it, yet we have important questions about it.

THE BIGGEST QUESTION:  Is it OK to masturbate?

I found an interesting article on www.restoringsexualpurity.org about masturbation.  Dr.  Harry W. Schaumburg shares some things to consider: CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL ARTICLE   Dr. Shaumburg comes to these conclusions in his article that are worth looking at.

  • Sex is a part of a personal relationship with another person; masturbation is non-relational.
  • Sex is to be exclusive; masturbation typically involves sexually impure thoughts.
  • Sex is to be special and intimate; masturbation is frequent and shallow.
  • Sex is to be fruitful (productive) in that man is designed to enter a woman and to create, both at a relational and reproductive level; masturbation treats sex like a commodity to be consumed.
  • Sex is to take place within the context of selfless love; masturbation is designed to satisfy oneself.
  • Sex is multi-dimensional; masturbation separates the physical from everything else.
  • Sex is to be complementary; masturbation is non-unitive.

NOW WHAT DO I DO? Many people spend a lot of energy building a case against masturbation.  That’s fine and it’s important.  But for those of us who want to be better and sexual pure… what do we do now?  Here are some tips to begin to break away from masturbation.

1.  Clean house – sometimes that stuff we have lying around the house (magazines, videos, music)  encourage lustful behavior.

2.  Find several healthy outlets for stress and emotions – Substitute a bad habit with a good habit.  Get to the gym, work outside, get busy with a project, go hang out with some buddies.  The TV and computer are probably not healthy outlets…find something else to relieve stress.

3.  You gotta talk to someone – A pastor, a Christian friend, a counselor…  If you really want to stop this, it needs to stop being a secret.

4.  Surrender to God – You may have done this time and time again, but you gotta let go and let God help you with the struggle.  Masturbation is a learned habit.  We are not powerful enough to stop it.  Invite God’s presence and power. There are many other things that will help like being part of a recovery group, reading recovery material, listening to recovery podcasts, but I want to give you one more big one…

5.  Get a notebook and write out your feelings and needs – Masturbation is a symptom of the undercurrent of emotions and unmet needs you have.  A notebook helps you talk it out, pray it out, vent it out.  Give it a try.  You’re not a sissy!  Get a notebook and work it out!

GET HELP FOR YOUR PURITY JOURNEY

Jeff Fisher helps guys with their purity journeys through:

  • Online / Phone Support Groups
  • Accountability Coaching
  • Personal Coaching
  • Speaking at Conferences

www.puritycoaching.com jeff@puritycoaching.com

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Standing In Our Own Way

Are you highly self-critical? Do you beat yourself up over failures? Do you work too much and push too hard without giving yourself time to breathe? Do you feel the need to compete, outperform others, and move ahead of the pack? Do you live with shame or a sense of not being good enough? We live in a society that regularly sends us the message to achieve more, work harder, win, be perfect, be the best. There is of course nothing wrong with having goals and dreams to pursue. However, most of us don’t stop to consider whether our self-critical and competitive attitude is actually helping us achieve these goals or whether it might actually be standing in our way. New research suggests self-compassion may be a far superior alternative. Kristin Neff, associate professor of Human Development and Culture at the University of Texas and pioneer of research on self-compassion, has shown that when our self-worth depends on out-competing others, we actually become more insecure and anxious: if we fail, we become highly self-critical, adding to our misery. Faced with criticism, we become defensive and feel crushed. We give up in the face of challenge. Moreover, competition fosters disconnection: rather than building social connection which research shows is essential to well-being, we view others as obstacles to overcome and we ultimately feel more separate from others. The primary goal of our desire for success is to be successful, to belong, and to be loved yet ironically self-criticism and competition end up having the reverse effect. Where self-criticism leaves us powerless and distraught, self-compassion is at the root of empowerment, learning, and inner strength. With self-compassion, we value yourself not because we’ve judged ourselves positively and others negatively but because we are intrinsically deserving of care and concern just like everyone else. Self-compassion means treating ourselves as we would a friend. Rather than berating, judging, or adding to a friend’s despair, we listen with empathy and understanding, encourage them to remember that mistakes are normal, and validate their emotions without adding fuel to the fire. Neff defines self-compassion as “being kind and understanding toward oneself in instances of pain or failure rather than being harshly self-critical; perceiving one’s experiences as part of the larger human experience rather than seeing them as isolating; and holding painful thoughts and feelings in mindful awareness rather than over-identifying with them.” From “Overcoming Shame: The Powerful Benefits of a Little Self-Love” by Emma Seppala, Ph.D http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/feeling-it/201211/overcoming-shame-the-powerfulbenefits-little-self-love

Criticism, like rain, should be gentle enough to nourish a man’s growth without destroying his roots. Frank A. Clark

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Challenge Anxious Thoughts

If you suffer from chronic anxiety and worries, chances are you look at the world in ways that make it seem more dangerous than it really is. For example, you may overestimate the possibility that things will turn out badly, jump immediately to worst-case scenarios, or treat every negative thought as if it were fact. You may also discredit your own ability to handle life’s problems, assuming you’ll fall apart at the first sign of trouble. These irrational, pessimistic attitudes are known as cognitive distortions. Although cognitive distortions aren’t based on reality, they’re not easy to give up. Often, they’re part of a lifelong pattern of thinking that’s become so automatic you’re not even completely aware of it. In order to break these bad thinking habits and stop the worry and anxiety they bring, you must retrain your brain. Start by identifying the frightening thought, being as detailed as possible about what scares or worries you. Then, instead of viewing your thoughts as facts, treat them as hypotheses you’re testing out. As you examine and challenge your worries and fears, you’ll develop a more balanced perspective. Stop worry by questioning the worried thought: – What’s the evidence that the thought is true? That it’s not true? – Is there a more positive, realistic way of looking at the situation? – What’s the probability that what I’m scared of will actually happen? – If the probability is low, what are some more likely outcomes? – Is the thought helpful? How will worrying about it help me and how will it hurt me? – What would I say to a friend who had this worry? By Melinda Smith, M.A., Robert Segal, M.A., and Jeanne Segal, Ph.D. http://www.helpguide.org/mental/anxiety_self_help.htm

“I’ve had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened.” – Mark Twain

Merimnao has created a tool to help assess our level of anxiety.  This is only a tool to be used for self-assessment, not diagnosis.  Please download the tool via this link to work the self-assessment.

Anxiety Assessment Tool
The Merimnao Anxiety Assessment Tool