My friend Charles Powell has a heart to show mercy. How does he go about this? His plan is to make it impossible for people to buy and sell human beings in America. His organization, the Mercy Movement, exist to create awareness, educate society, and empower citizens to non-violent actions that reduce human trafficking and modern slavery in our world today.
If you haven’t checked out his organization, I encourage you to do so here. Yes, in full disclosure, I am personally involved with Mercy Movement. I know of no better cause to support than ending slavery. But without Charles, there would be no Mercy Movement for me to stand with to fight slavery.
Ordinary people like Charles are emerging all over the world to make a difference in critical social issues like human trafficking. He is the a great example of a person committed to faith in action, or as I say in this blog, Activist Faith.
Below are a few pieces of information about human trafficking from his organization, along with a video clips we had the opportunity to be on with FOX News recently. Please check it out and do all you can to support freedom today.
-Dillon
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What is Human Trafficking?
The recruitment, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons, by means of an implied or direct threat or use of force or other forms of coercion or fraud for the purposes of profiting from the labor of those trafficked, frequently involving sexual exploitation and forced labor of an industrial or agricultural nature. Human trafficking is the vehicle through which persons enter the institution of human slavery.
Human Trafficking Statistics
Each year, an estimated 14,500 to 17,500 foreign nationals are trafficked into the United States to be used in the sex trade or as domestic/agricultural slaves. (U.S. Department of Justice)
In 2006, there were only 5,808 prosecutions and 3,160 convictions throughout the world. This means that for every 800 people trafficked, only one person was convicted. (U.S. State Department)
In the past 30 years more people have been trafficked for slavery than in all of the 400 years of the Colonial Slave Trade. (United Nations/ U.S. Department of Justice)
14,500 plus people are trafficked into the U.S., with approximately 50% used in the sex industry, and 50% used in for work in agriculture and domestic service. (U.S. Department of Justice)(The UN and NGO’s publish statistics in this category which are often markedly higher than those of the U.S.-DoJ.)
An average slave in the American South in 1850 cost the equivalent of $40,000 in today’s money; today a slave costs an average of $90. (freetheslaves.net)
The number of U.S. citizens trafficked within the country each year is even higher, with an estimated 200,000 North American children at risk for trafficking into the sex industry. (U.S. Department of Justice)
Estimated annual profits made from the exploitation of all trafficked forced labor are US$ 31.6 billion. (International Labor Office)
In the world, “there are 12.3 million people in forced labor, bonded labor, forced child labor, and sexual servitude at any given time; other estimates range from 4 million to 27 million,” according to estimates of the United Nations’ International Labor Organization.
According U.S. government studies the most active city for human trafficking in the United States is Atlanta, Georgia. Boasting the busiest airport in the world, this international portal is believed to figure greatly into the equation.
“There are 27 million slaves in the world today. More than at any other time in human history.” (freetheslaves.net)
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