..........The 40 Day Fast, Day 28: Team 2........ In The Open-Child Trafficking In America.

It has only been recently that major news organizations are reporting on human trafficking, sadly long over due from our media giants. In 2004 a press release was made by Berkley's Human Rights Center that should have been a wake up call to all of us. The findings in this study stunned those who were involved, it stated "'The most shocking aspect of this report is that modern-day slavery still exists,' said Laurel Fletcher, a researcher at the Human Rights Center and professor at U.C. Berkeley's law school. 'Slavery is a problem the public thinks we solved long ago, but, in fact, it's alive and well. It has simply taken on a new form.'" Read the whole story here...

Human trafficking has taken over the number two spot, only behind the drug trade, for the top money makers in organized crime. The number two spot used to belong to the illegal sale and distribution of arms, but the human life once again has been proven to be more valuable than weapons, unfortunately the exponents promoting this idea are coming from the wrong source.

Here, in America, we have raised the awareness of human trafficking through blogging, but it seems to be explained away as "this is an international issue, it doesn't happen here" type mentality that is sadly wrong. The FBI has determined that 300,000 young people are trafficked within the United States each year and that the average age for females entering prostitution in America is 13 and for males is 11. There are only 45 total beds, not safe house locations, but beds to help aide victims in their escape out of slavery. For this reason I have chosen Ahavakids as the organization to blog about.

I was introduced to this organization after being invited to listen to Raymond Bechard give a talk on human trafficking with an emphasis on child slavery at the Jewish Community Center in West Palm Beach. Raymond is the authur of UNSPEAKABLE: The Hidden Truth Behind the World's Fastest Growing Crime, and started ahavakids in 2003. According to Raymond "Ahavakids has no religious affiliation and he feels like the whole purpose of this organization is to just love the victims of this horrible crime."


Ahava Kids, a 501(c)3, Not-For-Profit human rights organization, exists to rescue and care for victims of child trafficking, exploitation, and abuse in the United States and throughout the world. Through direct intervention, Ahava Kids has developed the process of Intervention, Care and Prevention. This is the most effective method of removing young people from the various dangers of exploitation and abuse while giving them the best chance at survival and a far better life. Using this process, Ahava Kids has assisted in saving over 3,000 young people around the world and in the United States since 2003.

In the United States, Ahava Kids is now committed to providing individual victims with the customized care they need in order to obtain a safe and healthy life while empowering them with the resources they need for a greater future. Current social programs have failed drastically in the area of victim support. The multi-layered challenges and issues facing these young people can only be answered with active multi-disciplinary solutions.

Ahava Kids builds real relationships with victims in order to further their rehabilitation and build their self-esteem. Another very positive outcome of these valuable relationships is that prosecutors can rely on victims as powerful witnesses. In this way, Ahava Kids can assist in the prosecution of criminals, thereby reducing future crimes of this nature from being committed against young people.

After Raymond was done speaking, my friend Mike and I talk with him. He showed us slides of craigslist listings from prostitution and we were blown away. He also showed us how various other social networking site can be responsible for promoting such a crime . I decided to see for myself how many were listed here in Palm Beach County alone. Here are the results. 663 listed under the search with a"maximum age of 18". 9,666 listed with a "maximum age of 20," over 58,000 listings for South Florida alone with no age specified. I was shocked

Prostitution is NOT a victimless crime, the most unfortunate part is the girls and boys who are trapped in this lifestyle are usually treated as criminals, not as victims of a Federal crime.

I have been blessed with the opportunity to help in the start up of the Florida Chapter which, In the next few months, Ahava Kids will open a safe house in Florida for victims of the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) and other at-risk victims of human trafficking.

I have chosen to be a part of this organization simply to "love the least of these" to actually put to practice what I preach. I encourage all who read this to take time and see where and how you can help in this struggle.

Today’s post is part of the 40 Day Fast, a collection of 80 bloggers joining together to shed light on needs around the world and the people who are making a difference. Joining me today is Brad blogging about TOMS Shoes.