Sexual Assault Awareness Month: Slavery (Human Trafficking)

Hello friends.

This blog is going to be a little different from the other ones we’ve posted for SAAM. Also, although SAAM is over, the work that goes into helping victims and preventing sexual violence is a 24/7, 365 job. Diligent and amazing SANEs (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners), investigators on sexual crimes and domestic violence units, prosecutors, victim advocates, and therapists, work hard year-round to helping victims of sexual violence. So we’re going to run into May to finish this blog series.

Another reason why this blog looks different is that I started writing a couple months ago and then decided to incorporate it into our series. Regardless I hope victims can find the help they need, and that others, especially church leaders, can learn about the problem and how they can help prevent it in their churches and communities.

Human Trafficking

Quick Facts:

-Next to Drug Trafficking Human trafficking is the most common form of trafficking.

-It is estimated that 25 million people around the world are victimized by some form of human trafficking.

-In 2018, the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline was contacted 41,088 times and reported 10,949 cases of human trafficking.

In 2018, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s CyberTipline received over 18.4 million reports of suspected child sexual exploitation and abuse.

The FBI has about 1,900 active human trafficking cases throughout all of its 56 field offices.

You may think that human trafficking can’t affect my church or community, but on the contrary, the main rule of any crime is that it can happen anywhere, to anyone, at any time.

The sad truth is, churches are not immune to crime. The Bible tells us of “Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.” Matthew 7:15.

Examples

We’re going to see how this scripture became true for three churches in Ohio when their pastors trafficked a girl; and how a dozen church leaders enslaved dozens of homeless people in California, and how even churches in other countries also are involved.

It began in Ohio in 2014 and it lasted until 2017. Three pastors began to assault a minor victim that was in the custody of one of the pastors. Some of the assaults took place in the pastor’s own Church. The pastor told the victim that if the victim said anything, it would ruin his family and his church. He also exploited the victim to other men, including the other two pastors.

One of the other pastors also assaulted the victim at his church, and in his home.

The third pastor trafficked the victim to other men, from 2015 through 2017.

Thankfully, the FBI was able to arrest these three men and bring them to justice. They were sentenced earlier this year.

Last year, the leader of the religious organization La Luz Del Mundo and several co-defendants were also arrested on human trafficking charges. The leader is alleged to have coerced victims into performing sexual acts by telling them that if they went against any of his desires or wishes that as “the Apostle,” they were not only going him, but against God.

Then there’s the alleged case of a dozen church leaders enslaving dozens of homeless people in California, (two of whom have pled guilty). They offered housing as part of their substance and homelessness ministries to the victims but when they arrived they had to agree to follow 29 rules that were…we’ll say sketchy, and as it turned out, this program was not all it seemed to be. Some of the rules are:

-“You can’t leave the house unless accompanied by someone and with the permission from the director-never by yourself.”

-“For the first 30 days, there will be no communication with family, unless it is at the church.”

-“Any I.D.’s, money, personal items, or important papers are to be turned over to the director.”

-“Any information needed to be gotten from your counselor.”

-“You are not to discuss things of the world.”

-“If receiving any income, 10% will go to tithes, 30% to the home, and the rest will be put away for you by the director (no money should be on your person.”

-“You can’t go to the front yard, unless told so by a counselor.”

-“The only thing that is to be read is the Holy Bible.”

-“If any of the above rules are broken there will be discipline.”

-“None of the above rules apply to the pastor or his family.”

Although there’s nothing wrong with having rules, these ones seem a bit controlling. Even bordering on cultish. No contact with the outside world, and having to turn over all forms of identification, money, not even being allowed to go into the yard, are all very controlling and should be viewed with some alarm. Professional treatment centers or homeless shelters usually specify the consequences of breaking rules, they don’t make vague threats. Also surrendering your ID, or being able to contact people are red flags and possible indicators of human trafficking.

Then saying the pastor and his family won’t be subject to the same rules can say a lot.

At some of these houses the doors were deadbolted shut, and only the counselors had the keys to unlock them and windows were nailed shut. They also made their victims panhandle and give the proceeds to them. They also used their victim’s SNAP or EBT cards. When members would try to leave they were hindered through lies or threats, such as that their children would be taken away, or that their loved ones had rejected them and that they had to stay because “only God” loves them. Some of the disciplinary measures they used were withholding food or medication.

Even more recently, just this year administrators of a Filipino church were indicted for immigration, and labor trafficking offenses. They allegedly brought church members to the United States to help with fundraising as “musical performers.” However, when they arrived all their identification was taken and they were forced to work long hours, getting donations for a supposed non-profit. However, it appears that the money was used to support the lavish lifestyle of church leaders. It is also alleged that they helped arrange sham marriages between their victims and other individuals.

Some victims escaped from the church and reported to the FBI that they suffered abuse. They were forced to work on the streets, slept in cars, and didn’t have regular access to medicine.

These are just 4 recent examples of churches and or their leaders who have committed human trafficking using their churches, ministries, their positions, and the Bible to facilitate these crimes.

We’ve seen several examples of how many of these leaders have used religion to coerce their victims.

Here are some ways human traffickers in religious settings commit their crimes:

-Traffickers are always in some position of power, or perceived power at least by their victims. Whether they are in a position of authority, such as a pastor or church leader, or if they have the power to provide victims with things they need, e.g. food, clothes, place to sleep, drugs, they can control and manipulate their victims.

-In religious cases of human trafficking, the traffickers will often use religion, the Bible, or God to manipulate or coerce victims. Remember in the case of La Luz Del Mundo, the leader is alleged to have said to his victims that if they didn’t do what he asked, they were going against his wishes, and thereby going against God’s wishes. Often offenders target vulnerable victims. New coverts to religions are often impressionable and want to please God and their new church family. If offenders come into contact with these people and are in some position of power, they can manipulate the victims into believing what is happening is God’s will or part of the religion. This rule is also the same for sexual abuse in faith-based settings.

For Victims of Human Trafficking

If you have been, or are a victim of human trafficking, we know you have gone through some of the worst things imaginable and we want to let you know that there is help. If you’re able to tell someone about your situation or to call 911 we encourage you to do so. There’s also the National Human Trafficking Hotline that you can call at 1-888-373-7888, you can also text HELP to 233733. You can also webchat with an advocate by visitinghttps://humantraffickinghotline.org/chat.

There are people who are ready, willing, and able to help you get out of the situation, or start healing from past situations.

Noticing and Reporting Human Trafficking

You may not realize it, but you may come into contact with someone who is actively the victim of human trafficking. Here are just a few of the signs you can recognize as signs that someone may be the victim of human trafficking:

-they are not free to come and go as they please

-not allowed to keep the money they make, not paid at all, or paid very little

-owes a large debt and are not able to pay it off

-Their boss takes and has all their IDs, passports, drivers licenses, social security cards, etc,

-they are fearful, depressed, submissive, tense, paranoid, or nervous.

-look fatigued, malnourished, poor hygiene.

-are monitored by someone, or someone is always with them.

-they are not in control of their own money.

These are just a few possible signs of human trafficking. For a larger list and more information visit, https://humantraffickinghotline.org/human-trafficking/recognizing-signs.

If you think that you know someone who is being trafficked call the National Human trafficking hotline at 1-888-373-7888, if they appear to be in imminent danger, call 911.

Conclusion

Human trafficking is a worldwide problem, that has wide effects, and churches are not unaffected. You can prevent human trafficking in your church by being on the lookout for red flags, making sure that any ministries you have going on are following state and federal laws, raising awareness of the problem in your church, establishing strong protocols to prevent it, and making sure you treat people in a Christ-like manner.

If you have been the victim of this awful crime, we are sorry for everything you’ve been through and want you to know about the help that you can receive. Again you can call the National Human trafficking hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or chat online by going to https://humantraffickinghotline.org/chat.

You can prevent and rescue people from human trafficking, simply by being observant of those around you and noticing and taking into context red flags, and reporting them to the tip line or to law enforcement.