Every now and then a news story pops up of a sex trafficking ring that has been discovered and dismantled. We are all sickened by how far mankind will go to gratify lusts and perversions. It is a great relief to find that the people behind these gross acts will meet the punishment for their crimes.

Sex Trafficking in the United States

This is a very real problem in our world today. It is not just limited to overseas but a very real issue in the United States as well. In March 2022, a Little Rock, Arkansas man was found guilty of sex trafficking and child pornography. An Iowa man was sentenced to 45 years in prison for his crimes of subjecting someone against their will to perform sex acts for money.

These are just two stories. The list can go on about people who have been found guilty of forcing others into prostitution, pornography and various perverted acts. This is a booming business that continues to grow because of its profit and the growing lusts that reside within evil hearts.

Remember that the innocent victims of these sex trafficking rings may have already been scarred and left vulnerable and helpless. They fall prey to controlling and deceitful people who gain their trust and then take over their will through coercion, manipulation or just plain abuse. This business preys upon teenage runaways, homeless women and children or just the unsuspecting. They target gullible children and ones that are unsupervised. They snatch them right off the street.

In 2020, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency reported that over 360,000 reports of missing people involving youth were submitted to the FBI. That’s a lot of children who have vanished and are targets for these monsters.

Another Form of Slavery

We must raise awareness. Children are being held against their will to perform horrifying acts that they should never be exposed to. They are being forced to be something God never intended them to be. It is dehumanizing and just another form of slavery. These victims are forever scarred. If they survive the trauma and are not killed to be silenced, they will always bear the trauma of the abuse.

Some have been enduring this tragedy for years. They were abducted at such a young age that they don’t know anything else but the pain and degradation that goes along with being controlled by another. The horror stories will break anyone’s heart.

Let us stand with law enforcement and alert them to any suspicious activity. There are many warning signs. According to the Nevada Attorney General, some of the signs include indications of malnutrition and bruising. Other signs could be a lack of official documents like a birth certificate. Don’t shrug off obvious signs. Alert officials as soon as possible. Some have to silently cry out for help because any sound could mean losing their life. It is up to us to pay attention.

Never the Intention of Our Loving Creator

We earnestly pray for those who are going through this tragedy. Everyone has a right to live the life they desire to live. It is an absolute tragedy to have people exploited like merchandise and their bodies used against their will for the gratification of another. This was never the intention of our loving Creator Who made every man in His own image.

Those who have been victimized by this trauma will need a safe place to regroup and find hope and healing. They will need to be reassured that they are loved in a way that is supportive and encouraging. They will need help in relationships and in overcoming fears. It is a process of recovery that can be challenging and tedious. However, the challenge of healing is much easier to go through than being used and abused.

Let’s raise awareness together. Let’s stand against this crime and help lawmakers create laws that seek harsher punishments. Write letters to our government officials and put pressure on them to keep working hard to capture anyone or dismantle or dissolve any groups that are engaged in this activity. Together, we can make a difference and help our children return to safe places.

Janet Boynes founded Janet Boynes Ministries in Maple Grove, Minnesota, in 2006. She authored the books Called Out: A Former Lesbian’s Discovery of Freedom, God & Sexuality, and her latest: God & The LGBT Community. Janet is an ordained minister under the Assemblies of God and travels the U.S. and overseas sharing a message of redemption and hope through the power of Jesus Christ.