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BONUS: Bekah Charleston on Legalized Prostitution, Survivor Healing & What the Church Must Understand | Advocate Series Deep Dive
34 Plays23 hours ago
In this bonus deep-dive episode of the Trafficking Free America Podcast, we expand on Episode 4 of the Advocate Series with survivor, advocate, and legal expert Bekah Charleston. Bekah spent nearly ten years being trafficked through the brothels of Nevada, and today she leads the Charleston Law Center, providing pro-bono legal services to survivors. Her insights into prostitution, coercion, legalized brothels, and survivor healing offer one of the clearest explanations of what exploitation really looks like beneath the surface.
EP4 BEKAH v3_4458038186_FINAL
This conversation continues the mission of the Advocate Series—a 5-part Bible study featuring Francis Chan, designed to equip the Church to confront human trafficking with truth, compassion, and Christ-centered action.
Bekah shares powerful truths about:
- Why legalized prostitution still fuels trafficking
- How “empowerment” is being distorted in culture
- Why victims often don’t call themselves victims
- The role of the Church in prevention, healing, and justice
- What true empowerment, safety, and restoration look like
🔗 Watch the Advocate Series for free: https://AdvocateSeries.com
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🎧 Subscribe for more deep dives featuring survivors, experts & leaders.
🕒 Episode Timestamps
0:00 – Welcome & introduction to Bekah Charleston
0:42 – Bekah’s story: trafficked through Nevada’s legal brothels
3:08 – Why Episode 4 resonated: the power of education & readiness
5:19 – The truth about legal prostitution and exploitation
7:13 – Why victims often don’t know they’re being trafficked
9:18 – How traffickers use “empowerment” as a weapon
12:15 – How porn and culture fuel sex buying
15:55 – Victim-blaming, vulnerability & the Church’s response
18:40 – What survivors need: safety, consistency & dignity
21:32 – What real legal support looks like for survivors
24:34 – What would need to change to truly end trafficking
28:01 – Final encouragement: how the Church can act now
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction to the Advocate Series
00:00:05
Speaker
Hi, welcome back to a Trafficking Free America podcast. My name is Jeremy. I'm going to be hosting this episode. Today, we're going to continue our deeper dive into our Advocate series.
Becca Charleston's Trafficking Background
00:00:15
Speaker
Today, we're actually going to be talking about episode four. and unlike our other three episodes where we've actually had a guest that is involved in the video of Advocate,
00:00:23
Speaker
Today we're actually going to be talking to someone that you have not met yet. Her name is Becca Charleston. If you want to know more about Becca, you can go to beccaspeaksout.com and actually learn about her story and her journey. But to give you a little bit of a brief, she was trafficked basically from the age of 17 to 27, something along those lines, give or take a few years. And
Understanding Trafficking Mindset
00:00:43
Speaker
she was basically trafficked through the brothels of Nevada. um She has a very interesting story. And um and and what's um she what's great about this deeper dive is that is that she gives some insights into the mindset of someone currently in trafficking, currently in prostitution. And it's actually insights that I've never heard about or or heard of or or discussed. and And it gave me a lot of education just through this one interview alone. Again, i I mentioned in the last episode, I've been kind of in this for six years and I'm still learning stuff every day. But and this one was a ah big one. um It talks about like how the media and the world are currently trying to help um ah defend um prostitution and sex work and making it legal and stuff like that by ultimately doing a new mindset that manipulates, in many ways, women. and um and And also manipulates men into thinking that this is okay. Um, it's a, it's a powerful, um, discussion that, uh, Becca and I have. And, uh, she, I, I think you're going to really enjoy hearing, um, this insight to help you better understand, uh, if you're in the middle of advocate series, if you're watching, if you've watched episode four, um, this is, uh,
Stories of Brandy and Brooke
00:02:02
Speaker
funny. I think this has been the biggest, um, impactful episode as far as the feedback we've gotten. Everyone's that four is our favorite, um, Because it truly shows someone being affected by um ah you know an and individual. um In episode four, you hear Brandy's story about how she was basically told to start helping combat human trafficking after her sister was trafficked and um and and becoming educated and ultimately grabbing the mindset first.
00:02:33
Speaker
And then God created an opportunity for her to actually affect. She's affected many lives, but we talk about one particular one and it was a prostitute. And if she wasn't educated or just ready in that moment, we don't know where Brooke would be today. Brooke, it's her story in inside episode four. And so as we hear hear about that story and how and how God restores and ultimately how um God has called us to, um you know, ah witness and love on people that honestly are are feeling hopeless. and and And sometimes we're told like, oh, avoid these people. um You know, Francis talks about how, you know, if you actually love um these people, eventually they'll learn to love me, love Jesus.
00:03:15
Speaker
They'll actually love Jesus more than you do. it's it's ah I'm not going to get it into remake the episode for you I really want you to make sure I want to make sure you're watching episode four of Advocate Series, which you can find advocateseries.com and download for free.
Interview with Becca Charleston
00:03:29
Speaker
um And if you have already watched it, You're going to enjoy this extra insight.
00:03:34
Speaker
If you've watched it and you're like, your heart's being stirred. This is really good education for you to listen to. So take some time, listen to this whole thing from Becca and I hope you enjoy it. So without further ado, let's get into our interview with Becca.
00:03:50
Speaker
right, Becca, thank you so much for being part of this podcast, part of this episode. um We're going to be talking about episode four of Advocate today. And um but before we get started, I really want to introduce you to everybody, um like why we're possibly talking with you and um and what your experience has been in the fight to combat human trafficking and and and and multiple things that you do. So i'll go ahead introduce what you do and everything along
Charleston Law Center and Legal Initiatives
00:04:20
Speaker
those lines.
00:04:20
Speaker
Well, thanks for having me, Jeremy. It's ah it's a pleasure to be on here. um I am a survivor, a lived the experience expert, as some call it. I was trafficked for about 10 years that began as a runaway in the state of Texas and ultimately wasn't able to get away until the federal authorities finally became involved.
00:04:38
Speaker
um I was able to eventually get out and rebuild my life, but it was hard. It was really hard. um Today, I um founded the Charleston Law Center last year, and that's the work that I do today. We provide pro bono legal services to survivors of sexual and domestic violence across the state of Nevada.
00:04:55
Speaker
oh That's awesome. and And now when I first actually heard about you, um you were doing a campaign to ultimately ah raise awareness that prostitution and specifically Nevada is just like...
00:05:11
Speaker
it basically is human trafficking or it it is a, um it's a it's it's causing a lot more harm than they than they tried to campaign that it it was like helping with sex work and stuff like that. Like, um so before we get into some of this, I'm curious about some of your experience in that and and and whatnot.
00:05:29
Speaker
Yeah, so um that video campaign that you're mentioning, the Nevada is not safe video, and that came out of, um I actually tried to hold the state of Nevada accountable. So I sued the state of Nevada, the governor and its legislature to try to end legalized prostitution in Nevada because I was actually trafficked through the legal system of brothels in Nevada.
00:05:49
Speaker
And I think a lot of people, a lot of citizens don't that that aren't nuanced on this issue and don't really understand, a lot of people think it's safer and healthier if you legalize prostitution. And the reality is is that it's it's it's neither legal it's neither safe or healthier.
00:06:06
Speaker
um Like I said, I was actually trafficked in the brothels. And so I can speak directly to the harms that take place inside that you have to you're forced to sleep in the same rooms that you service customers in. The house takes 50% of your money off the top and then charges you rent and room and board and food on top of that. You're not allowed to leave the premises while you're working at the brothel.
00:06:27
Speaker
You know, there's all kinds of just terrible treatment that takes place inside there. and And what happens in a legal system is the city officials and the governor and the legislature, they all become de facto pimps because they're all profiting off the backs of people that are being exploited.
00:06:42
Speaker
And so um i was that that's where that campaign actually came from. um Ultimately, that that lawsuit i'm sorry that lawsuit wasn't successful. We made it all the way up to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. And now there's been a new lawsuit refiled with other victims that are survivors that want to hold Nevada accountable as well.
00:07:05
Speaker
just curious, like, what what is the defense of the state if they're if this is a legal thing that they're letting happen? Or are they – I'm curious. Is there defense like, oh, that's not legal.
00:07:16
Speaker
They did that illegally through our legal system of – you know, like, what is the – It's really interesting, you know, because any organization that applies for ah grant funding through the state or through the federal government, you have to sign that you do not support legal prostitution. And so the very state of Nevada that applies for grant funds from the federal government has to sign that statement as well, that they don't support legal prostitution, yet there's still laws on the books that allow legal prostitution to take place in seven counties, in addition to the Las Vegas market that, if you've ever been to Las Vegas, we're all aware what happens. It's under the guise of an escort service, and those are allowed to operate legally. And supposedly, right, it's just companionship, and people just want to look the other way, but we all know what's happening in those rooms.
00:08:07
Speaker
right it's commercial sex taking place and um ah often it's human trafficking actually and so it's interesting because there's this attitude especially in rural nevada that oh as long as they're adults they're consenting nobody really cares and the truth of the matter is is most of those people are there by force fraud and coercion or out of dire circumstance Right. Maybe that when you look at research on prostituted people across the world, ah the overwhelming majority of them have been sexually assaulted as children. They come from homeless poverty. Right. I mean, horrible life circumstances got them there.
00:08:45
Speaker
And now we look at them and we say, well, this is all your worth. Like, as long as you say and you act like it's your choice, then that's fine for you. I. I believe that it's not fine for anyone. right I believe we all were born with inherent dignity and value and worth and that we bodies are not commodities.
00:09:04
Speaker
um You say now that you are trafficked during during the time, would you say that you were, do you feel like um in that moment in time, did you, did you, would you will say like I was being trafficked at that time and I knew was being trafficked or would you say like I was a prostitute? Like what, what was the terminology that kind of you were using at that time?
00:09:25
Speaker
No, I've definitely, it took me a full two years after being trafficked for 10 years to actually realize and say, oh, wow,
Becca's Trafficking Experience and Realizations
00:09:33
Speaker
right? And ah I'll get to that story of how that happened in a minute. But while i was being trafficked, no, I knew I was in the game.
00:09:40
Speaker
right I knew I was in the life. you know that's what That's what we called it. I knew i was in prostitution and I knew I had a pimp, but I still thought it was my choice, even though when I met him, I was 17 and he was 37 and he manipulated and abused me and coerced me, right sold me a bill of goods that as a vulnerable kid that was living on the street and you know homeless and stealing food in order to eat every day, it sounded really good that he was gonna give me a place to live and we were gonna be this team, we were gonna make money together.
00:10:10
Speaker
And obviously that was never right the case. He was just exploiting everything he could get out of all of us. Yeah. Why don't you share your story a little bit? help let's Let's help the audience understand like where where your experience came from a little bit as as yeah someone who was coerced and kind of didn't even think about it until yeah tears years later, which is I'm sure the audience is already feeling this after after the the four episodes that they've watched of like,
00:10:36
Speaker
people don't think they're trafficked when they're being trafficked. You know, like I think we're getting that idea that's going on here. And um yeah, so go ahead share like, yeah, what was what was going on?
00:10:49
Speaker
So, I mean, I actually am the youngest of six kids. I came from a good family. I was raised going to church in and the Dallas area. um And I had some vulnerability factors hit, though, in my childhood. I had a brother commit suicide.
00:11:01
Speaker
um i was ah sexually assaulted for the first time in the fifth grade. i um was bullied really bad as well that same year. i wound up getting raped when I was in the seventh grade at a church lock-in, of all places.
00:11:14
Speaker
And so I had all these things happening to me. And what I know today is that rules without relationship equals rebellion. And that's exactly what happened for me. My parents were very authoritarian. You live under our roof. You go by our rules.
00:11:28
Speaker
And yeah, there's sex don't have it. And yeah, there's drugs don't do them. And that was really... a large extent of the conversation. You know, we didn't we didn't really talk about difficult things, you know, and I felt very isolated as a kid. I felt really depressed, obviously experiencing those kind of traumas and and really having no one to talk to about it because I thought I would get in trouble if I told anyone.
00:11:48
Speaker
you know And unfortunately, if we don't build deep relationships and have hard conversations with our kids, then we have no idea what's going on in their lives. And that's exactly what happened. And so I wound up you know running away from home at the age of 17. And um i you know it wasn't long until I met the first guy who seemed like he was going to let me stay with him. you know Like I said, I was i was homeless, you know just bouncing around. i was a high school dropout.
00:12:15
Speaker
I couldn't get a job. and you know, he told me I could live with him. And you know the first day was great. We went to his house and he was telling me all of his dreams. He was an aspiring musician and he just needed to get in the studio and record that hit single.
00:12:29
Speaker
And then we get it on the radio and we all be rich and famous. And, you know, that honestly, back then my life goals were to have like a gold tooth on my canine right here with a diamond on it. And I'm very, you know, this 16 year old girl, right, that I'm talking about 17 year old girl is very different from the woman I am today. And And so what he was selling to me, I was buying, right? that That dream of being rich and famous and being on the radio. And it wasn't until the second day that I would realize what his dreams were going to cost me in the form of my dignity and my body. And he told me to get in the car with the other two girls and they would show me the ropes. And i didn't ask a lot of questions. you know Living that kind of lifestyle, questions get you outcast, questions get you killed. They make you seem like you're going to be a snitch when when I desperately wanted to belong.
00:13:17
Speaker
And so I didn't ask any questions. And I found myself in the backseat of a car on Harry Hines Boulevard, which is the track or the blade, a known area of prostitution in Dallas, Texas, being told exactly how to ask people to have sex with me and exactly how much money I had to charge them.
00:13:34
Speaker
And it was like, you know, my whole world flipped upside down on top of me. Like I wasn't prepared for that. You know, I had I was in an area of town that I'd never been to before. It's a really bad, scary area of town as well. And I thought that if I ran that I'd probably get raped and murdered and chopped up in little pieces and no one would ever find my body and know what happened to me.
00:13:55
Speaker
So you didn't want to be doing it at that time, but it was the it it was the fear that something could happen to you if you didn't comply. Were you actually threatened of those things or you just kind of like, this could, so I'm not even going to take a chance? No, it was two other women that were controlling me at that point. The pimp wasn't actually there. That's my first trafficker. The pimp wasn't actually there, but I just i knew. like if I don't do what they're telling me, the outcome is going to be even worse for me. Right. And so and so I just stayed and did what they told me. If if I did try to do anything different or change the script of what they wanted me to say, then I would get in trouble. i had to shower last. i had to eat last. had to do everything last because I was the last one to come around. But honestly, after the first day, you know, i mean,
00:14:43
Speaker
I'll also note, I know in one of the the videos everybody watched that um you know my survivor sister Ori talked about, you know traffickers always use this same saying. They say, you're already doing it for free, you might as well get paid for it.
00:14:57
Speaker
right And that that statement is designed to shame promiscuous kids, but it gives you this illusion, this idea that somehow by making people pay you for your body is you taking your power back.
00:15:09
Speaker
And that illusion is how you get up every single day and look at yourself in the mirror and put on your makeup and go out and do it all over again, even though you're miserable miserable and you're laying on your back doing unspeakable things for people that you would never even look at in general public, right? that you know and But it gave you this idea that somehow this is your choice and that this is how you can take your power back by by by being exploited. um
Violence in Prostitution and Trafficking Misconceptions
00:15:38
Speaker
you know When in reality, the the traffickers always have all the power as do the sex buyers, right? They're the ones that are profiting and and getting pleasure out of those experiences.
00:15:48
Speaker
what What are, how, just in your experience in this, I'm i'm curious of your, your 100% opinion, are women being exploited in our culture through that idea of it like they're exploiting the word empowerment?
00:16:05
Speaker
Like, Is that what's going on? I mean, i definitely think so. I think you you believe this lie that somehow, you know, if you if you're making a lot of money or i know a lot of people that are pro full decrim or pro legalization of sex work, and most of those people are still in sex work.
00:16:27
Speaker
And so it's my opinion that most of them are still under that guy is that that influence that you know, that it is empowering somehow. And, you know, when I've debated several public sex workers and i just debated one at a um really liberal liberal university in Portland, Oregon, and, um you know, even current sex workers can't deny the inherent violence in prostitution, yet they argue that if you legalize it, that somehow it wouldn't be violent anymore.
00:17:00
Speaker
And that's just not the truth. You cannot legislate or legalize the violence out of prostitution because when it's it's a power and control dynamic, right? It's one person has power and money and they're going to use that power and money to use and use and discard another person, right? In prostitution, you're paid to not be human.
00:17:20
Speaker
You're paid to not have emotions. You're paid to not talk. You're paid to leave and never call again, right? Now, maybe you have regular customers, right? There's those exceptions. But for the most part, you're paid to not be human.
00:17:34
Speaker
I mean, when someone when someone pays you for their body to perform a service for them, for your body, you know that you cease to be a human to them. Now you're just a product that's going to be used and discarded.
00:17:46
Speaker
And that means that you've been dehumanized, which means that's why sex workers, I'm sorry, sex buyers are so violent because you're you're not even a human to them. you know If the experience is too quick, then they either want to rape you again or they maybe want to rob you and take their money back, right? I mean, i can't tell you how many times I've been in violent situations with very normal grown men that probably are married and have families, and yet they're treating me like I'm not even human because I'm a prostitute in that situation.
00:18:17
Speaker
And so I think it takes a lot of time and healing. It takes separation from getting out of the sex trade to actually look back at your experiences and process what's happened to you. Because while you're still there, you're still believing those lies, right? That that you have power and that that, you know, all those different things.
00:18:38
Speaker
But usually, more often than not, once you get out and you actually are able to get some healing and some therapy for the things that you've been through and the traumas that you've experienced, that narrative changes quite a bit.
00:18:49
Speaker
something that I've been noticing in media lately, um even with so like some new documentaries that have come out or, um you know, oftentimes more of a liberal type of a media. Sure. But um it seems to be like they're trying to grow that idea of empowerment for women. Like you were just talking about.
00:19:08
Speaker
But in the process, though, they're trying to shame a buyer who treats them badly. Not though someone who buys, just, hey, we need to respect this work that they're doing, right? Calling it work.
00:19:25
Speaker
um And ah so I'm starting to feel this idea like if we make the buyers good people who buy sex, then everything's going to be fine.
00:19:36
Speaker
Have you felt that type of... and And how should we respond to that?
00:19:43
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, I think, you know, even calling sex buyers John's, John is a euphemism. You know, John gives you this idea of it's just your everyday guy, you know, sex buyer.
00:19:53
Speaker
And i think for far too long, our culture has accepted this kind of locker room talk where women are objects, you know, most often women. Obviously, we all know that, you know, boys and and men can be bought and sold as well. and But the vast majority is going to be, you know, female individuals. And, you know, it gives you this idea, you know, even saying, like I said, John, that, oh, it's just your regular guy. When in reality, i mean, the can guarantee, no, when when you look at men, like not all men buy sex, you know, that actually when you see the studies on buyers, they're across every race and every economic ah category, right? Every, um,
00:20:37
Speaker
ah income, right? Every income, every race. um When you look at them, there's high frequency buyers though. And they look at like about a third of the sex buyers are high frequency and make up, right? And and those men aren't normal, right? Those men, when you see documentaries that interview sex buyers, like that they they have completely different lives. you know most ah Many of them have successful jobs. They have wifes and ah you know a wife and a family.
00:21:05
Speaker
And then they're sneaking out during their workday and purchasing sex from a prostitute. And and then going back home like like nothing has happened. you know i think for many men, it does become an addiction.
00:21:18
Speaker
you know It becomes a very addictive lifestyle that they you know are kind of escapading and they think they're getting away with it. when all they're really doing is hurting themselves, right? They're hurting the person they're purchasing, but also their own families. and There's a ah really great documentary that just came out that has about six different sex buyers that are interviewed. And it's it's really sad to hear how far their addiction went. One of them was actually on the verge of sexually assaulting someone outside of a 24-hour fitness gym.
00:21:49
Speaker
um and because And it's funny too, Jeremy, because I think you know, when you hear sex buyers that are actually open and transparent about why, what motivated their behavior, it's really a hatred for women.
00:22:08
Speaker
That's what it it really is at the core of it, is that they want women that they can't talk to you normally And they have found that they can use money, a coercive tool in order to get those women. But there's this embedded hatred of women actually in their behavior. um i think we need to have a lot more studies done on that, honestly. That that is and that is like good insight. i mean, because you I can see that. Yeah.
00:22:37
Speaker
Like what, like, ah i hear you there. that That hatred is feeling, but like, what is fueling the idea of someone buying sex? Like we've heard how ah first it's pornography and then you start wanting get more of it. Is it pornography? Is it this cultural mindset that it is okay that maybe you're actually helping somebody? Like what is, what is feeling buyer mentality right now?
00:23:02
Speaker
I think a lot of it is is porn addiction. I mean, I think almost all sex buyers report, you know, once they're caught um that they did they were you know exposed to pornography at an extremely young age and that it it is that... um My words are failing me right now that where you're you can, you're not getting as much as you used to right. Kind of like a drug addiction. and You know, you're always chasing with that initial high, that initial feeling felt like, which means you're doing more and more to try to get there because what used to work last year isn't working this
Manipulation and Realization of Trafficking
00:23:34
Speaker
year. And a lot of times that does progress from, from watching porn into actual, actually buying humans. You mentioned before about empowerment and that, that, that they, they, they kind of,
00:23:45
Speaker
grabbed you with that lie and that's how you wake up in the morning to continue. And we we'll, we'll, we'll kind of put our ah you back in the, in, in time of like when you were being trafficked at the time you considered yourself as, as a prostitute or possibly even maybe defended yourself as a sex worker. Like, were you, were you almost like drinking the Kool-Aid in a sense during that time and defending sex work at that time? Yeah.
00:24:11
Speaker
Exactly. Yeah, I think, you know, initially, obviously there's shock, you know, and ah for me, like after that first act, it I felt like, how could I ever be normal again?
00:24:22
Speaker
You know, how could I ever look at my mom and dad in the face and tell them what's happening to me? I was ashamed, you know and that shame kept me trapped. But then on top of that, right you layer in the abject violence right that I was facing. you know If my trafficker, i I became so attuned to his disposition that he had me so organized that I could hear one word from him on the phone. And I instantly knew like, oh my gosh, What did I do?
00:24:48
Speaker
Did I leave the toothpaste out? Did I not dust under the lampshade? Like, what is it? Because I can tell as soon as I see him, he's going to beat the living mess out of me. And so you have, you know, constant violence, but then also the coercion that I mentioned, you know, ah for my second trafficker, who was a much more professional pimp, he'd been a pimp 20 years before I ever met him.
00:25:08
Speaker
you know After two months and my with my first trafficker, I thought I was running away. And unfortunately, I ran into the arms of another man who would abuse me and exploit me all over the country for that next 10 years of my life. And so he was, like I said, a much more professional pimp. And he always told us this, right? There's always some pie in the sky, you know some dream of a different reality. It's never that you're going to have to do this all the time. it's hey, you know they they basically pimp a dream for you. And for my second trafficker, he had legitimate, I'll say legitimate in air quotes, businesses because he was just laing money laundering through them. But I mean, ranging from a pizza restaurant to a clothing line, to a custom dog bed company, to a men's designer clotheswear line. you know And that was always the dream. It was that this is what you can do for now, and this is how you contribute, but then we'll get this other business up and going, and then then you know we could just work at the business and you won't have to do this anymore. you know There's always some dream that's sold. So
00:26:09
Speaker
You layer in write the abuse, you layer it in the coercion, and then that the fraud. I mean, obviously, all of that was a lie. you know i mean, I did work in those legitimate businesses, but I was never going to be able to get out. you know When you have victims bringing you thousands of dollars a day in cash,
00:26:28
Speaker
There's not many businesses that are going to replace that, you know, and with our trafficker, you know, course he could never hire other people. That's, that's another thing traffickers do is they isolate you.
00:26:38
Speaker
So I was only allowed to talk to other people that were in the game. I had to lie any other squares, right? We kept squares out of our business. So it had this really normalizing effect. I remember when I went to federal prison for my second trafficker, and it was the first time that I was kind of around other people. And I remember I had to get a job after I got out of prison. I had three years of supervised release, which is federal parole.
00:27:05
Speaker
And um when I had that job, it was like, I remember having this thought like, Wow, everybody doesn't live this way. And it it was novel to me because I had been become so accustomed to the life and to the game that that was just normal for me.
00:27:22
Speaker
That, you know, our, you know, traffickers, have you listened to pimp music? Have you watched pimp movies? um You know, everything that just normalizes the life. And, you know, once you start getting a criminal record while you're being trafficked or exploited, your chances just dwindle of ever having hope for a future, right? That doesn't revolve around your body being sold, of of thinking that you could ever be able to do anything different.
00:27:47
Speaker
When you watched um the episode and we heard um Brooke's story, don't Do you felt like you related to her? um on on obviously like you know and Obviously related to her, but you know what I mean? like ah what
00:28:06
Speaker
I know for a fact that there are plenty of people that see her as that that and church church members. They would see her as a victim, but also a victim of her own choices.
00:28:19
Speaker
How often did you feel connected to that mentality and alone? You know, that's the hard thing. Victim blaming is is nothing new in our society. You know, I mean, fortunately yeah yeah of course, we've seen, you know, cases of sexual assault. Well, the first question is, what were you wearing? Right. And, you know, we've we've seen even, you know, judges in courtrooms say, you know, that your jeans were too tight and, you know, that that's essentially why you got raped. And I i think a lot of times, you know,
00:28:50
Speaker
The people that wind up getting trafficked and I'm talking specifically more pimp controlled trafficking, obviously there's 25 different types of trafficking. Familial trafficking is completely different and looks totally different.
00:29:03
Speaker
um Where you have you know mom or dad or aunt or uncle or grandma selling young child, usually to feed their own drug drug addiction. But with with Pimp control trafficking, you know typically victims have come, they they have all those vulnerability factors like we talk about. you know i I love them there's ah the Life Story Initiative and they talk about on-ramps and the on-ramps that lead you to exploitation.
00:29:29
Speaker
And while maybe I did make some hardheaded choices, you know, and just like Brooke as well, you know, because there was traumas that I was experiencing and I was acting out with my behavior.
00:29:40
Speaker
Right. I mean, I truly believe that there's no such thing as a bad kid, that there there are kids that are experiencing things. and they act out. those Those behavior signs of truancy, of stealing, right? Those little behavior signs are are a warning, an indicator that something's going on in that child's life. And those are the kids that we need to be running after, right? Not not shipping away to girls' homes, not locking up in juvenile, because all that does is it put you directly on the path to exploitation. And so while I'm sure that you know there's maybe things...
00:30:15
Speaker
maybe choices that that we made, right, that put us in situations. But that doesn't mean that we deserved what happened to us, right? That doesn't mean that we asked for what happened to us. Of course not. Those things were were done to us and perpetrated to us. so You know, i from some of the responses I've seen in our screenings before we have launched this um series is is a lot of people – Through episode three, like actually ah was someone who's watching episode four in the middle of it. And when Francis Chan actually started, he said, so is prostitute human trafficking? Literally like out loud, the person said, I was waiting for this. Because i it is such a, I mean, I think for someone who's not really involved in the modern day trafficking, there is a separation between it. Like, what did you think trafficking was when while you were being ah trafficked?
00:31:07
Speaker
I just thought it was prostitution. Yeah, I'd never never heard the word trafficking before. even hear the word traffic. Like you didn't even think of it as like a foreign thing. You just straight up didn't even know what traffic existed. Right. I mean, when you think about the TVPA was passed in 2000, but when I was first trafficked, it started in 1999 all the way 2009. And so when I, even during the federal
00:31:27
Speaker
even during the federal case Human trafficking wasn't exist didn't exist, really. you know They called it a prostitution ring is what they called it. And so that they were trying to prove. And because none of us would talk, then we all took the charges and served time. There was not a lot of awareness, especially for training you know for law enforcement agencies and things like that.
00:31:46
Speaker
Today, thankfully, there is a lot more awareness and a lot more people understand. But but I never heard that word until after I got out. Is awareness ah becoming a saturated thing though? I think we could do a lot better job. You know, I think um sometimes the stories that wind up getting told are those really horrific stories.
00:32:08
Speaker
um you know, of, you know, someone being kidnapped or or things like that, which that does happen. And that's obviously horrendous. But what happens more often, right, and in America is that it looks like your boyfriend, right? It looks like someone coming alongside you and offering you a safe place to stay and a hot meal. Maybe you're a run or runaway at the bus station and there's a trafficker waiting there.
00:32:31
Speaker
And of course, he doesn't introduce himself that way, right? He would instead say something like, hey, you know, you're pretty cute. You want to go get some fries at McDonald's? like That's how easily it can start.
Church's Role in Combating Trafficking
00:32:42
Speaker
Let's talk about, you mentioned in your past of the first time you were raped was ironically at a lock-in at church. ah Just curious, did you like grow up in church? like what why were you in that Why were you at that lock-in? Yeah, I was really active still at that point in my life in my church. I remember going to church camps. I remember being filled with the Holy Spirit at one of them, at like a revival.
00:33:06
Speaker
um And I was a really, honestly, ah a good kid for the most part. I was an AB student. I was a cheerleader. I was a soccer player. I was involved in my church. I had i was really part of the in crowd. I was one of the cool kids.
00:33:19
Speaker
um Yeah, i would not your typical victim. i did want to say something to what you said a second ago, Jeremy. It just came back to me was that I think um a lot of people, the people that promote sex work, right? The sex sex worker lobby, as we would call it. um You know, when you look at people that actually have choices and actually choose prostitution, most often it's white women from advantage backgrounds. But when you look at the reality of the sex trade across the entire world, but really specifically here in the United States, what we see in prostitution most often is disproportionately, ah disproportionate rates of African-American women, right? of Of black and brown women and girls that are being trafficked and they come from horrible life circumstances. And so I think, you know, while there may be some people that really do have choices and really choose prostitution, i can never advocate for creating laws and systems that that benefit those few privileged ones when the vast majority are disadvantaged, marginalized, disenfranchised people.
00:34:32
Speaker
I think, do you think the church is ignoring that kind of factor? Like, oh, this is America, a land of opportunity. Everyone's got one. Yeah, I think a lot of times they are. a lot of times they don't want to have these conversations. You know, like I mentioned with my own childhood, you know, people don't want to talk about sex work and prostitution inside the church.
00:34:50
Speaker
And if you're not talking about it, that means it's probably a problem in your congregation. I can guarantee you just statistically, there's sex fires in your congregation. There's people that have been raped and traumatized in your congregation. And if you're not talking about it, then those people aren't getting help.
00:35:05
Speaker
something that um we're preparing for in this series is possibly, um you know, maybe motivate, maybe you can call it motivation for someone to speak out um or maybe hearing so other stories and realizing, Oh my gosh, I was traffic. You know, as, as ah we heard from Savannah story in episode three um you know, how should, how should we all respond as parents that are,
00:35:36
Speaker
you know as if you're ah I feel like I want i need to say preferences by saying if you're a parent who all of a sudden hears that your child was molested or and or abused in any kind of way by somebody um and they've wanted to keep it a secret because I know i know of someone specifically that They never wanted, they still have not shared ever to their parents because they don't want their parents to feel like it's their fault.
00:35:57
Speaker
They don't want to feel, have their parents shame. But, um but also being silent about it, is that the best thing? I don't think so. You know, so it's like, what, what do we do about this to make sure that we all, we all have the safe place to say something that,
00:36:13
Speaker
And have a way to best respond when it comes to parents, church leadership, mentors, so on. What's your opinion on the best way to to do that?
Supporting Anti-Trafficking Efforts
00:36:24
Speaker
Well, I mean, I think...
00:36:26
Speaker
Definitely, when when you have these conversations, there's there's really not, i I train five to 10,000 people a year across the country you know on this topic and almost every time in every audience, someone comes up to me and tells and they disclose their own past history that either was trafficking or they they felt like, oh my gosh, this situation happened and I was able to get away, but um I know that if I didn't, this could have happened to me.
00:36:52
Speaker
and And so what I would say is, you know, when you start having these conversations, you're right, people are going come forward and maybe be more willing when they hear people being vulnerable, right, and that they're met with grace and compassion, that that gives them the idea maybe that they can come forward as well.
00:37:09
Speaker
The first thing I would say is believe them. you know I think it's way too often, far too common that children do try to say something to a caregiver, to either a parent or a grandparent, and they are told that, no, that didn't happen, that couldn't have happened.
00:37:28
Speaker
And they're shamed into silence. And um I think that is just... It almost makes me want to cry. you know It's so frustrating that you know some people do try to say something and then they're they're quieted because people don't want the drama. right People don't want to break up families. People don't want to believe that their husband or partner may potentially be sexually hurting their children, you know, but statistically speaking, it is very common.
00:37:56
Speaker
And so ah number one is to say, i would i believe them, but we all have something that we can do. You know, we all have time, talent, or treasure, right? We can all, you know, get involved in organizations and we can volunteer, right? If we don't have treasure or talent, right, then we can give our time and we can help. You know, we don't all need to run out and start our own organizations, right? There's organizations out here that are doing really good work And so do a little research, Google it and find organizations in your area and and go volunteer and learn more. Right. The other thing you can do is obviously give money, you know, obviously to those organizations. and You know, there's there's never enough funding. Right. That's always a challenge for nonprofits that are doing the good work of serving exploited and vulnerable people.
00:38:41
Speaker
But you also have talent potentially, you know. I think there's been a lot of focus in the field of anti-human trafficking on the recovery or rescue, right? Getting getting the people out and then that restoration, that first one to three years. You know, we've we've we've done a lot of good work and there are good restoration homes. there There's not enough, but but we're we're making progress in that area. But we're what...
00:39:08
Speaker
And then a lot of times what happens is that we just wash our hands and then we're done. And well, we gave them a safe place to stay for two years. They met Jesus. And now life should be great for you.
00:39:18
Speaker
oh And you know that's just not reality, right? When you've experienced decades of exploitation and abuse and you've been you know under strict information control, you know like I was where we only listened to other pimp stuff, you know and that was so normalized. I didn't learn how to use Microsoft Word, right? I didn't use email, right? Those are all things that I had to learn after I got out. But what we don't have a lot of is economic empowerment opportunities. you know i think there's a lot of organizations that are teaching survivors how to work you know make leather handbags or you know make jewelry. And all those things are great because it gives a great place for survivors to learn you know how to how to do different types of work in a safe environment where they can learn how to have healthy relationships with authority um you know and ah and all those things. but
00:40:10
Speaker
when you get out of that program, you're not necessarily going to get a job making leather handbags, right? There's not a lot of jobs out there for that. Or or making jewelry. you know that That's not really a sustainable living wage income. And so what we don't see a lot of is that that economic empowerment where you're actually being paired. And and hopefully it's at ah a career that's entirely outside of the anti-trafficking field. And one of my best friends, Rebecca Bender, is famous for saying... you know, surviving a fire doesn't make you an arson expert, you know, and that and that's so true, because just surviving being exploited doesn't mean you should become a public speaker, right?
00:40:49
Speaker
Doesn't mean that you need to work in the anti trafficking field. For many people, it's too triggering to to do this type of work. And so we need pathways to be created that are completely outside the field. So all that to say,
00:41:02
Speaker
You have talent. You have businesses. Maybe you could be a safe employer and and give a survivor a second chance and an opportunity, even if they have a criminal record. You know, maybe you do taxes. Well, maybe you could go and do taxes for survivors for free. I mean, there's ways that you can give back even through your own company and business. So I think we all have to play a part, but we also have to start those conversations at home.
00:41:26
Speaker
We have to talk to our young boys and our girls. They have to understand you know their own dignity and value and worth, but also other people's, especially other people that don't look like them. you know We need to to tell them, but also you know teaching them about their own bodily autonomy and having those conversations where they know a lot of people use you know euphemisms i guess or nicknames right for private parts right for your for your private parts as for children and and um you know a lot of researchers and and leaders thought leaders in the field say that don't do that you know you actually need to call it exactly what it is right that way if if an abuser does try to talk to the child right that they that they know that they're not we need to be the ones educating our children
00:42:14
Speaker
So we know that we're teaching them the right way. And if we're not educating them, then that means they're going to be learning it from friends or from someone else that we don't know their intentions. And so it's really important that we start those conversations with our kids age appropriately at at home.
00:42:30
Speaker
You know, ah one of the services that you provide is ah law services um and you do it for free for for ah victims. ah talk Talk to me about that. maybe I don't think people really understand like what's needed legally in the and in many ways.
00:42:44
Speaker
Yeah, so our legal services that we provide to victims of human trafficking, sexual assault, or domestic violence, we kind of bucket them into three different categories. So we have what we call crisis legal services, which is usually really early on in a survivor's journey, usually immediately after they're getting out.
00:43:02
Speaker
um A lot of times that includes a law enforcement intervention. Sometimes we'll be a courtroom advocate for a survivor that's going through a trial. um We ah help with you know family law, with CPS type issues. and Traffickers often, and abusers often impregnate their victims to then use the children as pawns and control the mother by controlling the child. and so There's a lot of family law issues we help with, um protective orders you know for domestic violence victims and human trafficking victims. And then the next bucket is going to be restoration or legal services. And so that looks like usually a survivor is um on their healing journey at that point. They're out of crisis and maybe they're in a restoration home or they're you know on their own two feet and they're ready to start getting their record cleared.
00:43:53
Speaker
Or maybe they their survivor or abuser, I'm sorry, their trafficker abuser put a lot of debt in their name. So getting that debt cleared out of their name. It could look like family reunification. you know There's other various things in their restoration bucket.
00:44:06
Speaker
And then on the far end, we have accountability legal services. And that's when a survivor is well into their healing journey. And they're at a place where they're finally ready to hold bad actors accountable for what happened to them. And that may look like civilly suing a trafficker. It may look like, you know, suing a hotel that was complicit in their trafficking, various other things, you know, holding people accountable for what happened to them.
00:44:32
Speaker
But beyond that, we also help survivor leaders in the field. um you know Everybody benefits from having access to an attorney, especially pro bono one. And so we want to be there really along the survivor's entire journey. Farther along in their journey, they may need help negotiating a severance package from an employer. you know They may need help because somebody wants to make a documentary documentary and buy the life rights to their story.
00:44:58
Speaker
well, we would help them look at that contract and make sure that their best interests you know are looked out for. And so honestly, we offer ah a big variety of legal services and there's a huge need. you know In our first year of launching, we've already served about 60 victims um and they're you know survivors, of course, but across across the spectrum of different legal services. As I mentioned, family law was probably one of the biggest ones.
00:45:23
Speaker
I know you talked about fundraising before, and a lot of people don't think of fundraising as this, um you know, but How much does that cost? one Give me an idea of like one case. you know i know they're all different, but like how much is that costing?
00:45:39
Speaker
ah It can vary, right? Depending on the legal services. like For instance, record vacature in the state of Nevada, the legal filing fee for that is going to be $400 just for the filing fee. But beyond that, obviously the attorney's time. And so when ah one of our lead attorneys might charge $500 hour.
00:45:55
Speaker
Well, how many hours is it going to take? I mean, we're easily thousands of dollars you know per per client, per legal services, especially when you think about family law. Those are really time intense. um Obviously, there's a lot of fighting, usually back and forth, a lot of different court visits. um So each each legal service is different. um and Thankfully, we have access to a lot of pro bono attorneys that are willing to do it, you know, obviously for free. But we still have those filing fees that we have to have to find fundraising and support for as well.
00:46:27
Speaker
Now, you are you are a survivor that clearly has a lot of talent and public speaking and helping raise awareness and and offering legal service, a lot of practical things. um I'm I've I have never asked somebody this in all of my
Vision for Systemic Change and Cultural Shift
00:46:42
Speaker
interviews.
00:46:42
Speaker
I'm curious. If you gonna describe a perfect world that you believe would actually end trafficking, what would it be? I mean, i think we have to, honestly, to end trafficking, we have to address a lot of other systems of injustice and abuse that take place. you know ah Our foster care system, for one. i mean, there's kids that age out of foster care that literally don't have identification, have never learned how to drive,
00:47:09
Speaker
and are are just left on their own, that they had a foster group home that maybe was just collecting a check and and not actually helping the kids at all. So, I mean, we have to address that system, right? We have to look at poverty, right? We have to look at domestic violence. You know, oftentimes trafficking is born out of domestic violence, right? So I think we would have to address a lot of big systemic issues in our society.
00:47:35
Speaker
And I think it is a really lofty goal, but it I think people are worth it. you know that I think that ah you know there's a lot of... it's worth it to try, you know, to address those systems. You know, obviously racial discrimination, you know, that's another big issue that overlaps a ton with human trafficking and prostitution. You know, you're actually paid based on the race of your skin while you're being prostituted.
00:48:00
Speaker
You know, certain races are paid more than others. And so that means those other races have to do two to three times the amount of work, right, to make the same amount of money for their trafficker. And so, um yeah, I think that's thats And that also gives you an idea of recruitment, right?
00:48:17
Speaker
You know? Yeah. that that I mean, I've often felt this and I hope that by this time um someone's watching this series that they kind of get this idea of like, oh, human trafficking is not some really evil guy thought it would be a good idea to like sell so sell children and stuff like that.
00:48:39
Speaker
You know, lock if I can get them all locked up, blah, blah, blah. it's it's It's not even like just pimping and prostitution. It is a core thing of we have ignored sexual abuse.
00:48:54
Speaker
We have ignored neglect and lack of family. And we have given it to, in many ways, anyone other than the church to deal with it.
00:49:07
Speaker
And on top of that, the church has probably defended of their establishment way more than we ever should have. to keep the evil brand out rather than Satan truly.
00:49:21
Speaker
it's I think it's a cultural mind chef at mind shift that not only happens needs to happen in our nation, around the world, but ah starting with the church. It starts with the church and and and the ah the body of Christ to say, are we truly being Jesus right now? Are we truly carrying this out? um you know and And then start looking at Now what's going on in the world is what's happening at home right now.
00:49:49
Speaker
And, and, and not just at home. And I think that's another, I think that's a big reason why the church has ignored this is it because they're like, if if I just focus on my family and birth, you know, if I just focus on my family and then, then it'll change generations. While obviously you should be focused on your family in many ways to not ignore your family as you're helping others in your mission.
00:50:11
Speaker
You got to look in and look out, you know, and and teaching your children that process too. Um, I think I've come to the grips that I probably in my lifetime will never see a trafficking end.
00:50:22
Speaker
Yeah. But I'm ready to see a dent. And, and if we don't start thinking that way, however, however, and like, as as you've been watching this series, uh, yourself, cause, uh, you know ah we, we met each other, um, actually right after this was filmed. Um,
00:50:38
Speaker
I want to know how you have been feeling about this as someone who has had a traumatic experience in the church, as someone who's had a traumatic life ah life and and and been trafficked and been prostituted and then come out realizing the truth and realizing what's going on and being... um And I think now truly speaking empowerment into women um in ah and a truthful way. how How are you feeling about this and and how the church can you know listen and respond well?
Church Support Programs for Women
00:51:14
Speaker
I mean, I'm i'm encouraged. you know, I'm encouraged. Obviously, there's so many different pastors that are part of this series. And I know, you know, the whole reason behind this series is to engage the church.
00:51:25
Speaker
um I'm encouraged that churches are are willing to have these conversations. ah you know I mean, the world doesn't have restoration and redemption, right? Only Jesus does. And you know i think a lot of times we get comfortable and we are only around other people that are like us.
00:51:48
Speaker
And I think sometimes we have implicit bias that creeps in that we're not even really aware of. But I mean, the church is the one who should be right helping, right? that The church should be the place that we run to when we're hurting.
00:52:03
Speaker
you know But unfortunately for many people, it has been a place that has judged them, that's shamed them, that's told them they're not worthy, you know instead of being met with that grace and compassion. you know i remember when I actually, the first time I went to church after i was being after the game,
00:52:22
Speaker
I had just moved back home. I'd driven 16 hours straight through from Las Vegas to Dallas-Fort Worth area at 30 years old. I ah went moved back into my mom and dad's house. I was four months pregnant and had no clue who I was and what I was going to do with my life. And my sister came into the house And I had taken like a two-hour nap after that long drive. And my sister came in and she told me she was going to go to church. And I just kind of hopped up because I had this hopeful expectancy. Because when I got pregnant, I started feeling burdened to pray for the first time in a long time. And I was raised in a Southern Baptist church. So, you know, fire and brimstone, pastors yelling until he's red in the face. And I truly thought as a child that if I wasn't doing everything right, then God didn't want to hear from me.
00:53:09
Speaker
right i I grew up with that angry, rules-based God, and I didn't know ah a Jesus that actually was passionately pursuing a relationship with me and and that was waiting for me to look to him the whole time, you know that he loved me in my sin. you know i i didn't understand that. and so Anyways, i went to church thinking, honestly, thinking I would be shunned because here I was pregnant. I didn didn't have a ring on my finger.
00:53:34
Speaker
But instead, i was met with this huge warm hug by this woman who told me all about Embrace Grace, which is a program that's in more than 500 churches across the country that helps single moms, pregnant moms. I mean, those are the programs we need to be having, right? We need to create the space that people come to for help.
00:53:54
Speaker
Yeah. I'm going to end with this. um We talked a little about how traffickers and and really the world and and many and many people are so spreading this lie about empowerment.
00:54:07
Speaker
Like you said, like grabbing your power back that you're not going to take this for free. going to pay for it. ha ha And that is a terrible recruitment mindset. What can you say to women that's the true empowerment that they should be thinking about?
00:54:23
Speaker
guys I mean, while I was living that kind of life, i my pimp always told me I'd be broke, fat, and ugly, and no one would ever love me if I ever tried to leave him or change my life. And you know i think when you've had traumas and negative things like that happen to you,
00:54:39
Speaker
it sends you this implicit message that it's you that there's something wrong with you and that you're the reason that those bad things happened and and the truth is you're not that those bad things happen to you because of those people right those people had something going on with themselves and decide to to hurt and abuse you and so I would say that there is hope, you know, that there is hope to get out and change. I never thought I would be able to have the life I have today.
00:55:08
Speaker
um God has restored so much to me that I never thought I would be able to do again and um that you have value and and that don't let other people, abusive people dictate to you what your value is.
00:55:23
Speaker
that there are safe people that you can find, you know, and safe people that are willing to help. That was really hard for me to accept too, was that other people, i thought, you know, living that kind of lifestyle, that kind of criminal lifestyle, people just take whatever they can get from you. You get robbed all the time, strangled at gunpoint. I mean, all horrible experiences I've had. And it was really hard to accept help from people because accepting help requires vulnerability.
00:55:52
Speaker
And vulnerability is one of the hardest things to do when it meant victimization for you before. And so I just encourage you to find safe people that you can be vulnerable with. And um that i I hope that you're able to to find help and and overcome.
00:56:09
Speaker
I know that was just I said that was my last question, but I do have one more after you said some of that. It's sort of a twofold, like what did truly help you get out of that and get and start develop, it helped you develop the life you have now. And I don't want to make it sound like it was other people that did it. i know it was you and and and in Christ with you, but um and involved in that, um what what made those people, how did you know that those people made you feel safe versus how some people take advantage of that trust?
00:56:40
Speaker
um Like, for instance, obviously, you know, the church and telling me all about Embrace Grace, which is a program that, you know, you go to a semester of classes and then they throw you a baby shower and give you everything that you need for your baby um as as a single pregnant person, which that's amazing. They're meeting a tangible need.
00:56:58
Speaker
And through that need, they got to teach me about Jesus. Right. Another way I found safe people was I went to a nonprofit that was helping women that had been sexually exploited. And I remember thinking like, what?
00:57:11
Speaker
little group of church ladies wants to help strippers. Like, yeah, right. You know, they're going be all judgy. Like, how could they ever understand me? But when I got there, it was a free meal and they gave me a $10 gas card to show up. Right.
00:57:23
Speaker
You have to meet the tangible need. um and And that got me in the door. And then when I got in the door, I was met with the most kind, genuine embraces. They gave me a little gift bag that first night and it was nothing special, just like a book, a journal and some pens.
00:57:39
Speaker
um But I remember thinking like, you don't even know my last name or if I'm ever going to show up again and you're giving me things. You know, it was just those those small things that meeting those tangible needs can have a profound impact on people.
00:57:53
Speaker
Right. and And that it worked for me. I kept going, kept going to support group and showing up. So I think. I think when we meet people's tangible needs and we're there with them and we have to develop that no flinch factor, you know, because when people share their stories or hard things, if, if they see a visible change right on your face or in your body language, then I'm going to shut down and I'm not going to continue sharing because you've just showed me that you can't handle the depth of my story. And so it's really important that we meet those tangible needs and understand
00:58:25
Speaker
man, we're genuine with
Appreciation and Future Goals
00:58:26
Speaker
people. And, and, you know, we, we're not shocked, you know, and visibly shocked. Like, of course their story may be hard to hear, but they live through it.
00:58:36
Speaker
Right. And so the least we could do is sit there and be respectful and, and let them share when ah when they're willing to. What's different about this series than other educational content? I promise this is my last question. ah whats What's different about this series?
00:58:51
Speaker
That's different from other content that you maybe you've seen on helping spread awareness and helping educate. What's different about this one? Well, I think you did a stellar job making it, number one. you know um absolutely loved going back and watching all of them. um But also, I mean, I think what what makes it different is the intended audience, right? I think what makes it different is the different survivor stories, right? Because no two of them are the same. there's There's a lot of similarities that exist, but it's really important that we hear other people's stories because it can look completely different. um So I think you guys did a really great job at that. um
00:59:32
Speaker
And like I said, that intended an audience, the fact that you're making this to engage people that maybe have never heard about this issue before. And so I think you guys have done a really good job. you know and And I did want to say earlier, i think the biggest way we can actually make a dent is by addressing sex buying, right? Is by actually reducing sex buying because the the reality is prostitution and and sex trafficking exist because there are people willing to purchase sex, right? There's a demand for commercial sex and and there's never going to be enough willing women that want to be prostitutes to meet that demand. And that's why traffickers and pimps and brothel owners come in with a steady illegal supply of victims because there's money to be made. Yeah.
01:00:17
Speaker
So we can, ah while victim care is extremely important, we should continue always doing that. um If we only focus on victim care and not, um and And even prevention, at the end of the day, if someone's trying to buy, they will find a way to buy. um And you're exactly right. And um I'll throw this little nugget in there. I know that we're taking, well after after this Advocate series, I know we want our next approach is to focus on how do we change a culture that we look at as buying any anyone.
01:00:50
Speaker
as as the most grotesque thing we could ever think of. And how can we change culture to truly think that? And I think we can. It's been done before. we think i mean we I think i think you ask you ask any average person of like, um so like we even a buyer would say, I think it's grotesque that you would like chain someone to a to a door. where Obviously they exist, but like a very extreme rare case.
01:01:20
Speaker
You know what i mean? And so it's how do we develop that mindset for anything? And i know that that is our next approach. And, you know, Becca, I could like talk with you for like hours. and Thank you so much for spending this much time with us and and and giving so a
Conclusion and Call to Action
01:01:35
Speaker
lot more insight. I know that what these podcasts are for is for viewers to get a little bit deeper after watching each episode and and to just have this help develop a mindset around like, how can I do better? How can how how can I approach this a little bit better and ultimately be the hands and feet of Jesus and in in my community? So thank you so much.
01:01:55
Speaker
Yeah, my pleasure. Thank you. Thank you for being with us on the Trafficking Free America podcast and in the season two of ah continuing and further discussion about our Advocate series. um If you have not heard of or don't not know where to download our Advocate series, please go to advocateseries.com. And you will find a link to ultimately access all the videos, download our study guide.
01:02:21
Speaker
All this is for free. And we also put some additional resources on that website so that you can, as you deep dive into these episodes, you can access our resources to kind of get a better idea on. on on educating yourself, getting some ideas on how you can get plugged into ultimately ah combating human trafficking if you feel inspired or you feel God calling you to to do more. The U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking created this Advocate series to help educate the church so that they know a little bit better of an idea of how they can react in a Christ-centered way on combating human trafficking. And one of the action steps we give is to is to actually become an abolitionist. When I say become an abolitionist, I mean by going to usiat.org slash abolitionist and signing up to be an abolitionist. It's our abolitionist project. It is ultimately a way for you to subscribe and receive resources. ah ah the Every time on a daily basis, we're trying to create content and find more resources and more ways to um rally and unite ah the church together and others together to combat human trafficking. And by signing up it as an abolitionist, you get resources right away from us to do that. But we also ask our abolitionists to get involved in one of three ways.
01:03:38
Speaker
It is to either help raise awareness. That could be anything from sharing things on social media, just continual ah continually continually talking about this with your friends and family, those who are ah you can influence in your community, possibly even taking our tfc program our TFZ, Trafficking Free Zone Program, bringing that to businesses so that they can become TFC zone, trafficking free zones and ah may, or maybe be taking this advocate series to churches or other, any group you want to, and, and helping raise awareness.
01:04:11
Speaker
Another way is to volunteer. If you want to volunteer, we have a program. We have several programs at the U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking that you can actually um ah get involved in right away as a volunteer. But also, you know, this is a nationwide thing. And we are ah continually partnering with other organizations such as Safe Homes, foster care agencies that are in pregnancy centers, multiple places, multiple resources that are helping combat human trafficking or helping the marginalized that really affect um you know those who are being groomed or brought into human trafficking. And so if you are if your heart is to volunteer, if you want to spend your time doing that, we want to help get you plugged in. So by signing up as an abolitionist, and if you want to volunteer, you can actually schedule a consultation meeting.
01:04:59
Speaker
with our team at the U.S. s Institute Against Human Trafficking to help get plugged in in the right way, like where where you're located, as well as your time, as well as your talents and skills and heart. We help try to partner you with the right with the right organization to to start start getting involved.
01:05:17
Speaker
And the third aspect is helping raise raise funds. um You know, even making this advocate series is thousands of dollars, ah creating content and helping raise awareness on a continual basis costs a lot of money. These organizations that we're going to help you help plug you into. Everyone needs funds to help make this happen.
01:05:36
Speaker
um we are fighting a $150 billion dollars industry. And if we're coming in with um with ah pennies compared to that, it's going to be a longer haul, right? It's going to be a harder fight and and it's going to take longer and there's going to be more victims.
01:05:51
Speaker
um Money is definitely not power, but money is a natural resource to help those who are being marginalized. This entire thing started with money and we can combat it with good. um If you have a talent for raising money, I want you to help us raise money. I want you to help fundraise, whether it's giving yourself, whether it's getting others rallied around this to give to the U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking, or it's rallying around your local organization that you know is combating human trafficking and you can help them.
01:06:21
Speaker
Ultimately, we need you to help raise funds. Ignoring the fact that funds are a need is ignoring the fact that people are in need.
01:06:32
Speaker
These funds will help those people. And I want you to make sure I want to make sure you're researching. And if you want to talk to the U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking to help make sure you're choosing a good organization that's truly putting you know their money where their mouth is, that's another thing we're trying to help do.
01:06:49
Speaker
We're trying to weed out those who are doing good compared to those who are maybe just, you know, exploiting the fight against human trafficking, which is also real. So, guys, um thank you for listening to the to today's podcast. Again, if you're ready to get involved after watching the Advocate series, I encourage you to go to usiahd.org slash abolitionist and actually sign up.
01:07:13
Speaker
um And if you have not watched this advocate series, please go to advocate series.com and download and watch this five video series and then go and sign up to become an abolitionist because I promise you, um you're going to feel um pulled into helping in any way possible.
01:07:36
Speaker
Thank you.