From Iowa (written by an Episcopal priest)Human trafficking sounds like something that happens in third world countries to nameless, poverty-stricken foreigners, but the truth of it is human trafficking happens right here in the Quad-City area, every day.
My ministry puts me in Quad-City places where I’ve met many women who tell me they’ve been bought and sold.
Here are two real stories from women I met in our community.
The first I’ll call Karen. She was born is Asia and was brought to this country by promises of a job as a maid or seamstress. Once here, she learned quickly that she would have no say in her life. Karen was raped repeatedly and taught that she was damaged goods and could not go home. Worse, she was told there was no one in the U.S. who cared or wanted to help. She had been sold four or five times by the time I met her and learned her story.
Her eyes always looked past me, making sure her handler wouldn’t catch her speaking with a priest. Her slaver made her have sex for money with any man or woman who would pay. Her slaver had bought her and her debts from another man. For her to earn her freedom, she had to pay off that debt.
More here-
http://qctimes.com/news/opinion/editorial/columnists/guest/ministry-puts-pastor-face-to-face-with-st-century-slaves/article_d3e27ad4-5b97-11e2-9eac-0019bb2963f4.html
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