January was National Slavery and Human Trafficking Awareness Month, a month which has been dedicated to raising awareness about modern day slavery since 2010. While many people may not realize it, slavery is still a prominent issue both in the U.S. and abroad. During the month of January, the United States Department of State works to raise awareness about trafficking and slavery at embassies and consulates worldwide, as well as celebrate the important work of those fighting to end trafficking.
More people than ever before are trapped in slavery. According to the International Justice Mission, the largest anti-slavery organization, there are currently more than 40 million people being enslaved and exploited around the world. Slavery occurs in a variety of ways, such as domestic servitude, forced labor, bonded labor, child labor, forced marriage and sex trafficking.
Though there is considerable overlap between the terms “slavery” and “human trafficking,” trafficking is technically different. It is defined by the UN as “the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or purchase of persons for the sole purpose of exploitation.” In 2020, the International Labor Organization estimated that there were 25 million victims of human trafficking worldwide.
While many people often assume that slavery and trafficking only occur in less developed countries, it is a huge industry in the U.S. as well. From 2007-2019, the National Human Trafficking Hotline identified 63,380 cases of human trafficking in the United States. According to Polaris, an organization fighting trafficking, “Human trafficking is notoriously underreported. Shocking as these numbers are, they are likely only a fraction of the actual problem.”
These crimes go largely unreported and undetected, but still they lurk very close to home. In Georgia, the Trafficking Hotline identified 1,772 victims, 224 traffickers, and 68 trafficking businesses in 2019. Exploitation is not just an international problem; it’s also a local one.
There are numerous organizations working around the world to bring an end to modern day slavery. International Justice Mission aims to rescue victims and strengthen justice systems around the globe. Love Justice International uses interceptive tactics as a way to prevent vulnerable people from being drawn into slavery in the first place. A21 raises awareness and seeks to rescue and help heal victims through aftercare programs.
The organization It’s A Penalty partners with celebrities and sporting events to spread awareness and educate people. Using big events such as the Super Bowl, It’s A Penalty strives to reach as many people as possible. Love’s Arms, an organization in Chattanooga, reaches out to women who have been sexually enslaved to lead them to “hope and healing” in Christ.
Covenant College also has students participating in the fight against trafficking through a club called Students Stopping the Trafficking of Persons (SSTOP). Kaity Shelley ’22 began to recognize the locality of this problem when she joined the club as a freshman.
“Deciding to be a part of SSTOP my freshman year really opened my eyes to human trafficking… I knew about it before, but I knew about it in passing. I was like, ‘But that won’t happen to me. That doesn’t happen around me,’” she said.
Shelley credits SSTOP with alerting her to the problem of trafficking locally and worldwide. Now the club leader, Shelley hopes that not only will the club bring awareness to the campus but also provide avenues for students to become more involved in fighting human trafficking, like getting them connected with organizations like IJM or Love’s Arms in Chattanooga.
“Prayer is action, but there are also other things that you can do,” Shelley said. “If you want to act on this, you can.”
Primarily, SSTOP’s mission is to bring awareness to the Covenant campus about the issues of modern day slavery and human trafficking. “The number one goal is just for people to know why we are here and that it’s a big enough problem that there needs to be a club,” Shelley said.
She emphasized the importance of awareness, noting how it helps believers to pray for the people involved in slavery. Once people become aware of the reality of human trafficking, they also have to decide how to respond, either by telling more people, getting involved, or supporting organizations doing the difficult work in the world. “Awareness gives you the choice to act, but also connects you to all the people who are aware and can help you do something about it,” said Shelley.
SSTOP also aims to put awareness into action. They have partnered with Love’s Arms and participated in the Dressember campaign, where participants wear dresses or ties everyday in December to raise money and awareness. They’ve also personally ministered to women in Chattanooga through Love’s Arms, although COVID-19 restrictions don’t allow it currently.
This semester, SSTOP is going to continue with club meetings and a few events. Their first event, Shine A Light On Slavery Day, is coming up on February 25, and Shelley is working on plans for getting the campus involved.
Though she admits that SSTOP is certainly one of the more serious clubs, Shelley highlighted the importance of it.
“There are people in this world that we can’t see but the Lord does and our hearts, love, and our mercy and grace should extend to those people that feel like they’ve been forgotten, who are marginalized, who are on the borders. If you’re not trying to pay attention, you won’t notice… That’s why I think it’s important that [SSTOP] is on Covenant’s campus.”