LCMS offers resources to identify, combat human trafficking

Almost 21 million people are victims of forced labor — 11.4 million women and girls and 9.5 million men and boys, according to a 2012 report from the International Labor Organization.

Human trafficking takes place all over the world, including in the United States.

To help LCMS congregations and members understand this form of modern-day slavery, free resources on the subject are now available on the LCMS website.

“Trafficking people, particularly young women, often for the sake of sex and other forms of sexual abuse, is happening here at home, right under our noses,” said the Rev. Bart Day, executive director of the LCMS Office of National Mission.

“We want people to be able to identify when it is happening, understand why it is happening or the contexts in which it often occurs, and then have basic ways to intervene,” he continued. “The resources are a rich collection of information from various sources that should be helpful.”

The new human-trafficking webpage includes:

links to emergency hotlines and government resources;

resources to use to raise awareness of this issue; and

suggestions on how to get involved in combating this illegal industry.

“Being aware is the first step,” Day said. “Hopefully, by using these resources and connecting with congregations that are actively working in this area, we can work together to put an end to human trafficking in the U.S.”

Find the resources at lcms.org/social-issues/human-trafficking. The page will be updated as new resources become available.

Posted April 11, 2017