ADVICE
imagined doing, but if you have a posture
of humility and a willingness to serve, you
can definitely make a difference.
to help fight trafficking
lawmakers about this issue and telling
them why it’s important to you. Calling
your elected officials really can make a difference! Legislation that is aimed at curbing human trafficking is currently working
its way through the Michigan legislature.
You can find a link to the bills as well as
the names and contact info for your representatives on the websites listed in the
resource column. No elected official wants
to be on the wrong side of this issue, but
many are still unaware or in denial about
the realities of trafficking. A call from you
could be one of the best possible uses of
15 minutes of your time – yes, even better
than saving money on car insurance!
ONE SIMPLE, PRACTICAL SUGGESTION:
If you are on Facebook, “like” the Price
of Life – Great Lakes East Region page to
get frequent updates and info about the
fight against human trafficking and volunteer opportunities in this area.
G: GIVE time and resources
11 | ADVICE
Non-profit organizations always need
donations and good volunteers!
Donations are critical! You may not be
able to give huge amounts, but regular
monthly donations from ordinary people
are the lifeblood of most non-profits. One
idea: sponsor a child through an organization like Compassion International.
What’s better than rescuing someone
from the horrors of trafficking? How about
preventing it from happening in the first
place? Child sponsorship has proven to
be one of the best ways to change an impoverished community (aholyexperience.
com/2013/06/the-research-that-provesyou-can-change-the-world/), and a child
who is sponsored receives an education
and becomes much less vulnerable to trafficking. If you aren’t ready to take on an 18year commitment, consider sponsoring a
teenager.
As for volunteering, keep in mind that
in sensitive anti-trafficking work, some
roles are reserved for licensed social workers, law enforcement officers and other
professionals. In addition, it’s critical to
remember that volunteering is not about
you being fulfilled, it’s about serving in
ways that are truly helpful. Contact your
favorite organization and ask what they
really need. It might not be what you
ONE SIMPLE, PRACTICAL SUGGESTION:
Contact the Michigan Abolitionist
project and ask how you can help!
H: HOTLINE (Program the
National Human Trafficking
Hotline number into your
phone)
The national hotline number is 8883737-888. Program it into your phone;
it’s always better to have it and not need
it than to need it and not have it. If you
suspect a trafficking situation, call this hotline which is run by the Polaris Project in
Washington DC. Polaris will take your info
and contact the appropriate people in
your area who have been trained to deal
with trafficking situations. In an immediate emergency you certainly should call
911, but until all law enforcement officers
are trained in protocols related to human
trafficking, all other calls should go to the
hotline.
ONE SIMPLE, PRACTICAL SUGGESTION:
Stop reading this article, take out your
phone, and program 888-3737-888, the
National Human Trafficking Hotline number, into your phone right now!
T: TRADE (Reduce demand
through your consumer choices)
Trafficking is a business, and as in any
business, there has to be a product, and
seller, and a buyer. If any of those elements
is taken away, the business collapses.
So who are the buyers in a human
trafficking business? Yes, they are the sex
tourists who use their vacation time to
travel to other countries where they pay to
rape children. Yes, they are the “johns,” the
customers of