I was able to attend The Justice Conference for the third year in a row a few weeks ago. Had a great time with my friend, Amy, and learned a lot. Here are my notes from the Pre-Conference Trafficking Track, presented by The Salvation Army.

Session One: State of the Issue

• Presenters: Mark Kadel of World Relief, Jason Pope of The Salvation Army, Amy Hewat of World Relief and Dr. Boaz Johnson of North Park University

Session Two: Addressing the Demand Panel Discussion

• Presenters: Mark Kadel of World Relief, Rev. Dr. Marian Hatcher, the Ambassador-At-Large for the UN, Clay Olsen of Fight the New Drug, Caleb Probst of the Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation and Danielle Strickland of The Salvation Army
• Science cateches up to a truth. There was a 40-year-old debate about cigarettes before they got labeled.
• We must educate the brain, the heart and then the world.
• CAASE empowers young men through an educational curriculum. Fight the New Drug primarily does school presentations.
• We are fueling in all kinds of ways.
• The majority of young men purchase sex for the first time between 19-23, usually due to peer pressure.
• Porn should be not only addressed from a legislative effort, but from a groundswell. It will create a Prohibition Effect.
• Men often purchase sex because they want to do the violent acts they see on porn to someone not their partner.
• “Conversation is the correct parental setting on your computer and devices.: – Caleb

Session Three: Ending Modern Day Slavery: Prevention, Advocacy and Legislation at the Intersection of Trafficking and Global Health

• Presenters: Porter DeLaney of Kyle House Group and Jenny Dyer of Hope Through Healing Hands
• Over 220 million people want access to contraceptives, but don’t have access.
• Women over 20 are more likely to survive child birth.
• Infant mortality goes up when women spread out their children’s births.
• Women who have less children are moe likely to work again and be involved in the community.
• End Modern Day Slavery Initiative Act – $35 million requested
• Less than 1% of the US budget goes to foreign aide (closer to .25%) for maternal and child health.
• Check out Pillars of Hope campaign by attorney generals

Session Four: The Salvation Army’s Best Practices for Anti-Human Trafficking

• Presenters: Pilar Dunning, Frank Massolini, Priscilla Santos and Danielle Strickland, all of The Salvation Army
• Be aware of the supply chain of the goods you buy. There are opportunities to prevent trafficking and slavery with every purchase.
• Check out Salvation Army STOP IT and PROMISE programs.
• Find out what you bring to the space of your community.
• Jesus gave disempowered people power. It’s also a good lesson in working with survivors.
• Who would you and I be without the big and small celebrations in our lives? This is what many trafficking survivors live without. One stated that having a birthday party was her favorite thing.
• Learn. Prepare. Act.
• Do what you do well, but ask for help when you need it.
• Sometimes when immigrants are undocumented people get rescued and put into programs, they actually make less and are still unhappy.
• The Church needs to think creatively and solve problems, not wait for the government.
  • Beauty for Ashes raises money for survivors to get their education while waiting for their work papers. (Point Loma Nazarene)
• Create contribution areas for survivors to feel like they get to participate.
• Get plenty of training for your staff/vols. (online, in person, etc.)
• Should we be using the term “rescue.” Many survivors come out more than once, and in the end, decide for themselves. They don’t see you as a rescuer.
• “Destroying” the works of th Enemy…” when said by Jesus means “loosening.” It’s a process.
• Be extravagant with your love and privilege.
• United Way has a trafficking program.
• Check out the Nordic Model documentary: Red Light, Green Light
  • “To change a nation’s mind, you have to imagine a better world.” – creator of Nordic Model. Also said you must really understand oppression.
• Unity will be the key in addressing this issue.

Resources to check out, or re-check out:

• Willful Blindness by Margaret Heffernan (book)
• The National Center on Sexual Exploitation’s 2016 Dirty Dozen List
• CEASE Network
• The Brain That Changes Itself by Norman Doidge (book)
• How Porn is Changing a Generation of Girls (TIME article)
• Porn and the Threat to Virility (TIME cover article costs money, so this is a commentary from one of the orgs above)
• Google, Microsoft Tighten Online Searches to Combat Child Porn (article)