Taken

I'm not usually that big on scary, thriller-type movies, but I actually want to see Taken. And now that I've found out that the premise involves kidnapping into the sex slave trade, I'm even more interested.

I can't give any opinions yet because I haven't seen the film--it comes out tonight--but I'm extremely hopeful that the release of these high profile movies is going to start putting public awareness into overdrive. Just as Slumdog Millionaire has shed light on the life of children in the slums, and how traffickers can hook children into a life of slavery with a single bottle of Coke, hopefully moviegoers will have their eyes opened to the reality of the current sex trade after seen Taken.

If you see the movie, leave your thoughts in the comments. I'm hoping to catch it this weekend and will let you know what I think! You can check out the trailer below.

Talking with The Astute Recorder

Big thanks to Judy Asman over at The Astute Recorder for all of the work she did to bring attention to this blog and child sex trafficking!  

If you're interested, you can check out my first "official" interview here: http://astuterecorder.com/2009/01/28/stop-child-trafficking-‘season-of-light’-blogger-emily-bain-murphy-talks-to-astute/

Would love to hear what you think :)

Mark Your Calendar...

...for September 27, 2009--especially if you live near New York City. An organization called Stop Child Trafficking Now (SCTNow) is planning a massive awareness campaign and fundraising walk. SCTNow is different than other anti-child trafficking organizations because its goal is to go after the predators themselves in the belief that the most effective way to end child sex slavery is to cut the demand off at the root. SCTNow "directs the majority of its fundraising to organizations comprised of Special Operative Teams who gather information about child predators both in the US and abroad. These teams represent the best military, federal and state intelligence and investigative organizations. They track predators to build cases against them that result in convictions.

These teams possess skills beyond the average military or law enforcement individual—skills that enable them to achieve their goals in foreign lands independently, without support of US law enforcement resources."

When	Sunday, September 27, 2009
What	Flagship Walk in NYC, Community & Campus Walks
Where	Throughout the World
Who	Thousands from around the world
How	Walking to raise funds to Stop Child Trafficking Now

You can sign up to be a Community Ambassador and plan a walk in your own area. So far satellite walks are planned for Chicago, Las Vegas, San Diego, and Raleigh.

There's also a separate media event for 9/27/09 called the Stiletto Run, where women can sign up to race through the streets of NYC in their highest heels--all in the name of saying that we, as a country, will not stand for the demand that asks for children to be trafficked as sexual objects to be bought and sold. And if you need any extra motivation to strap on those stilettos or lace up your running shoes, here's some food for thought:

"Investigators and researchers estimate the average predator in the U.S. can make more than $200,000 a year off one young girl." NBC Report by Teri Williams

Photo by Passetti

For more information and updates closer to the event, visit http://www.stopchildtraffickingnow.org/thewalk.php.

In the News

It's a new week and another story. Check out this Dec. 2007 MSNBC report on sex slavery in America.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Just a quick post today, but I promise that there's some good stuff in store over the next few days, so keep coming back!

Thank You.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to everyone who commented, followed, retweeted, Facebooked, etc., to raise money for Love146 yesterday.  You made it one of the best birthdays I've ever had.

The total raised was 44 comments + 11 new followers + an extra $10 I promised for a comment from @dough=$76.  I'm going to add a dollar for every year I've been free, so the grand total going to Love146 today is $101!

My wonderful husband got me this Love146 shirt that I am going to wear today and think of all of you.  And thank you to the people over at the Love146 blog for an amazing birthday post that truly made my whole day.

If you were a part of this yesterday and haven't seen what Love146 is all about, watch this and know that you did something amazing. 

Young People Changing the World

Photo by Ginnerobot

Well, I turn 25 today.  So I'm wondering how much longer I can think of myself as a "young person."  But I hope to someday accomplish what some of these people (most of the much younger than I am!) have done in the fight against child sex trafficking.

YPP

In December 2007, a group of young people including survivors of trafficking from India, Nepal, and Bangladesh gathered for a three-day meeting in Kathmandu to plead with their respective governments for better protection against child trafficking.  The children were part of a group called YPP (Youth Partnership Project South Asia), and in a march they pressed for better laws from their government and more involvement from the faith groups.  Estimates in late 2007 stated that the YPP had already reached out to more than 50,000 children who were at-risk, in the red light districts, or through better awareness campaigns.  

Minga

Newon, MA teenager Katie Simon started a group called Minga after becoming acutely aware of the suffering happening in today's child sex trafficking industry.  The first project was a yard sale that raised a whopping $6,500.  Since then the group has raised upwards of $40,000, which has helped to complete a rehab center for children in the Philippines.  Minga now works with partners in Guatemala, Thailand, and Boston to continue making a difference--all before they even leave high school.  

PACT/Asia ACTs

The Philippines is kicking off a year-long initiative to educate kids about child trafficking and equipping them to take steps for fighting it themselves.  Philippines Against Child Trafficking (PACT), which is described as a "network of NGOs and individuals primarily from government agencies," will be reaching out to 45 areas with the message, "Children, speak out! Help find and save the trafficked child."  Asia ACTs is launching a regional campaign with partners in Cambodia, Vietnam, Lao PDR, Thailand, Indonesia, Burma, and the Philippines to promote the participating of children in anti-child trafficking activities.  The groups believe that children themselves have the best voices to bring passion and awareness to this issue, and hope that seeds of ending the tragedy of child trafficking will grow as they do.  

You

You can be a part of it, too, no matter how old you are :)  In honor of my birthday I'm going to donate $1 for every comment, and $2 for every follow (the bar on the right with people's pictures in it), to anti-child sex trafficking charity Love146, up to $146.  So comment and follow away, and it'll make me a very happy birthday girl.  

Fact & Fiction

"Ladies and gentlemen, the United States is one of the largest markets for sex slavery in the entire world. We need to realize that modern-day slavery is only occurring because we choose to ignore it." - Human Trafficking

Did anybody else happen to watch "Human Trafficking" on TV this weekend? I caught the last hour or so on the ION channel on Sunday night. It's a made-for-TV miniseries starring Mira Sorvino and Donald Sutherland that debuted in 2005 on Lifetime--and it's definitely not for the faint of heart.

The four-hour long movie looks at a fictional sex slave trade ring and the actions Mira Sorvino's character, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent, takes to stop it. Mira Sorvino, a real-life Amnesty International Ambassador, says that she chose the script for its authenticity, and the Department of Homeland Security even signed on to advise.

The first video is a TV promo for the series.


The second takes clips from the movie itself--heads up, it includes some of the more disturbing parts of the film, but I like Mira Sorvino's speech that plays as the voiceover and think it's important to hear.

"An ounce of cocaine--you can only sell it once. A woman or a child: You can sell them . . . every day over and over and over again. The markup is immeasurable. Human trafficking, ladies and gentleman, is the business of the future."

...It'll Last Longer

Boots.  Photograph by Jeff Hall.  All rights reserved.

Happy Martin Luther King Day!  

In honor of this day I wanted to tell you about something really, really cool I found a few days ago.  It's a website called "Today's Black and White" by photographer Jeff Hall.  Jeff is passionate about two things: his art, and ending child sex trafficking.  So he decided to use his talent to do something about it.

Jeff is posting a new photograph every day of 2009 to the Today's Black and White site.  He poses the question, "What if a picture was worth more than 1,000 words?" Each photograph is available to buy as a print, from $10 to $50, and 100% of the proceeds will go to a nonprofit fighting child sex trafficking called "Free Chains."  

Keep coming back to Today's Black and White whenever you have a chance, as it will be updated with a new chance to help end child sex slavery every day.   This is the definition of a picture that will last the longest if you take it.  Check out my two current favorites, "Boots" (above) and "Amberly's Tattoo" (below.)  

I had the chance to ask Jeff how he became involved with the issue of child sex trafficking.  Through a friend who helped with rebranding Love146, and another friend who started Free Chains, Jeff said that he became "exposed to stories and statistics that are too sickening to ignore.  I decided that God could use the gifts He blessed me with to make a difference, so I decided to start the Today's Black and White blog.  I'm just trying to make a difference." 

Rest assured, Jeff--you are.

Amberly's Tattoo.  Photograph by Jeff Hall.  All rights reserved.

Watch and Learn

Long weekend in celebration of one of the greatest human rights figures in history = not one, but two great videos for you to view.

There are some great things are in store. Can't wait to share them with you. Have a great weekend in celebration of freedom and the future.

Spotlight: Natalie Grant and the HOME Foundation

You may be familiar with Christian singer/songwriter Natalie Grant.  She's GMA's three-time reigning Female Vocalist of the Year, was the most-played female artist on Christian radio in 2008, and has released seven studio recordings.  But after seeing an episode of Law & Order (funny how that keeps popping up), she's also the founder of the Home Foundation.  

The Home Foundation was started in 2005 and has since partnered with the likes of IJM, the Not for Sale campaign, and World Vision to educate communities, build shelters and orphanages, and provide medical equipment/assistance for victims of sex trafficking.  Natalie also worked with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to launch an anti-trafficking coalition in Tennessee.  

According to the Home Foundation's MySpace page, the Foundation is currently raising funds "with a two-fold purpose: to build a much needed medical infirmary for Bombay Teen Challenge at their Village of Hope outside of Mumbai, India, and also to support the work of IJM as they continue to seek justice."  Natalie is also speaking about the reality of human trafficking in America through her radio, television and concert appearances across the U.S.

It's so interesting for me to hear about how people became aware of child trafficking, and when they first realized how widespread it is today.  Where were you when you started learning?

Maybe January 15, 2009 is the day that you can bring the issue to light in someone else's life.  As for me, I'm feeling especially thankful for people like Natalie today.  

Taking It To the Top

Wow, this is incredible! The reality of child sex trafficking was directly addressed in yesterday's Secretary of State confirmation hearing for designate Hillary Clinton. Many, many thanks to the Not For Sale campaign blog (which you should check out!), for finding this and posting it--I'm merely copy and pasting directly from them to share the word:

"Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA):
I don't think we can look away from the plight of women around the world. Nicholas Kristof confronts this issue in a series of compelling articles… Kristof tells us the story of a Vietnamese girl who was kidnapped at age 13. She was sold into sex slavery in Cambodia. When she refused to see customers, she was tortured brutally with electric shocks and locked in a coffin filled with insects. And Kristof details another story in a piece called "If this isn't Slavery than what is?" in which a young Cambodian girl had her eye gouged out by a brothel owner after taking time off to recover from a forced abortion. I'm introducing some legislation—one is a companion piece to Rep. Carolyn Maloney and another is the Afghan Women Empowerment Act. That's just the beginning. Senator I know how deeply you feel about this so I wanted you to take a little more time to talk about your commitment to this particular issue and obviously I would be so pleased if we could work on legislation to fight this immorality.

Secretary of State Designate Hillary Clinton:
As Secretary of State I view these issues as central to our foreign policy, not as adjunct or auxiliary or in any way lesser from all of the other issues that we have to confront. I too have followed the stories…this is not culture, this is not custom, this is criminal. And it will be my goal to persuade more governments as I spoke with Beijing some thirteen years ago that we cannot have a free, prosperous, peaceful, progressive world if women are treated in such a discriminatory and violent way. I've also ready closely Nick Kristof's articles over the last many months on the young women he's both rescued from prostitution and met who have been enslaved, tortured in every way—physically, emotionally, morally and I take very seriously the function of the State Department to lead the US Government through the Office on Human Trafficking to do all that we can to end this modern form of slavery. We have sex slavery. We have wage slavery and it is primarily a slavery of girls and women. I look forward, Senator, to reviewing your legislation and work with you as a continuing partnership on behalf of these issues we care so much about. And finally, the work that the women of the Senate did in connection with First Lady Laura Bush on behalf of the women of Afghanistan has been extremely important. That program started in the State Department. It was assisted by an organization I helped to start in the White House called Vital Voices. Mrs. Bush has been outspoken on behalf of Afghan women…and other women facing oppression around the world… We're going to have a very active Women's Office a very active Office on Human Trafficking. We're going to be speaking out consistently and strongly against the discrimination and oppression of women and slavery in particular because I think that is in keeping with not only our American values but American national security interests as well.

Many thanks to Sara Guderyahn at The Sheridan Group for the transcription."

We now know that this issue is on some of the highest levels of government's radar. Let's keep the volume turned up to make sure awareness of child trafficking stays front and center, and maybe this administration will be the one to see its end.

Image by Steve Took It

From Congress to the Brothel

As I mentioned yesterday, I wanted to share a few of the things I learned from Linda Smith's book "From Congress to the Brothels." Shared Hope International actually wants to get the word out so much that they will send you this book for free, which is how I got it.

Here are a few of the things included within the pages that are important to keep in mind about the issue of child sex trafficking:

• Girls are often drugged before they are then trafficked 1000 miles. When they "come to" they have no idea where in the world they are, and don't speak the language.
• Even in the very slim chance that the girl can then escape and return back to her family, they will often turn her away in shame for being a "prostitute"--the very same family that first sold her into the trade.
• Shared Hope International tries a number of different ways to stay highly visible. They have a presence in brothel districts, at sex tourist destinations, and at the other end of telephone hot lines. They are visible through HIV/AIDS clinics and food distribution centers. In many cities, once word gets out that there is a safe place available, girls will come.
• Sadly, many government officials treat the victims of sex trafficking as criminals. Linda writes, "Once the girls are 'discovered,' rather than receiving the rehabilitation and justice they deserve, they are deported--routinely flown to countries far from their birth. The unsuspecting girls are then picked up at the airport from the very same trafficking group they just escaped."
  

There's always more to learn. Please feel free to leave recommendations or suggestions if there are any particular books you think I should be reading--I'd love to hear.

P.S. I forgot to mention that on Saturday we worked on some more beautiful Beloved quilts for Love146 safehomes. I'll try to post additional pictures next time I'm there so you can see them. :)

Hope!

How did you honor National Human Trafficking Day yesterday? I spent most of the day in bed sneezing (and, let's be honest--rooting for the Chargers to lose), but had time to read a quick book on how Shared Hope International came to be and what experiences Founder Linda Smith has seen in the world of child sex trafficking. The book is called “From Congress to the Brothels,” and I underlined a few things within the pages to share with you that I’ll post sometime either later tonight or tomorrow.

In the meantime, Nicholas Kristof has no shortage of good material to read/hear/watch/learn from. On Saturday he posted an article on “Striking the Brothels’ Bottom Line,” and looked at how the Cambodia sex trade has changed over the past few years. This is probably the most encouraging thing I’ve read in a long time. The brothel business, at least in Poipet, is becoming more difficult to sustain--and more importantly, less profitable. Increased pressure from aid groups, the media, and the U.S. State Department have made the practice more risky.

While brothel owners seem to think violence and enslavement have their competitive advantages, Kristof reports that

"Brutality has its own drawbacks as a business model, particularly during a crackdown, pimps say. Brothels that imprison and torture girls have to pay for 24-hour guards, and they lose business because they can’t allow customers to take girls out to hotel rooms. Moreover, the Cambodian government has begun prosecuting the most abusive traffickers.

'One brothel owner here was actually arrested,' complained another owner in Poipet, indignantly. 'After that, I was so scared, I closed the brothel for a while.'"

Kristof writes,

"Sexual slavery is like any other business: raise the operating costs, create a risk of jail, and the human traffickers will quite sensibly shift to some other trade. If the Obama administration treats 21st-century slavery as a top priority, we can push many of the traffickers to quit in disgust and switch to stealing motorcycles instead."

I never thought I'd be in favor of stealing expensive personal property... but if it means the definitive end to exploiting precious, living little girls for profit, then I'll raise a toast to that.

Image by Albert Ip

January 11, and Why Atlanta Should Be Brave

Remember about a month ago when we celebrated International Human Rights Day? Well now it's time to get a bit more specific. This Sunday, January 11, is Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery Awareness Day. Want to honor the day in a meaningful way? Head on over to Diana Scimone's website for 43 things you can do to stop child trafficking. Feel free to let me know what YOU did on Sunday in the comments--I'd love to hear.

There is some truly horrible stuff going on in this country--and some very inspiring people rising up to fight it. Enter @maepotter, who pointed me to a site hosted by her church that illuminates the very harsh reality of a thriving child sex trafficking and exploitation industry right in the heart of Atlanta. Here are just a few facts that Perimeter Church highlights on its Justice website:

• 200-300 girls are exploitated monthly in Atlanta
• In Atlanta, the average age of the victims is 14, but girls as young as 10 & 11 have been sold.
• Children under the age of 18 now constitute the largest group of trafficking victims in the U.S.

My hope is that other cities will follow Atlanta's lead and start seriously looking into the practice of child sex trafficking within their own borders. How much more would you care about this cause if you had hard numbers about it happening in the city you live in? Trust me, it's there--just happening behind closed doors. Let's look to Atlanta and get behind them for whatever we can do to put child sex trafficking in the past.

Passing It On

I had a number of people pass along this NPR story to me yesterday (thanks to Jaime and Caitlin, particularly), and it was encouraging to me that it caught the attention of so many.  

Nicholas Kristof is really sounding the alarm on the issue of child sex trafficking, particularly based on his work in Cambodia.  

Kristof talks with NPR's Tom Ashbrook about the fact that brothels bring in more money than other "jobs", like grocery stores or even selling pirated DVDs.  They bring in even more when the girls are kidnapped, rather than voluntary participants, and aren't paid for their "services."  Kristof argues that brothel owners don't have shame or compassion; the girls are simply reduced to dollar signs in their eyes, and making the most amount of money dictates their actions.  He says appealing to their better nature likely won't do much--but start putting them in jail, and you'll see progress.  

Ruchira Gupta, the president of the Apne Aap foundation in Indiana, speaks to Kristof and Ashbrook during the interview from Calcutta's Red Light District.  She reports that 250,000-300,000 women are trafficked into the industry in India every year.  The problem is becoming more complicated because inequality between rich and poor, and men and women, is growing.  In addition, organized crime in the area has become more entrenched, and stronger.  

However, on the flipside, she notes that worldwide governments are taking more notice and laying down more stringent trafficking laws; NGOs are popping up everywhere to promote education and reverse the cycle.  Ruchira says she has seen changes in this issue with her own eyes in her lifetime.  She says, "The only thing that is required is to keep the momentum going in the anti-trafficking movement."  Change is possible when mankind as a whole decide to abolish something.  

Kristof also points out that this is one of few issues that really bring the left and right together.  President Bush has made strides of progress, and President-Elect Obama has a fantastic opportunity to make a difference.  New York Representative Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney points out that we still have some work to do: in the U.S., 27 states have passed anti-trafficking laws--which means that 23 have not.   

Kristof is complimentary of the work Evangelicals have done thus far for the cause, and says that he believes dramatic improvements seen in Cambodia could be a direct result of the work of faith-based organizations like the International Justice Mission.  He argues that groups from across the spectrum, faith-based or not, should receive funds for any effort in fighting this cause.  

One of the saddest parts of the current child sex trafficking situation is that due to the widespread appearance of AIDS, being trafficked for many girls is a death sentence.  What's most horrifying is that in certain cultures, a myth exists that if you contract HIV, you can be cured by sleeping with a virgin--hence increased demand for virgins, and increased kidnapping and trafficking of very young girls.  

Kristof believes that once the issue of child sex trafficking really "gets on the agenda," traffickers will be finished.  Apathy and feelings of inevitability are our worst enemies.  

This is a fantastic, really informative interview and if you want to be more educated about this issue, I couldn't recommend it more.  It's a full 45 minutes though--so start a Spider Solitaire game or something, and learn something you didn't know before about one of the most important issues we face in our lifetime.  And then, like the great people that sent it to me, pass it on.

You, Me, & Sam Waterson

I mentioned in yesterday's post that I saw a commercial for an upcoming Law & Order show on child sex trafficking. Apparently last night's L&O SVU had some sex slavery ring twists involved, and tonight's "regular" Law & Order will be looking at child slavery and trafficking. I received the following e-mail with more information about tonight's show from Free the Slaves. Check it out if you're interested. Child slavery and sex trafficking often go hand-in-hand, and I think tonight's episode is worth noting.

"Law & Order tells a compelling story of child slavery in New York on Wednesday night on NBC at 10 PM/9 central.

Two detectives on the show are investigating a double murder when they uncover and a child slave trade ring between Haiti and New York.

“This is one of those rare episodes that touched everyone who worked on it,” says Executive Producer Rene Balcer about what he calls probably the most powerful episode of the season. Rene told Free the Slaves, “Even our crusty thick-skinned editors were moved to tears by the ending. It also opened a lot of eyes to the present-day, modern-world reality of slavery and indentured servitude. I would urge everyone who, as a result of this e-blast, watches the episode to call NBC thanking them for allowing the writers and producers of Law & Order to shine a spotlight on this issue.” [NBC Viewer Services at 212-664-5740]

Getting slavery into the mainstream is a core goal of FTS. We’re thrilled that one of the most popular TV shows in history is highlighting slavery. The producers of the show were inspired to write the episode, “Chattel”, after reading ‘A Crime So Monstrous’ by Ben Skinner. Ben traveled around the world researching slavery and visiting FTS’ partners including in Haiti.

The show illustrates some of the psychological complexity of working with the victims of slavery who have spent years living with deprivation and fear. Keep in mind, the episode is not a documentary so when you hear Sam Waterson say there are no anti-trafficking statutes in New York – thankfully that is no longer true. In fact, New York recently passed an anti-trafficking law and is one of 40 states that have criminal anti-trafficking statutes on the books. But only half of those states have victim protection laws to help the survivors of slavery.

You can find out more about child domestic slavery in Haiti [the restavek system] and what FTS is doing with partners to combat it here: http://www.freetheslaves.net/LimyeLavi

And…FTS is featured on the Law & Order website: http://www.nbc.com/Law_and_Order/

Please forward this to everyone you know in the universe."

The USA, Today

Is it just my hyper-awareness of the issue, or is child trafficking/exploitation/slavery in the U.S. becoming a more widely-known phenomenon?

In the past week, I've seen numerous news stories from a variety of sources. Last week there was an MSNBC news story on the reality of child slavery in America. On Saturday night I caught a report on "How to Buy a Child in 10 Hours," (apparently re-run from its original airing in July.) I also saw a commercial for an upcoming rerun of Law & Order SVU on child trafficking in the U.S. Other recent reporting has appeared in the past week or two in a number of states across the country:

• Colorado: Sex Trade Hits Home
• Florida: Children Raped for Profit
• Missouri: Child Exploitation Convictions Up in 2008
• Ohio: Measure takes aim at sexual slavery

A press release just distributed by the Department of Homeland Security stated that since 2003,the government's Operation Predator has arrested more than 11,780 child sex predators, sex tourists, and child pornographers. ICE initiated 432 Human Trafficking investigations and logged 189 criminal and 483 administrative arrests as a result of these investigations.

In addition, there is growing attention around a website called Change.org and a competition it is running called "Ideas for Change in America." The top 10 ideas will be presented to the Obama administration just before inauguration day and form the basis of a nationwide advocacy campaign to turn each idea into actual policy.

One of the ideas that has made it to the final round is called the National Campaign to Build More Trafficking Shelters:

In light of the recent growth of awareness and practice of reporting human trafficking suspicion around the country (which has resulted in more rescues and arrests), I would like to see our government help fund a national media campaign to build more trafficking shelters around the United States. In addition, our government could also award some of our private, recognized service providers with funding for building and operating shelters for trafficking victims. Currently, there are only a couple of shelters solely dedicated to serving trafficking victims.

If you're interested in bringing this top of mind for the incoming Obama administration, you can vote here. Is awareness growing, or am I just personally becoming more aware? Would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Part of It

Okay, I promised some good news today, so here's some that makes me hopeful: UNICEF, in partnership with ECPAT Switzerland, has established the world’s first centralized system for reporting on sex tourists.

According to a press release that was distributed on January 2, "The Swiss Federal Office of Police (Fedpol) has introduced a website containing a new form that will be used to collect information about suspected perpetrators. Swiss tourists are also being encouraged by tour operators to speak up if they see anything suspicious when they travel abroad."

Swiss tourists or residents who see something or have a sense that trafficking may be taking place can now leave a tip at one address, and know that it will be looked in to. A centralized reporting system is one thing that has been lacking in the fight against trafficking so far, and may pave the way to make a huge difference in awareness, tracking, and policing.

More good news--we had a great extended planning meeting for the Love146 Boston taskforce yesterday. Lots of headway was made and lots of cookies were eaten. There's also a growing chance that I might be coming face-to-face with the issue, on the other side of the globe, sooner than I ever thought possible.

Very excited. I couldn't even sleep last night. Good things are coming. And in the wise old words of the now-defunct Piebald: "Hey--you're part of it."
Photo by Steve Rhodes

Sad.

If you don't believe there is evil in the world, you haven't seen this video: more reporting on child sex trafficking from New York Times' Nicholas Kristof.  This one is pretty hard to watch, so be prepared.

Also, I am continually so shocked and saddened by the comments that people leave in response to these topics.  I hope that they are not as heartless and cruel in real life as they appear in anonymity on the Internet.  

I promise to bring you some good news tomorrow.  And in the meantime, I have to keep reminding myself that no matter how small, the light will always win out over darkness.