Most people believe that slavery was abolished years ago but the truth is that, as you read this right now, there are an estimated 27 million people enslaved around the world. Let that sink in for a second. That’s more than ¾ of the population of Canada! Slavery takes many forms - including human trafficking, forced labour, sexual slavery, and forced servitude - but at the root of all forms of slavery is violent oppression; and violent oppression reaches far beyond slavery. Millions more are being abused and oppressed every day, in many other ways, like children being forced to fight as soldiers, or kids being kidnapped in order for their organs to be harvested and sold, or widows being forced off their land by their relatives, or entire communities of “night commuters” being too terrified to stay in their own villages for fear of rebel raids and travelling miles each night into cities for safety. Violent oppression is everywhere and it preys on the weak and vulnerable. And who are the most vulnerable in our world? The poor! If we want to help the poor we have to protect them and provide them safety from violent oppression. Because if you’re not safe, nothing else matters!
What the cause is about:
CorruptionMillions of people live in communities where those who are supposed to protect don’t. They do nothing when violent people oppress the poor or, even worse, they are the ones who take advantage of the poor. Corruption within local law enforcement, courts, governments, and community leaders makes those who are vulnerable easy targets for traffickers, slave owners, and violent oppression of any kind. |
PovertyIn many ways, poverty is at the root of violent oppression. The poor rarely have anyone to stand up for them and protect them and their poverty makes them easy targets for exploitation by those who are more powerful. Violent people prey on the poor because they don’t fear that anything bad will happen to them if they do. They think, and are often right, that they will not be held accountable for their actions. The poor are easily taken advantage of because of their desperate situation. |
DemandA crucial factor in the cycle of oppression (particularly when it comes to slavery and trafficking) is the demand that fuels it. Human trafficking is the second largest criminal enterprise in the world, generating billions of dollars each year. Traffickers make millions of dollars doing it, so why would they stop? Well, they might stop if they can’t make money from doing it anymore. For example, if we eliminate the demand for child sex slaves, traffickers will stop selling children for sex because there will be no one to buy it. . If you can’t sell something, you can’t make any money. And if you can’t make any money off something, you would probably stop doing it. |
VulnerabilityThe poor and desperate, such as widows and orphans, are often the most vulnerable individuals in society. Sadly, the most vulnerable of the vulnerable are usually children. Because of this, it is more likely that they will be subject to violent oppression. |
DesperationMany victims of human trafficking and other forms of violent oppression ended up as slaves because it was their only option for survival. A mother faced with the choice to sell one of her children to a trafficker or watch all of her children starve will sometimes sacrifice one child for the sake of the others. Parents desperate to pay for medical care that might save their sick child will take on a debt that they will never be able to repay and end up enslaved for generations. Many women are lured by the false promise of employment in a foreign country and end up as sex slaves with no hope of escape. Desperation and the need for survival make the poor prime targets for violent oppression. |
When you protect a community you give:
EducationEducation is the key to eliminating or reducing demand. Teaching people in developed countries that what they buy can affect the lives of others and educating them on how to avoid products that continue a cycle of oppression is key to successfully providing safety to the vulnerable. |
JusticeIt’s amazing how this works. Send the bad guys to jail for oppressing the poor, send a message to the other bad guys that they won’t get away with it anymore and suddenly the bad guys stop oppressing the poor! |
PreventionWork with local authorities and train communities in ways to avoid becoming victims and on how to report abuse. Help build governments that don’t support corruption: investigate corruption and bring accountability to leaders to prevent further corruption and oppression. |
AftercareCare for victims of violent oppression is key in bringing hope. Proper care for people who have been victims of violent oppression is a long hard process but worth the energy. Many victims of injustice can become great advocates for justice and stand with the vulnerable to fight for them. |
OpportunityPerhaps the best way to bring hope in the face of such violent evil is to give those who are vulnerable valuable opportunities to reduce their vulnerability. Educate them, provide job-training opportunities, and empower them so they are no longer targets of oppression. |