The Root Issue of Human Trafficking

Matt ClarkOct 12, 20141 Comment

Modern slavery and sex trafficking are major issues in our society today, but I feel that we’re not talking about the root issue of human trafficking.

Warning: The following written content is intended for mature audiences.

Sex trafficking is a massive issue in our world today. Thanks to movies like Taken and the great work of some influential organizations such as The A21 Campaign (which I am proud to support and give to), much has been done towards raising awareness. There has also been much done in the way of rescuing those sold into slavery, prosecuting the pimps and “businessmen” (I use that term begrudgingly) who acquire children and women, and in helping change legislation to increase police powers and government involvement in dealing with the problem.

And all of this is great.

But in all the things that get talked about, I can’t help but feel there is a fundamental aspect of the problem which doesn’t get talked about as much. One massive topic in the discussion that doesn’t get broached in great detail, and yet if we were to address this issue, we would be working to cut this industry to pieces and go a long way to ending it for good.

I’m always heartbroken to hear of some of the stories of women and children who have been trafficked. Unfortunately one of the main groups affected really is the young girls of various countries, but also a number of young boys, taken from their homes at a young age, or sold by their parents, or in some cases even willingly giving themselves up to slavery to provide their family a better life.

And there are so many moving parts to this issue. One of my friends who has done a lot of looking into the issue was blown away by her findings on the latter issue, of people willingly giving themselves into the lifestyle. She told me that it was so difficult to address a problem and provide support to these people because they didn’t really see themselves as in harm’s way – they saw themselves as providing a better life for their families. This is more akin to prostitution, but where the workers are then subjected to more dangerous and more demeaning conditions than you could imagine.

Absolutely horrendous stories abound of 7 year old girls being forced to give blowjobs or 11 year olds being tied to beds and being raped from 8am til 5pm and then thrown back into a cage or small room.

I think there has been a lot of work done to ensuring that the supply of these children is starting to diminish and become more difficult for perpetrators. But let’s talk about the elephant in the room.

Let’s talk about the root issue of human trafficking. Let’s talk about the demand.

The men using these services

Supply and demand. The market of sex slavery is unfortunately just another business in which people earn big money for exchanging their finances for the services being provided. Unfortunately, the services being provided here involve children and slaves.

And there’s a lot of good being done to ensure these sellers of human lives are put behind bars and prevented from being able to continue doing what they do. But what about the men who use these services?

And yes, the majority of the users of these services are men.

So what is it that motivates a man to go and make use of a young child for satisfaction? What is it that causes a respected businessman to travel to a particular district in which slavery runs rampant “on business”, and spend his time there ensuring he gets his sexual release? What is it that drives a group of strangers to decide that they will move as a unit and rape a young girl in all of her orifices and then be able to go on with their lives?

Why would such a man leave a wife at home where he is able to express his sexuality to have his needs met by a stranger?

Our men are deeply broken and in need of healing.

A man and his needs

The men in our unfortunate story like to throw their weight around when it comes to their sexual needs. Their libido is a roaring lion that is constantly in need of being satisfied, they say. Their sex drive is such an overpowering force in their lives that they can act like any time they get an erection they need to then achieve a release to be happy.

And all this, for what, 12, 13 seconds of climax?

I wrote some controversial posts before about our pursuit of orgasm and how much of our lives may be structured around our desire to achieve this state of climax. But often a man’s sexual pressure is what drives him to have his needs met. And if it just so happens that he can be entertained or satisfied through the use of paid means, whatever their age or origin, then so be it.

This need to have our sex drive fulfilled is the driving force of the sex slavery industry. It is the root reason for trafficking. And as long as this issue is going avoided and we aren’t dealing with the root problem, there will always be a demand for more and more demeaning types of sexual fulfillment.

I think that sex trafficking is the ultimate relationship problem. It is the furthest extreme of our inability to relate to each other, to find what we need in marriage, to ignore love and consent, and to take what you want to get what you aren’t getting from where you should be getting it. And in truth my friend, we can find the things we’re looking for in the right places if we don’t just give up on it and turn to darker solutions like this one.

What can we do about it?

So we’re aware of the problem. We’re aware of why it is such a lucrative business. So, what can we do about it?

I think we as men need to start with ourselves. If you, my friend, are involved in using any of these services yourself, you need to stop. That’s someone’s daughter. That’s someone’s son. There is nothing truly lasting about the satisfaction you get from getting off at the expense of a child or a slave. You’ll be back again the next night and the next, all the while still going unfulfilled.

This includes the things you watch. You may be thinking, “Er, well, I haven’t been to the red light district in Thailand recently”, but maybe your eyes have. Just who do you think the actor in that movie you’re watching is? Where did she come from? At what expense are you getting your 15 second hit?

I think we also need to have some honest education on how the male sex drive really works. What turns him on? Why’s he got an erection because of what you wore or flashed at him? Do you know how you work? Do you know how he works? A bit more understanding could go a long way to fixing the brokenness in our men that is making this problem worse and brought it into existence in the first place.

Another important thing is about addressing these needs in a healthy way. Scripture tells husbands and wives that they should avoid abstaining from sexual activity, because it can bring division. Paul said that a couple should only do it if they both agree on it for a time, and as soon as the time is over, go straight back to fulfilling their duties to each other as husband and wife. It is absolutely the right thing to do to look after your spouse sexually wherever it is in your power to do so.

Sex makes men feel comfort and safety, and helps them express the love in their hearts they can’t fully put into words. Often the men who are the most crazy in the sexuality are the most damaged and hurt in their love and in their hearts. There’s is something that Men Really Want. But it has to be acquired and given in the right context.

And don’t forget self control.

The purpose of this post today is to make us all think and to raise a cry to Stop The Demand. If we could end the demand from us guys to stop getting our sexual fix from the wrong sources, traffickers would have no market to sell to, and no reason to continually steal children or young women or boys.

Stop The Demand.

I think in addition to rescuing slaves from horrible circumstances, we also need to be addressing the brokenness in our men that is leading them to dark places like this. And if you’re in that boat bro, it’s time to get help. Talk to somebody about what’s going on in your life. Don’t leave it til you’ve done something you may regret for a long time. Let’s kill off this problem by really addressing the root issue of human trafficking.

Stop The Demand.

If you’d like to contribute towards an organization that is doing a lot of work towards ending sex trafficking worldwide, a friend is looking to raise $21000 for The A21 Campaign over the next year. Even if each of us put in $1 it would go a long way to helping the campaign continue its great work. You can check it out and get involved by clicking here to read more and give to The A21 Campaign