Some days it is nearly invisible to the undiscerning eye. Other days, between the adult video stores, the strip clubs on the edge of town, and the broken youth wandering the city, it seems as though it’s all around us. Commercial sexual exploitation is widespread in the U.S. and around the world. According to the ELCA message on the topic, sexual exploitation in any situation—personal or commercial—is sinful because it destroys God’s good gifts of sexuality and human integrity.
Customers who fuel this industry may think they are harming no one but themselves. Truth is, they are swept up in a system of sexual exploitation that degrades all participants, both providers and customers.
In 2002 Women of the ELCA established “A Day Full of Light” as a means of educating individuals and congregations about the grip the sex industry has on society. To find out more about this response, download the free resource. To learn more about human trafficking, visit the ELCA’s Justice for Women webpage.
Gracious Creator, lead us further into the light of your Son that we may find your paths of healing and restoration for all who have been made less by commercial sexual exploitation. Amen.
This message was adapted from the “A Day Full of Light: Ending Commercial Sexual Exploitation” resource available from the Women of the ELCA website. Find out how we are making youth aware of human trafficking.