Content warning: mention of sex trafficking
When we look into the eyes of Jesus, Joanna, or Jackie, we gaze into a temple in which God dwells. And we must look. The bodies in which God lives are not disposable. Our bodies deserve to be seen and to evoke responses of solidarity from our human kin.
Recognizing the signs of possible human trafficking requires intentional engagement. When we care enough to pay attention to the warning signs of exploitation, acting as if it is our business, change is possible. Blame or distaste over acknowledging the demand for and reality of sex work benefits the abuser, not the vulnerable ones whose bodies are being exploited. Decreasing the demand for sex trafficking is also within reach for our faith communities when we actively create a healthy sexual ethic. Avoiding stressful conversations only contributes to an atmosphere of shame and secrecy from which exploitation can emerge.
These bodies, these temples of God, also give us the authority to act, disrupt, and stand against the exploitation of vulnerable people’s bodies for profit.
This message is excerpted from “Our bodies” by Lee Ann Pomrenke in the September 2020 Gather magazine.
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Thank you, for this.