by Jennifer Hockenbery
Women of the ELCA announces regularly that we have been actively working to end human trafficking since 2005. Many women are working on education and awareness, while others are providing support to help women leave human trafficking. Others are working to change laws that criminalize the victims of trafficking rather than those who buy and sell them. We are not alone; many are working on these initiatives.
Yet, there are many who still are unaware.
Let me tell you a story: In one of my philosophy classes last year, we were discussing the life and work of Veronica Franco, a Venetian poet and philosopher who wrote in the 1500s. Her mother had forced her into prostitution in order to help pay the family’s bills. Later in her life, Franco wrote letters to women telling them not to force their daughters into prostitution. She also gave money to create institutions for women and their children who wanted to escape prostitution. A young man in the class, very earnestly, said how glad he was that this did not happen in the modern age. He believed that only those who chose sex work were involved in prostitution. The class was absolutely silent. Most of the young women just stared at him. How could it be that this bright young man did not know that the majority of prostitutes did not choose this as a profession and that most were desperate to escape? How did this young man not see the posters with the frightened young girl, her arm held by a menacing hand, and the words “Is someone forcing you to do what you don’t want to do? Call this number?” How did this young man not know that many teenage girls have received phone calls from police officers telling them that known traffickers are stalking them and they should be careful? How did this young man not know that human trafficking is not a medieval problem but a very real contemporary issue?
I very gently told him the story of a previous student who had escaped after years of being trafficked. She had come to college and become a poet herself. I told him about the day she spoke up in class and relayed the horrible story of the first time she was trafficked to a man. She was 5.
Human trafficking includes sex trafficking and, also, labor trafficking. It happens internationally and domestically. It affects men and women, as well as boys and girls. On one hand, it happens when human beings are valued only as objects and not as human beings. On the other hand, it happens to human beings precisely because those who buy their labor or their bodies want a human mind and a human spirit to be part of the price. It is a product of the worst kind of human sin against other humans.
The approach Women of the ELCA is the right approach against such sin. Knowledge and awareness are important. There are still many people, like the kind and smart young man in my class, who do not know this is an issue. Action to help victims escape is crucial. New legislation that holds those who buy, use, and sell human beings accountable is necessary. And we need prayer. We pray that the Spirit moves us to remember that we are worthy; we are not objects, even if we are treated as such. We pray that the Spirit moves us to remember that each human being is loved by God and should be treated as God’s beloved child. We pray that the Spirit teaches all of us new ways to fight against this practice so that someday soon we can say how glad we are that this is not an issue anymore.
Dr. Jennifer Hockenbery is interim executive director for Women of the ELCA and editor of the Journal of Lutheran Ethics.
At the Eleventh Triennial Convention (2021), the voting members adopted a resolution setting the four weeks prior to the annual NFL Super Bowl as a time of prayer to end human trafficking and called on women of this organization to engage in prayer. Daily prayers for use between January 13 and February 9, 2025 are available. Use #EndHumanTrafficking, #ActBoldly, and #WeAreWELCA in your social media posts when you refer to the prayers.
National Human Trafficking Resource Center
For more information, to report a tip or access resources:
Call: 1-888-373-7888
Text: HELP to BeFree (233733)