There is no question we are living in unparalleled times. Today, the circumstances we find ourselves in concerning the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade not only have an impact on our society. Most importantly, it impacts the women held captive to modern-day slavery. Unbeknownst to many, there is a direct link between abortion and human trafficking.
Trafficking happens in every country and region around the world. Currently, more than 24 million people worldwide are victims of human trafficking.
In the United States alone, no state is untouched, as human trafficking has been reported in all 50 states. For decades, the vulnerable and helpless have become prey to those seeking to inflict harm and commit injustice. On a global scale, 99 percent of all trafficking victims are women and young girls.
Depending heavily on access and availability of abortion clinics, traffickers force their victims who become pregnant to endure multiple abortions. Having no control over these choices, women are transported to such clinics to undergo great pain and trauma, just to be placed back into the trafficking ring.
Over the years and through the work of my foundation, I have spoken with many survivors who became pregnant and were forced into unwanted abortion at the hands of their traffickers. The vast majority of the women I have met are burdened by the same story. This experience has opened my eyes to the fact sex trafficking and abortion are undeniably connected.
Limiting access to abortion clinics has a significant impact on traffickers, causing them to transport pregnant victims to states where they can get abortions. This ultimately will push traffickers outside their routines and familiar territories, making them more likely to get caught. Therefore, I expect the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade will be crucial to the survival and rescue of many women trapped in underground human trafficking operations.
Today, I call on Christians to pray intentionally for our government leaders, our nation and its people. I also want to encourage you to pray for the victims of human trafficking.
As believers, we have a responsibility to fall on our knees, intercede for the helpless, and pray for God’s mercy and justice to be revealed to our nation. As ambassadors for Christ, we need to educate ourselves on cultural topics, so we can breathe life and truth into others through intellectual conversations.
Commit yourself to prayer.
Pray for our government leaders. Pray for God to penetrate the hearts of those in power and those making decisions on a national, state and local level. Ask for his divine intervention, as well as wisdom and discernment among our leaders.
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Pray for our nation’s people, asking God to bridge the gap between opposing sides. Pray for peace and unity, especially now that the ruling is overturned. Ultimately, pray the kingdom of God will prevail, and the truth found in God’s word will reach the souls of the lost.
Pray for the women and children exploited and enslaved to human trafficking. Ask for divine protection, refuge and healing that comes from God alone, as well as restoration from physical and emotional trauma. Finally, pray Romans 12:21 will hold true and that victims will overcome evil with good.
Commit yourself to learning.
For more than a decade, I have had the opportunity to work with thousands of sex trafficking survivors through my founding organization, and now The Foundation United. I have come to realize a common theme: There is an overwhelming percentage of sex trafficking victims who experienced childhood sexual abuse.
As many as 92 percent of victims were sexually abused as children, many of them reporting abuse as early as 3 years old. Unfortunately, childhood abuse is more common than we realize. The numbers are devastating—1 in 3 girls and 1 in 5 boys are sexually abused as children.
Knowing the root of human sex trafficking is important for our understanding of the issue. However, it is equally important to be culturally aware of the things happening in our country and the world around us.
God’s word provides us with a message of hope and truth, which we should proclaim loudly to our lost and hurting world. When conversations arise regarding society and culture, we have the power to apply biblical truth to the discussion.
In Ephesians, we are called to put on the full armor of God, including the belt of truth. Therefore, we must equip ourselves with gospel truth and knowledge, especially in times such as this.
Today, many are unaware of the connection between abortion and human trafficking, or that childhood sexual abuse is a root in these issues. It is our responsibility to make these facts known.
As we involve or concern ourselves with conversations related to the overturning of Roe v. Wade, we must seek the Lord’s guidance and serve as beacons of hope and truth to lost, misguided souls.
Elizabeth Fisher Good is the founder and CEO of The Foundation United, and the creator of REAL TALK, a catalytic new ministry training module to empower the Church and its leaders to walk in complete freedom and transparency regarding the current global pandemic of childhood sexual abuse. The views expressed are those of the author.
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