Photo Credit: kasiakay, Poland

These words may bring images to your mind of candy and costumes, but they mean a very different thing to the victim of modern day slavery.

 (Warning: This post contains information that may be difficult for a sensitive or young reader.)

When a child or young woman (and often young men as well) is coerced or sold into sex slavery they are often forced to turn “tricks” many times a night. This means that their bodies are sold for another person’s pleasure to be used, abused, raped, beaten, strangled, etc. They are considered purchased property and therefore anything goes. If they resist their client, they may receive worse from their “daddy” when they come off the street for the night. If they don’t make their quota or do something else to make their controller unhappy beatings, torture, starvation and more can occur.

When a person is “treated” it means that they are severely degraded or insulted. This is a relatively minor and commonplace abuse these victims endure. I say “minor” not because it isn’t devastating, but as a comparison to other physical abuses. Emotional and mental manipulation is one of the ways owners or pimps wield control over their victims. This causes victims to experience high stress, depression, anxiety, Stockholm Syndrome, PTSD and other psychological distress.

Consider these facts posted in the research and resources section of the Girls Education and Mentoring Services website:

• CSEC is sexual activity involving a child in exchange for something of value, or promise thereof, to the child or another person or persons. The child is treated as a commercial and sexual object. CSEC is a form of violence against children.
• In New York City alone there are an estimated 2,200 children victimized by commercial sexual exploitation annually (OCFS 2007 Prevalence Study).
• The Department of Justice estimates the most frequent age of entry into the commercial sex industry in the United States is 12–14 years old (www.usdoj.gov).
• 100,000–300,000 children are at risk for commercial sexual exploitation each year in the United States (Estes & Weiner, 2001).
• 70–90% of commercially sexually exploited children have a history of child sexual abuse (Murphy, 1993).

So on a night when many dress up in scant costumes for entertainment, I plead with you to realize that so many hurting people will be walking the streets tonight in similar attire with more than a sugar high on their minds.

I encourage you to pray for those in the bonds of sex trafficking tonight.

Pray for their release and healing. Pray for their captors to come to Christ. Pray for physical, emotional and spiritual freedom.

Do you have questions about modern day slavery? Visit the modern day slavery page for more information or post a question in the comments section below.