faith in action

Pools of vulnerability: Stopping human trafficking

Human Traffickers "fish in pools of vulnerability." We, as Christians, bare a responsibility to love, nurture and protect the vulnerable.


Many children dress up in silly and scary costumes at Halloween. They collect and consume massive amounts of candy. Halloween, in my community, marks the beginning of fall festivities.

Walking from house to house with “Thing 1” and “Thing 2” (i.e., my daughter and her best friend), I saw a couple handing out chocolate with an Equal Exchange sign. (Equal Exchange sells chocolate that is slavery-free, and they have an official partnership with The United Methodist Church.)

I was grateful for the reminder that there are ways to participate in festive traditions of candy-eating, baking and gift-giving that do not contribute to companies and individuals that make money by enslaving people.

Raising two daughters, I am always aware of their vulnerability to traffickers. And, I am mindful of the stories that I have heard from United Methodists in Liberia and the Philippines of loved ones and community members being trafficked.

In Liberia, children are abducted and transported to Cote d’Ivoire to harvest cocoa. In the Philippines, 2.2 million people travel abroad to work and earn money to send home to their families. Many are preyed upon by traffickers.

January is the month we have intentionally set to remind ourselves, educate our community, and advocate for policies and practices that will stop the demand and the supply of trafficking victims.

I’m reminded of the film, Not My Life.

This documentary brings attention to the horrors and hope that are part of this movement to end trafficking.

“Filmed on five continents, in a dozen countries, Not My Life takes viewers into a world where millions of children are exploited, every day, through an astonishing array of practices including forced labor, domestic servitude, begging, sex tourism, sexual violence, and child soldiering.”

Church and Society has purchased the rights so you can show the film for free in your local settings. Register to receive a link and password to view the movie.

As one person states in the film, “traffickers fish in pools of vulnerability.” People who are vulnerable are the ones to whom Jesus calls us to love, nurture and protect. We invite you to use this movie to increase awareness about these vulnerable children and adults. And as we head toward the gift-giving season, we also encourage you to spend money in ways that do not support human trafficking.