What Crazy News

So, for those of you who have not heard the news of this weekend. One of the largest sex trafficking sweeps, in the United States, currently took place over 3 days this past weekend. Is that not just wonderful!? Sure, the crack down is wonderful but the story is a little hard to digest; but then so are all the facts behind sex trafficking.

Currently, 150 pimps have been arrested from 76 cities, some of which include, Detroit, Chicago, Colorado (where Janice and I live), Oklahoma City (which is right by where I go to college), and San Francisco. It is said the ages of the girls, who were trafficked, are between 13 to 17. The youngest girl who was rescued out of the 105 total was a 13 year old girl.

Now, because of Janice and I being from Colorado, let’s look into that for a moment. The areas in Colorado where the sweep took place were the Denver Metro Area and Pueblo. In Pueblo 10 adults were arrested but no children were, as the news puts it, "recovered." I feel like rescued or saved would be a little bit of a nicer term, but that may just be me. And in Denver 6 pimps were arrested. Areas that were targeted were hotels, casinos, truck stops, social media platforms and places like that. Over all, and this is including Wyoming (Colorado's boarder state), "9 juveniles recovered [children who were trafficked], 6 pimps arrested, 11 pimps identified, 51 adult cited arrests for prostitution, 25 arrests for soliciting a prostitute, 6 adult arrests for other crimes (drugs, warrants, ect.)" (kktv.com).

COLORADO! Have you no shame. I am disappointed. Yes, we are not the only state that made the list in the sex trafficking sweep, but I am still disappointed. In fact, I’m a disappointed in America. Yes, for the sweep I could not be happier, people are starting to really do something about this injustice. But, there is still so much more that needs to be done! Only 105 children were rescued out of the sweep. It is said that 60% of all the children were run away foster children. That breaks my heart. But here is the thing, EVERY YEAR between 14,500 and 17,500 people are trafficked into the U.S. Okay, so this sweep, yes, it made a dent in the sex trade here. But there is so much that still needs to be done, and so many who need to be rescued. After all the U.S. is the third top destination country for trafficking, in the world. The 14,500-17,500 is a yearly estimated number. So, what about all the people who have been trafficked from the years past? The number of people who are being sexually trafficked in the U.S. is continually growing. This still needs to be stopped.

Now, to the people who headed up this sweep and were apart of it, THANK YOU! You are making a huge difference! I take my hat off to you! Keep doing what you are doing, because there is so much more that needs to be done. But, the fact that you are doing something is amazing! The fact that you were even able to rescue the 105 is a total blessing and you should never forget it. Plus, you took people off of the streets that are the root cause of this injustice and I say, "WAY TO GO!" You’re getting the root!

May I now take a moment to share something I am a little worried about? Well, even if you say no, I am going to share it. When stuff like this happens there are people who get all pumped about how a difference is being made. But not long after, the passion dies away. People forget how they felt back in the heat of the moment. And they begin to stop caring.

When Rachel's Challenge came to my high school, when it first came about, many people were gun-ho on the matter! "Let's stop bullying!" But by the end of the year only a few people still had that burning passion for Rachel's Challenge. Now, this might not have been the case for every school, but it was for mine. The same issue that happened with Rachel's Challenge even happens in marriages today. People lose interest and forget the passion they once had and so they just stop what they are doing; they forget and give up, or simply quit.

Please. I beg you please! People who have a passion to see the sex trade stopped, please don't lose your passion. Though it may be sad and hard at times, think of how amazing it will feel when stuff like the 105 being rescued, happens again down the road.

When people keep their passion, that is when a change starts to happen.

Never lose hope and never lose your passion,

Nicole and Janice

P.S. Have you been doing your sticky notes? Have a cool story how you are making a difference in the sex industry? Email us at askmeaboutsextrafficking@gmail.com We would love to hear your story and share it with others to spread the passion! Don't know what sticky noting is? Check out our first blog "Let's Explain Our Mission" and find out!!

Sources for today's post:
http://www.kktv.com/home/headlines/More-Than-100-Children-Rescued-In-FBI-Bust-Of-Sex-Trafficking-Ring-217419601.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2380852/FBI-rescues-105-children-involved-sex-trafficking-arrests-150-pimps-weekend-sting.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490

http://news.yahoo.com/fbi-says-arrested-150-three-days-child-prostitution-154521080.html;_ylt=AwrNUbKQ9fdR_QEAU47QtDMD