Sex Trafficking in the United States – How You Can Help

My brother’s ICA organization is having a 5k run/walk on Sept 19th at SLU college campus in St. Louis, MO. The proceeds are going to go to a girls home who are rescued from sex trafficking.

Here’s some background on ICA and info on the run.  I know many people reading this will not be able to participate in the run but you can still donate for this cause. If you want to donate on behalf of my team, just put in Bible Knowledge Bookstore in the team area.

International Crisis Aid (ICA) has been rescuing girls from sex trafficking and forced prostitution since December 2006.

ICA opened our first home in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in March 2007. As of March 2009, ICA has expanded to include 5 rescue homes in Ethiopia with 40 girls and1 rescue home in Cambodia with 28 girls.

Once they are rescued and taken to their new home, the girls receive food, shelter, emotional and spiritual counseling, schooling, vocational training, medical care and a spending allowance.

ICA’s goal is to rehabilitate 10,000 girls in the next 6 years. This program is called the Safe Campaign.

In October 2008, ICA met with representatives from the FBI to discuss sex trafficking and the need for rescue homes in the U.S. for American victims of sex trafficking and forced prostitution.

ICA was told there are currently only 49 beds available in the U.S. for American victims.

If girls are rescued, they are forced into the juvenile system and usually charged.

As a result of these meetings,  ICA has decided to open homes in the U.S. for young American girls rescued from the horrors of sex trafficking, with the goal being to have the first home in St. Louis by the end of 2009.

“ICA will apply the proceeds from this 5K Run/Walk for Freedom to open a home in the U.S. for American children who are rescued from sex trafficking and forced prostitution.”

Click here to help rescue a few girls from this horrific practice

About the 5K Run/Walk for Freedom

• ICA will apply the proceeds from the 5K Run/Walk for Freedom to open a home in the U.S. for American children who are rescued from sex trafficking and forced prostitution.

• The Run/Walk will be on Saturday, September 19, 2009.

• The Run/Walk will be held on the campus of St. Louis University at One Grand Blvd., Saint Louis, Missouri, 63103

• Check-in will begin at 7:00 am.

• The Run/Walk will begin at 8:00 am.  Registration is $25 (for adults and children

Click here to help rescue a few girls from this horrific practice

Why Your Partnership is Crucial Sex Trafficking in the United States

• In June 2008, the FBI arrested 345 Americans—including 290 adult prostitutes—in one sting operation. (FBI)

• Since 2003, 308 pimps and hookers have been convicted in (US) state and federal courts of forcing youngsters into prostitution and 433 child victims have been rescued, according to FBI Director Robert Mueller. (FBI)

• A University of Pennsylvania study estimates nearly 300,000 children in the United States are at risk of being sexually exploited for commercial uses – “most of them runaways or thrown-aways,” said Ernie Allen, president of the NCMEC. (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children)

• 200,000 American kids are at risk for trafficking into the sex industry (youthnoise.com)

• Federal agents and local police in Johnson County, Missouri raided 12 businesses and four homes on 10 May 2007, rescuing 15 women from ‘massage parlors’. (Humantrafficking.org)

• Between 14,500 and 17,500 victims are trafficked into the USA each year (NCSOnline)

• The CIA estimates 40,000—50,000 victims)

• There have been reports of trafficking instances in at least 20 different US states, with most cases occurring in New York, California and Florida (Center for the Study of Intelligence) 797,500 children (younger than 18) were reported missing in a one-year period of time studied resulting in an average of 2,185 children being reported missing each day. (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children)

• For every 1,000 children in Missouri, 5-10 are in some state of maltreatment. (Department of Justice)

• One in 12 (82 of 1000) youth experienced sexual victimization, including sexual assault (32 per 1000) and attempted or completed rape (22 per 1000). (Crimes Against Children Research Center)

Information On International Crisis Aid (ICA)

1. International Crisis Aid (ICA) is a Saint Louis-based international relief and development organization founded in 2000 and established as a 501(c)3 in 2002
2. ICA’s mission is to assist in sustaining life, bring encouragement to those suffering and collaborate with other relief organizations in bringing necessary foods, materials and medicines to people in times of crisis, particularly where life and death situations exist.
3. Additionally, we attempt to bring public awareness to these situations and to solicit citizen involvement whenever and wherever possible.
4. Since 2000, ICA programs and services have reached out to children and families in need from Cambodia, Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, North Korea, Indonesia and Sudan.
5. ICA programs include feeding, medical, orphanages, disaster relief, girls’ schools, water wells, community development, rescuing girls from sex-trafficking, etc.
6. ICA is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. In Fiscal Year 2008, almost 94% of ICA expenses were dedicated to program services.

http://www.crisisaid.org/5k.html