“Don’t shut your eyes” to exploitation

October 18th is EU Anti-trafficking Day. Many Europe and people from all around the world are urged to reflect about a problem that affects Europe deeply, and how to respond to it.

THUNDERCLAP INITIATIVE

Christians have an important role to play in helping to end modern-day slavery. Don’t shut your eyes is an initiative of the European Freedom Network (EFN), which has launched a 100-second film, showing how forced prostitution, begging and labour are happening all around us, but somehow we do not see.

Trough the video, the EFN calls Christians to “add your voice to our campaign by allowing us to post one single message to your social media channels. The video will be posted on EU Anti-Trafficking Day. We hope to create a social media frenzy about human trafficking.”

More than 250 people have already joined the Thunderclap initiative.

“EXPLOITATION HAPPENS UNDER OUR NOSES”

“Victims may be washing your car, painting your nails, picking your food, repairing your home, begging, working in prostitution or posing in the pornographic photo”, the EFN campaign explains.

“Exploitation happens under our noses. As a society, we don’t look, we don’t ask questions, we don’t think things can change”, EFN board member Julia Doxat-Purser said in and interview with Evangelical Focus.

There are different kind of abuses and all of them deserve our attention; for instance, “when we see a child begging at a time when the child should be in school, why do we walk by? Something is obviously very wrong”, Doxat-Purser stated.

OCTOBER 16: FREEDOM SUNDAY

Along with the EU Anti-trafficking Day, many churches worldwide will celebrate the Freedom Sunday on October 16, a global day of worship, prayer and action on human trafficking and slavery.

On that day, churches will join together to raise awareness of the crime of slavery today, show compassion and pray for women, men and children trapped in slavery around the world.

EFN board member Julia Doxat-Purser

Besides the video, the EFN has created materials that can help churches to your church to be involved.

“We would be delighted if people would find the courage to understand more about the reality of prostitution. Connect with EFN partner projects or others who compassionately reach out to help prostituted individuals to journey towards freedom. Ask them to tell you about the situation near you and of stories of exploitation”, Julia Doxat-Purser explained.

At the “Don’t shut your eyes” website, churches and individuals, will find many ideas and resources to to raise awareness of the crime of human trafficking.

“GOD DESPISES EXPLOITATION OF THE VULNERABLE”

The EFN board member affirmed that “every single human being is precious to God and made in His image. He wants all to be free to worship Him and to live in freedom as the people He intended them to be.”

“The Bible makes it absolutely clear that He despises the exploitation of the vulnerable and calls on His Church to bring freedom”, she added.

Because of that, “the European Freedom Network’s partners work so hard to prevent trafficking, to reach out to those who are being exploited, to help them in their journey to freedom and to speak both to politicians and to society, so that Europe becomes a place where exploitation is not possible”, Doxat-Purser concluded.