The northwestern German state has formally banned 2 Hells Angels groups. "Their everyday lives consist of forced prostitution, violence, weapons, and drugs", NRW state Interior Minister says.

What if, when a police chief or politician spoke about human trafficking, we were ready to respond with our stories and expertise?

On October, 15, churches celebrate #FreedomSunday to raise awareness of world’s fastest growing global crime. Other initiatives all around the world include conferences and marches for freedom.

Young Christians gathered at Madrid’s central square Sol to denounce human trafficking. A flashmob highlighted the work of three evangelical NGOs which support women who escape sexual slavery in Spain.

“Criminals may start with social networking platforms and then move to phone and video chat”, says Christian expert Ioana Humelnicu. “Being judged is the biggest fear of victims.”

Sexual slavery is “still taboo in our society”, says Mikaela Bruce, director of “Pasarea” (The Bird). It tells the story of a Romanian girl trafficked into Spain for prostitution.

“It is known that a good part of the women who are recruited for prostitution are minors”, says sociologist Richard Poulin.

Ionela Olguta (from Romania) died in the basement of a night club in Málaga. The Spanish Evangelical Anti-Trafficking Network demands “zero tolerance against trafficking and the sexual exploitation of women”.

Nadia Murad and Lamiya Aji Bashar survived Daesh slavery. “There remain more than 3,500 child and women held hostage as slaves under Daesh. Every day they die a thousand times”, they told MEPs.

Ioana Sandescu, Director of Prevention and Advocacy of eLiberare, answers the question.

509,980 is the number of people forced into labour in the EU. That’s more people than those living in Toulouse. Or Liverpool. Or Gdansk. Or Antwerp.

Walk for Freedom in many European cities dennounced that “every 30 seconds, someone becomes a victim of modern-day slavery”. Churches had Freedom Sunday special worship services.

Many churches worldwide will celebrate the Freedom Sunday on October 16 to raise awareness of human trafficking and slavery. ‘Don’t shut your eyes’ is the initiative of the European Freedom Network.

Ever since Adam and Eve fell and God told her in the Garden of Eden, “Your desire will be for your husband and he will rule over you”, far too many men throughout history have used this as an opportunity to dominate, exploit and use the bodies of women.

Several studies show a “scandalous fall” of the age of those who pay for sex in Spain. “They see it as fun, and prefer not to know if the women are victims of trafficking.”

‘Don’t shut your eyes’ is the new initiative of the European Freedom Network. “When we see a child begging at a time when the child should be in school, why do we walk by?”

About 120,000 people are sexually exploited in Italy. The ‘Alleanza Tesori Raggianti’ network partners with local churches to offer “true healing in Christ”, Erika Tello explains.

“Factors that increase the risk for refugees in Europe are denial of asylum, criminal activity inside the camps, unsafe living situation, minority status and isolation”, the European Freedom Network explained in a webinar.

Paraguayan women were deceived with jobs in Europe. Fifteen victims have been liberated in Pamplona (Spain), Nantes and La Roche-Sur-Yon (France).

6 in 10 slaves live in one of these five countries: India, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Uzbekistan.

Kajsa Wahlberg: ‘Criminals are businessmen; they calculate profits, marketing factors and risks of getting caught before investing time and money into selling women in a particular place.’

The producer is also charged with sexual abuse of minors and distribution of child pornography. The victims are from Eastern Europe.

“There are around 33,000 prostituted women in France, and 80% are victims of trafficking”, says Marcel Georgel. He works algonside victims of human trafficking in Nantes (France).

The legislation outlaws paying for sex, imposes fines for clients, and overturns the existing ban on solicitation. It is the fifth country in Europe to adopt this model. Christians in Europe welcome the decision. 

Around 26,000 unaccompanied children entered Europe last year. Most of them are targeted by criminal gangs. Some have been sexually exploited, Europol informed.