Will You Take Action to Help Put and End to Child Trafficking?

Sometimes, many of the problems in our world seem so remote, so distant from our day to day lives.  It’s easy to turn off the news or turn blinders to things that are not prevalent in our personal communities.

The truth is, these issues touch families in ways we rarely see coming, and the legal side of protecting a child can feel just as far off until you’re the one facing it. When a child needs a permanent, safe home, the process often runs through the courts, and families frequently work with an adoption lawyer to handle the paperwork, home studies and consent requirements that come with a placement. Even a straightforward adoption involves termination of parental rights and a final hearing before a judge, steps that are hard to manage without someone who knows the local family court. Getting that part right is one of the concrete ways a child moves from an uncertain situation into a stable one.

But, sadly, many of these ills are at our doorstep. As a mother, I find child abuse, neglect, trafficking and exploitation to be an important issue we should not and cannot tune out on.  These children need our voice, our strength, and our commitment to bring us to the day when ZERO children are exploited. We also need to take action on getting justice for victims. Looking to understand the answer to the question ‘is there a statute of limitations on child abuse’ in order to take action, can make a difference. That way, abusers can be brought to justice.

This travesty is happening in our backyards in greater numbers than I imagined.  Consider these staggering statistics: An estimated 5.5 million children are victims of trafficking, an illegal enterprise that generates an estimated $32 billion in yearly profits. Human trafficking cases have been reported in every state in the United States. Rates are particularly high in California, Texas, Florida, and New York.

There are steps you can take today to make a difference and help reduce these numbers to ZERO.

The U.S. Fund for UNICEF has launched The End Trafficking project to raise awareness about child trafficking and mobilize communities within the United States to take meaningful action to help protect children. In partnership with concerned individuals and groups, the initiative aims to bring us all closer to a day when ZERO children are exploited.

Learn more about the End Trafficking initiative at http://www.unicefusa.org/endtrafficking.  You’ll find a wealth of resources including a Toolkit with 20+ Ways To Take Action.