What is sex trafficking, and how can we respond?

By
Whitney Edge

On May 19, in partnership with Restore NYC, we hosted our first-ever workshop focused specifically on the issue of sex trafficking in New York City. 

We were encouraged by the community of people who came out to learn more about this issue in our city, and who care about engaging in the broader discussion of mercy and justice for the poor, marginalized, isolated, under-resourced individuals in our city.

Understanding sex trafficking

Jimmy Lee, Executive Director of Restore NYC, gives an overview of the issue of sex trafficking in NYC. 

  • 77% of trafficked foreign individuals are mothers.
  • The term "sex trafficking" was only just defined by the US & UN in 2000.
  • Two of the 6 red flags for identifying a victim are 1) no control over ID documents, and 2) limited knowledge of whereabouts.

 

Restore NYC's work

Amanda Eckhardt, the Director of Programs at Restore NYC, explains Restore’s model for finding and restoring victims of sex trafficking.

  •  They seek to find and restore victims of sex trafficking.
  • One of the ways they find victims is through churches, as many of the women are allowed to attend Sunday services.
  • The majority of victims they have worked with are Chinese or Korean Chinese women.

How to get involved

Whitney Edge, Volunteer Coordinator for Hope for New York, discusses how Christians can respond in the face of a difficult issue like sex trafficking. How do mercy & justice issues like sex trafficking intersect with your life? How can you join in with what Hope for New York is doing to practice radical generosity in our city?