by Kim Merrikin
“What can I do?”
“What can *I* do?”
We hear this question—in all of its nuances—a lot at REST—and we love this question.
When first learning about the problem of sex trafficking and sexual exploitation—that thousands of women, men, and children are being exploited right here in the United States every day, it can be paralyzing. It can feel hopeless. The problem can feel too big for any one person to make a difference.
But—as long as there are people who respond to hearing of pain and suffering with the desire (met with action) to make the world a better place—there is hope. As long as people are still asking the question, “What can I do?” or, “What can *I* do?”, we will respond with options.
For National Human Trafficking Awareness Month, here are ten different answers to the question—what can I do?
1. Get educated.
One of the most important steps to becoming a better advocate for the cause of ending sexual exploitation is to learn more, and grow in your understanding about the dynamics of the sex trade. This will help you raise awareness of the issue, while correcting the myths and misinformation that exists on the topic. You can start your education process by listening to survivors and learning from organizations like REST—you’ve already started by reading this blog! You can also join us virtually on January 21 and 28 in the evening for REST Training Day—for National Human Trafficking Awareness Month, we’ve made this training FREE! Use code “Free20” at checkout.
2. Get vocal.
Voices make a difference. We are currently seeing this with the example set by the #TraffickingHub movement. Thousands of individuals are calling for PornHub to be shut down and held to account for their participation in sexual exploitation. And while PornHub is not yet shut down, the movement which started with a few vocal individuals, and snowballed into coverage from the New York Times, has already resulted in MasterCard and Visa dropping PornHub from their card processing services, and ultimately led to PornHub deleting a significant portion of its exploitative content. United voices work. If we all raise our voices in loving and kind, but firm, ways, we can create change—hopefully one day eradicating sexual exploitation altogether.
3. Listen to and amplify survivor voices.
We already mentioned listening to survivors as part of the learning process, but it is also part of the advocacy process. Survivors are experts in their field—and they deserve to be honored, respected, and listened to. Learn from them. Invite others to do the same. We are not a “voice for the voiceless”—they have voices. Pass the mic. Amplify them.
4. Give and/or host your own fundraiser.
If you can, we would love your financial support. Consider becoming a Pathmaker to provide sustained support for our programs and services. We also know the last year has been challenging—and it might not be the right time for everyone to give—but anyone can host their own fundraiser, inviting their community into providing pathways to freedom, safety, and hope for victims and survivors of sex trafficking.
5. Pray.
We believe that every person is made in the image of a beautiful Creator, with inherent dignity and worth, and is undeniably deserving of love. Pray for survivors, that this dignity and worth is revealed and upheld. Pray that they find their pathways to freedom, safety, and hope. Pray for REST, that we’re able to continually offer those pathways along with non-judgmental acceptance and unconditional care.
6. Volunteer.
We always have opportunities for volunteers—both in person, and virtually! We also have several board positions open—please check them out and apply if you’re a good fit for one! If you’re not local to the Seattle/King County area, we’d encourage you to do some research into trauma-informed organizations in your area that you can participate with.
7. Reduce the demand.
If you are involved in buying sex, we invite you to reconsider the harm you’re causing—to the individual you’re exploiting, yourself, and your community. There is freedom, safety, and hope for you, too—and help. We also invite those of you who may consume pornography to reconsider your impact. Porn is sexually exploitative—and consuming it increases the demand for exploitation and trafficking. Fight the New Drug is an excellent resource for those ready to begin or sustain the journey to quit porn. Everyone—including buyers and porn consumers—is worthy of love and a life free from exploitation.
8. Teach your loved little ones to love and respect both their own body and others’ bodies.
For parents, aunts, uncles, and anyone who has children who they love in their life, reducing vulnerability to exploitation begins with setting a high standard of love. By teaching them their worth—that they’re inherently invaluable—and helping them understand bodily autonomy and self-advocacy from an early age, we can help reduce their vulnerability to traffickers. You can learn more about this in our blog How to Protect Your Kids from Sex Trafficking.
9. Invite your business/employer to reevaluate policies that may exclude survivors from employment.
Survivors often struggle to stay out of the sex trade because of the extreme barriers they face to maintaining stable employment. In 2020, REST launched the Economic and Leadership Academy to help survivors overcome these barriers—but without employers who are willing to reevaluate some of their policies and practices, it is still hard to find a job. Does your company or employer reject applicants with criminal histories outright, without considering the context of the offenses? Is there grace at the workplace for people experiencing the impacts of trauma? How is sexual harassment and misconduct handled? Is it a safe place for survivors? (If you’re an employer looking to grow in this aspect, please join us for our upcoming REST Training Day!)
10. If you’re a landlord or property manager, reevaluate policies that may exclude survivors from housing opportunities.
Another major barrier for survivors to achieving stability and sustaining a life outside of the sex trade is housing. If you are involved in renting residential spaces—do you reject applicants outright because of criminal histories? How do you work with people with bad credit or no credit? Is there any grace for people with bad rental history? Do you always default to accepting the application that looks best on paper? We invite you, too, to join REST Training Day this month to learn more about the dynamics of sexual exploitation.
When we say, “Everyone deserves to be loved. Everyone deserves a life free from exploitation.” we mean everyone—the sexually exploited, the sex buyers, porn consumers, traffickers, the people at the companies facilitating exploitation, those fighting against exploitation—and you.
In all of these actions and efforts, we would encourage you to take steps with both boldness and grace—tenacity and honor—for all.