To contact us Click HERE
Jesus' Black Sheep
"Butwhen Jesus heard that, He said to them, 'Those who are well have no need of aphysician, but those who are sick…For I did not come to call the righteous, butsinners, to repentance.'" (Matthew 9:12, 13b)
Jesusloves "bad people." This isreally brought out in the Christmas story. To whom did God send His angels to first to invite them to come andworship the newborn Savior and Lord? Theshepherds.
Inthose days, shepherds were considered crooks and liars, and in many cases, theywere. They couldn't even be witnesses incourt because of their notorious reputations. But God chose shepherds to be His first witnesses of the Savior, andthey were so thrilled when they saw Jesus that they glorified God and went outto tell everybody about the Messiah's birth.
Godloves the unrighteous, those who know through and through that they're notgood, because they're the ones who see their need for a Savior. Jesus said, "It's not the healthy whoneed a doctor, but the sick."
You'renot going to go to the doctor if you think you're perfectly healthy, and you'renot going to go to the Great Physician, Dr. Jesus, if you don't see that youare incomplete, and that you need God's forgiveness and presence in your life.
Thefact is, most of us think we're good. According to a George Barna poll, 83 percent of Americans believe theyare basically good—more than four out of five! The Bible says that God created us very good, and there's still apotential for good, but we fell into sin and rebellion from God. Without Christ, we're all black sheep in ourattitude toward God. We're not lilywhite sheep—not one of us—we're not even grey sheep.
We'reblack sheep without Jesus, who is "The Lamb of God who takes away the sinof the world!" (John 1:29b). God'sperfect sacrificial Lamb was crucified for our sins on the cross, and byreceiving the risen, living Lord Jesus Christ, we can be forgiven and restoredin love to God.Infront of a church in Germany there stands a stone lamb. As the story goes, a roofer slipped and felloff the roof of the church to the ground. It was a long way down, so his fellow roofers knew he would be killed,but when they got to the ground, they found him unhurt. A lamb had been grazing below and the man hadfallen squarely on top of it, crushing the lamb to death. The man was so grateful that he made a stonememorial of the lamb.
Iam so thankful that God provided a lamb for me to fall on. Our fall into sin has been a long way down,but praise God He has given us a lamb to break the fall.
Haveyou fallen squarely on the lamb yet? Your sins have. Why not put yourfull weight on Him and trust Him today?
"As itis written: 'Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, andwhoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.'” (Romans 9:33)
(Sentby permission from Pastor Wayne Taylor; info@calvaryfellowship.org)
25 Şubat 2013 Pazartesi
Don't Follow the "Some"
To contact us Click HERE
Recently one morning while I was shaving andlistening to Alistair Begg on Christian radio, I was shocked when the mainannouncer said he had not been to church theselast two Sundays because of the National Football League playoffs. He then said that it was okay because he wasable to listen to his pastor on the radio. I wonder how much damage this did to the many who heard this.
To go to your church at a different time isone thing, but completely miss is another.
Here is a man who is basically a leader inChristian circles saying that he had not fellowshipped with his church over thelast two Sundays because of football. Iwonder if his pastor and the elders of his church will speak to him about this.
Do you attend a church where your pastorsand/or elders would speak to you if you did this? I know my pastor would.
Let us hold fast the confession of our hopewithout wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how tostimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assemblingtogether, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all themore as you see the day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:23-25 nasb).
Recently one morning while I was shaving andlistening to Alistair Begg on Christian radio, I was shocked when the mainannouncer said he had not been to church theselast two Sundays because of the National Football League playoffs. He then said that it was okay because he wasable to listen to his pastor on the radio. I wonder how much damage this did to the many who heard this.
To go to your church at a different time isone thing, but completely miss is another.
Here is a man who is basically a leader inChristian circles saying that he had not fellowshipped with his church over thelast two Sundays because of football. Iwonder if his pastor and the elders of his church will speak to him about this.
Do you attend a church where your pastorsand/or elders would speak to you if you did this? I know my pastor would.
Let us hold fast the confession of our hopewithout wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how tostimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assemblingtogether, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all themore as you see the day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:23-25 nasb).
Film on Child Sex Trafficking to be Shown at St. Michael's College
To contact us Click HERE
FILM: “Playground: the Child Sex Trade in America”
Screening and Discussion with the Filmmaker
Monday, March 7, 2011, 7:00 p.m.
McCarthy Arts Center, St. Michael's College
While traveling to the Philippines in 2001, filmmaker Libby Spears gained first-hand knowledge of the horrific practice of trafficking human beings for sexual exploitation. She dug a little deeper and discovered that most of these victims were young children. She was further astonished to find the involvement of the United States and the degree to which the U.S. was influencing the global demand and growth of the sex-trafficking industry. This powerful yet poignant film will be followed by a discussion with the filmmaker.There is no admission cost.
Contact Laurie Gagne for more information: lgagne@smcvt.edu
Could Congressional Indifference Kill the 'Most Important Anti-Trafficking Law Ever Passed'?
To contact us Click HERE
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/greg-asbed/human-trafficking-act_b_2490834.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003
Greg AsbedCo-founder of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers
Could Congressional Indifference Kill the 'Most Important Anti-Trafficking Law Ever Passed'?
Posted: 01/17/2013 10:34 am
Twenty years ago, Laura Germino and I left the dusty streets of Immokalee, Florida, and headed north, bound for the Justice Department in Washington, DC. We carried with us a binder full of evidence from our investigation into a brutal modern-day slavery ring that was holding tomato pickers captive in Florida and South Carolina -- evidence of homicide, of brutal public beatings, of systemic sexual assault.
We assumed our carefully compiled files would spark a DOJ investigation and, ultimately, a prosecution of the farm bosses behind those unconscionable abuses. But instead, following a short meeting with attorneys from the Civil Rights Division, we found ourselves right back on the street, asking each other what had just happened. The DOJ lawyers had told us in no uncertain terms that there was nothing they could do. Our clear and compelling evidence of an ongoing slavery ring was met with what can only be described as astounding indifference by those government officials charged with addressing the problem.
Much has changed for the better since that encounter, but, disconcertingly, the battle to rid this country of forced labor and human trafficking is once again threatened with a monumental setback at the hands of governmental indifference.
The Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) sparks unprecedented progress in the fight against modern-day slavery. After the Justice Department sent us packing, it took five more years of hard work -- both by those of us at the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) and by a new team of DOJ attorneys who reopened the file and took on a complicated prosecution -- before Miguel Flores and Sebastian Gomez, the farm bosses behind the slavery operation we had uncovered, were ultimately sentenced to 15 years each in federal prison on slavery, extortion, and firearms charges. US v. Flores was a landmark case in that it brought to light the problem of modern-day slavery in the U.S., which had been largely invisible for decades, prompting then Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Deval Patrick to say, "Today's case shows that slavery is not a thing of the past. No person should be denied the right to freedom, and we will continue to prosecute these cases for as long as necessary."
But despite the positive outcome, no one would look back today at the pace of the Flores prosecution and call it a success. In the five long years between discovering the operation and sentencing the perpetrators, countless victims continued to suffer abuse. For those workers, justice delayed was indeed justice denied.
That was soon to change, however, with the enactment of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) in 2000. Since the conclusion of US v. Flores in 1997, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) has worked with the Justice Department on six more successful forced labor prosecutions, the most recent of which, US v. Navarrete, resulted in lengthy sentences for two more farm bosses on charges of conspiracy, holding workers in involuntary servitude, and peonage. While the Flores and Navarette cases were in many ways similar, the tools available to prosecute them were decidedly not, thanks to the TVPA. In the 12 years between those cases, the ability to combat modern-day slavery had undergone a sea change. The Navarrete case took less than a year from its discovery to sentencing. In just over a decade, the work of investigating and trying a complex slavery prosecution had grown far more efficient, sparing thousands of workers across the country untold suffering at the hands of their employers.
Break the Chains, the widely-respected anti-trafficking organization based in Washington, has called the TVPA "arguably the most important anti-trafficking law ever passed." The TVPA penalizes modern-day forms of slavery, updating the anti-peonage laws passed during Civil War Reconstruction to fit the forced labor and human trafficking still occurring in the homes, brothels, and workplaces of the 21st century. It provides desperately-needed emergency services and protections to victims of these crimes, empowering them to do their part in bringing abusive bosses to justice. And it both enables and requires numerous federal agencies to attack this egregious human rights abuse, creating a mandate that didn't exist when Laura and I innocently knocked on DOJ's door 20 years ago.
Today the TVPA, and the progress it made possible, is in danger. Yet today the TVPA languishes in a state of limbo, unfunded, its reauthorization in doubt. It seems impossible, but as we celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, the "most important anti-trafficking law ever passed" may well be allowed to expire. Once again, government indifference threatens the effort to address modern-day slavery.
The stakes could not be higher. In the words of Susan French, a former federal prosecutor with an unrivaled track record of successful slavery prosecutions, "If we as a nation are serious that slavery in all its forms is morally and legally wrong, then we must bring justice to trafficking victims, provide for their essential needs, and attempt to make them whole. Without the TVPRA extension, victims will not be able or available to participate in the judicial process. Traffickers will go unpunished and victims will not receive justice or restoration."
The CIW's Laura Germino, who in 2010 became the first domestic recipient of the State Department's Trafficking in Persons Hero Award for her contributions to the fight against modern-day slavery in our own country, agrees, adding, "It seems the height of dysfunction to allow the law, in this year of commemoration of our country's enduring fight to end slavery, to expire. Modern-day slavery is prosecutable and preventable, and it is outrageous to allow more people to suffer when the solution is proven, workable, and has a steady and long tradition of bipartisan support."
The TVPA simply works. Congressional indifference threatens the existence of the TVPA, a seminal act of national vision that is fundamental to the cause of human rights and the eventual eradication of modern-day slavery. Such indifference will, with certainty, encourage those who would enslave others and result in an increase in forced labor. We as a nation cannot allow this to happen.
The TVPA works to fight modern-day slavery and must be re-authorized. There is simply no justification for returning to the dark days when forced labor went mostly unrevealed, and vulnerable workers were forced to suffer in silence at the hands of their employers.
Follow Greg Asbed on Twitter: www.twitter.com/CIW
Greg AsbedCo-founder of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers
Could Congressional Indifference Kill the 'Most Important Anti-Trafficking Law Ever Passed'?
Posted: 01/17/2013 10:34 am
Twenty years ago, Laura Germino and I left the dusty streets of Immokalee, Florida, and headed north, bound for the Justice Department in Washington, DC. We carried with us a binder full of evidence from our investigation into a brutal modern-day slavery ring that was holding tomato pickers captive in Florida and South Carolina -- evidence of homicide, of brutal public beatings, of systemic sexual assault.
We assumed our carefully compiled files would spark a DOJ investigation and, ultimately, a prosecution of the farm bosses behind those unconscionable abuses. But instead, following a short meeting with attorneys from the Civil Rights Division, we found ourselves right back on the street, asking each other what had just happened. The DOJ lawyers had told us in no uncertain terms that there was nothing they could do. Our clear and compelling evidence of an ongoing slavery ring was met with what can only be described as astounding indifference by those government officials charged with addressing the problem.
Much has changed for the better since that encounter, but, disconcertingly, the battle to rid this country of forced labor and human trafficking is once again threatened with a monumental setback at the hands of governmental indifference.
The Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) sparks unprecedented progress in the fight against modern-day slavery. After the Justice Department sent us packing, it took five more years of hard work -- both by those of us at the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) and by a new team of DOJ attorneys who reopened the file and took on a complicated prosecution -- before Miguel Flores and Sebastian Gomez, the farm bosses behind the slavery operation we had uncovered, were ultimately sentenced to 15 years each in federal prison on slavery, extortion, and firearms charges. US v. Flores was a landmark case in that it brought to light the problem of modern-day slavery in the U.S., which had been largely invisible for decades, prompting then Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Deval Patrick to say, "Today's case shows that slavery is not a thing of the past. No person should be denied the right to freedom, and we will continue to prosecute these cases for as long as necessary."
But despite the positive outcome, no one would look back today at the pace of the Flores prosecution and call it a success. In the five long years between discovering the operation and sentencing the perpetrators, countless victims continued to suffer abuse. For those workers, justice delayed was indeed justice denied.
That was soon to change, however, with the enactment of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) in 2000. Since the conclusion of US v. Flores in 1997, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) has worked with the Justice Department on six more successful forced labor prosecutions, the most recent of which, US v. Navarrete, resulted in lengthy sentences for two more farm bosses on charges of conspiracy, holding workers in involuntary servitude, and peonage. While the Flores and Navarette cases were in many ways similar, the tools available to prosecute them were decidedly not, thanks to the TVPA. In the 12 years between those cases, the ability to combat modern-day slavery had undergone a sea change. The Navarrete case took less than a year from its discovery to sentencing. In just over a decade, the work of investigating and trying a complex slavery prosecution had grown far more efficient, sparing thousands of workers across the country untold suffering at the hands of their employers.
Break the Chains, the widely-respected anti-trafficking organization based in Washington, has called the TVPA "arguably the most important anti-trafficking law ever passed." The TVPA penalizes modern-day forms of slavery, updating the anti-peonage laws passed during Civil War Reconstruction to fit the forced labor and human trafficking still occurring in the homes, brothels, and workplaces of the 21st century. It provides desperately-needed emergency services and protections to victims of these crimes, empowering them to do their part in bringing abusive bosses to justice. And it both enables and requires numerous federal agencies to attack this egregious human rights abuse, creating a mandate that didn't exist when Laura and I innocently knocked on DOJ's door 20 years ago.
Today the TVPA, and the progress it made possible, is in danger. Yet today the TVPA languishes in a state of limbo, unfunded, its reauthorization in doubt. It seems impossible, but as we celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, the "most important anti-trafficking law ever passed" may well be allowed to expire. Once again, government indifference threatens the effort to address modern-day slavery.
The stakes could not be higher. In the words of Susan French, a former federal prosecutor with an unrivaled track record of successful slavery prosecutions, "If we as a nation are serious that slavery in all its forms is morally and legally wrong, then we must bring justice to trafficking victims, provide for their essential needs, and attempt to make them whole. Without the TVPRA extension, victims will not be able or available to participate in the judicial process. Traffickers will go unpunished and victims will not receive justice or restoration."
The CIW's Laura Germino, who in 2010 became the first domestic recipient of the State Department's Trafficking in Persons Hero Award for her contributions to the fight against modern-day slavery in our own country, agrees, adding, "It seems the height of dysfunction to allow the law, in this year of commemoration of our country's enduring fight to end slavery, to expire. Modern-day slavery is prosecutable and preventable, and it is outrageous to allow more people to suffer when the solution is proven, workable, and has a steady and long tradition of bipartisan support."
The TVPA simply works. Congressional indifference threatens the existence of the TVPA, a seminal act of national vision that is fundamental to the cause of human rights and the eventual eradication of modern-day slavery. Such indifference will, with certainty, encourage those who would enslave others and result in an increase in forced labor. We as a nation cannot allow this to happen.
The TVPA works to fight modern-day slavery and must be re-authorized. There is simply no justification for returning to the dark days when forced labor went mostly unrevealed, and vulnerable workers were forced to suffer in silence at the hands of their employers.
Follow Greg Asbed on Twitter: www.twitter.com/CIW
A message to teens: 10 tips for protection against traffickersr
To contact us Click HERE
http://38.118.71.50/neighborhood/speaking-out/2012/jul/26/message-teens-10-tips-protection-against-rafficker/
WASHINGTON, DC, July 26, 2012 - This column is for the tweens and teens out there. Parents should show it to them. Print it out, stick it in their school books, or post it to their mirrors.
There are ways to protect yourself, or your child, from becoming a victim of a sex trafficker. Familiarize yourself with the following ten tips; share them with friends.
Parents, review these with your child and be aware so that if something changes in your teen’s life, you can catch your child before he or she becomes a statistic.
1. Become media literate. If you don’t know what “media literacy” means, I encourage you to research the topic. It is important that you understand how business enterprises are sending you distorted messages via the media in order to make a profit from selling you their products.
These messages include: You aren’t pretty unless you buy this, you aren’t cool unless you own this, being pretty or cool is more important than anything else, etc. Traffickers understand what popular culture is telling you; educate yourself in order to be armed against predators. Start with Nicole Clark’s documentary, Cover Girl Culture, or Adriana Barbaro and Jeremy Earp’s documentary, Consuming Kids: the Commercialism of Childhood.
For more resources on media literacy, please visit my personal blog.
2. Learn different coping skills. Life in middle school is tough. I know this because I was there; I struggled with the same issues as most teens today- bullying, teen pregnancy, poor self-image, etc.
It doesn’t have to feel so stressful all the time, though. I encourage you to explore ways to cope with stress. Coping strategies can include meditation, prayer, exercise, yoga, martial arts, writing, reading, music, sports, crafting, collecting, etc. Don’t be afraid to try new things, and please ask for help from teachers or family members if you need assistance with starting one of these activities.
A book that helped me with coping strategies was The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle.
3. Stay involved in extracurricular activities. It is crucial to do well in school and to stay involved in extracurricular activities. Try out for different sports, clubs, or programs.
I promise that good grades and a busy schedule are the most effective ways to overcome middle school troubles and to graduate as quickly and successfully as possible.
Trust me on this- I tried running away from middle school. That route was worse than if I had just stuck things out at school.
4. Don’t be afraid to try new things. If you have an aunt that offers to take you to the ballet, say yes! If an uncle offers to take you to a sports game, take him up on it! Try new things! Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone or away from your friends.
I was very afraid to try new things without my friends- the result? When my friends inevitably began to try new things without me, I felt very isolated and alone. This is part of the reason a trafficker was able to lure me away from home.
5. Volunteer. Volunteering can help you keep things in focus while in middle and high school. There are many different ways to volunteer- from serving food at a soup kitchen to walking dogs at an animal shelter.
Check out www.volunteermatch.org or www.idealist.org to find cool places to volunteer! A healthy perspective on one’s own life will prevent attempted distortion by a stranger.
6. Learn to say NO. Our society is saturated with images of sex, and most images of women in the media are sexualized. This teaches young girls that sex appeal equals value. This turns into a domino effect; over-sexualized girls are magnets for older, opportunistic boys or men who will push to have their expectations met.
Despite seeing and hearing about sex on a daily basis, please know that you have the right to say NO to anyone at any time, no matter what. Saying no does not make you less worthy in any way whatsoever. YOU own your body. NOBODY has the right to touch you- no matter what, no matter when, and no matter how far things have gone with a person in the past.
And, guys- it’s ok to wait to have sex. Despite what you see and hear on a daily basis from television and from peers, it’s cooler to wait. Respect yourself and your partner.
Traffickers look for teens who lack assertiveness. Stand up for yourself! Say NO!
7. Ask questions about sex. Please know that positive sexual health is not accurately portrayed in movies, music lyrics, music videos, or magazines. These are often very negative and inaccurate depictions of romance and love.
Take your time. Rushing to have sex can have disastrous effects.
8. Seek Counseling! It is not normal to feel overly sad, angry, hopeless, or empty. Even though so many movie characters and musicians display this exact personality as being cool or normal, it is not ok for you to feel this way. You deserve to feel happy and safe.
Please confide in a teacher or family member if you are having these feelings. Or, call the Boys Town National Hotline, a crisis hotline for both boys and girls, at 1-800-448-3000 .
9. Understand how child trafficking works. Traffickers hang out in the same places you do: malls, skating rinks, bus stations, online, etc. Traffickers do not typically look like sketchy characters- they are often young and well-dressed. Traffickers will offer to buy you trendy clothes, shoes, cars, or other expensive items.
Traffickers will ask for your phone number; they will ask to see or speak to you alone. Traffickers will tell you how pretty and mature you are, and they may mention knowing celebrities, exotic dancers, models, and porn stars. Traffickers will offer to help you make a lot of money or may offer to help you run away.
Know this- NO stranger (man or woman) has good intentions if they offer to help you run away. NO stranger (man or woman) has anything but personal gain in mind if they offer to help you make money. No matter how cool, how hip, or how fun and friendly they may seem- they mean to harm you.
Seek help from a trusted family member or teacher.
10. Raise awareness! Start a school club to promote awareness for media literacy or human trafficking. You belong to the next generation of advocates who must stand up for your rights and the rights of others. Your voice can make a difference.
Believe in yourself and all that you can accomplish!
Holly Austin Smith is a survivor advocate, author, and speaker. She invites you to join her on Facebook or Twitter and to follow her personal blog.
Read more: http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/speaking-out/2012/jul/26/message-teens-10-tips-protection-against-rafficker/#ixzz2LvIqyPW1
Follow us: @wtcommunities on Twitter
WASHINGTON, DC, July 26, 2012 - This column is for the tweens and teens out there. Parents should show it to them. Print it out, stick it in their school books, or post it to their mirrors.
There are ways to protect yourself, or your child, from becoming a victim of a sex trafficker. Familiarize yourself with the following ten tips; share them with friends.
Parents, review these with your child and be aware so that if something changes in your teen’s life, you can catch your child before he or she becomes a statistic.
1. Become media literate. If you don’t know what “media literacy” means, I encourage you to research the topic. It is important that you understand how business enterprises are sending you distorted messages via the media in order to make a profit from selling you their products.
These messages include: You aren’t pretty unless you buy this, you aren’t cool unless you own this, being pretty or cool is more important than anything else, etc. Traffickers understand what popular culture is telling you; educate yourself in order to be armed against predators. Start with Nicole Clark’s documentary, Cover Girl Culture, or Adriana Barbaro and Jeremy Earp’s documentary, Consuming Kids: the Commercialism of Childhood.
For more resources on media literacy, please visit my personal blog.
2. Learn different coping skills. Life in middle school is tough. I know this because I was there; I struggled with the same issues as most teens today- bullying, teen pregnancy, poor self-image, etc.
It doesn’t have to feel so stressful all the time, though. I encourage you to explore ways to cope with stress. Coping strategies can include meditation, prayer, exercise, yoga, martial arts, writing, reading, music, sports, crafting, collecting, etc. Don’t be afraid to try new things, and please ask for help from teachers or family members if you need assistance with starting one of these activities.
A book that helped me with coping strategies was The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle.
3. Stay involved in extracurricular activities. It is crucial to do well in school and to stay involved in extracurricular activities. Try out for different sports, clubs, or programs.
I promise that good grades and a busy schedule are the most effective ways to overcome middle school troubles and to graduate as quickly and successfully as possible.
Trust me on this- I tried running away from middle school. That route was worse than if I had just stuck things out at school.
4. Don’t be afraid to try new things. If you have an aunt that offers to take you to the ballet, say yes! If an uncle offers to take you to a sports game, take him up on it! Try new things! Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone or away from your friends.
I was very afraid to try new things without my friends- the result? When my friends inevitably began to try new things without me, I felt very isolated and alone. This is part of the reason a trafficker was able to lure me away from home.
5. Volunteer. Volunteering can help you keep things in focus while in middle and high school. There are many different ways to volunteer- from serving food at a soup kitchen to walking dogs at an animal shelter.
Check out www.volunteermatch.org or www.idealist.org to find cool places to volunteer! A healthy perspective on one’s own life will prevent attempted distortion by a stranger.
6. Learn to say NO. Our society is saturated with images of sex, and most images of women in the media are sexualized. This teaches young girls that sex appeal equals value. This turns into a domino effect; over-sexualized girls are magnets for older, opportunistic boys or men who will push to have their expectations met.
Despite seeing and hearing about sex on a daily basis, please know that you have the right to say NO to anyone at any time, no matter what. Saying no does not make you less worthy in any way whatsoever. YOU own your body. NOBODY has the right to touch you- no matter what, no matter when, and no matter how far things have gone with a person in the past.
And, guys- it’s ok to wait to have sex. Despite what you see and hear on a daily basis from television and from peers, it’s cooler to wait. Respect yourself and your partner.
Traffickers look for teens who lack assertiveness. Stand up for yourself! Say NO!
7. Ask questions about sex. Please know that positive sexual health is not accurately portrayed in movies, music lyrics, music videos, or magazines. These are often very negative and inaccurate depictions of romance and love.
Take your time. Rushing to have sex can have disastrous effects.
8. Seek Counseling! It is not normal to feel overly sad, angry, hopeless, or empty. Even though so many movie characters and musicians display this exact personality as being cool or normal, it is not ok for you to feel this way. You deserve to feel happy and safe.
Please confide in a teacher or family member if you are having these feelings. Or, call the Boys Town National Hotline, a crisis hotline for both boys and girls, at 1-800-448-3000 .
9. Understand how child trafficking works. Traffickers hang out in the same places you do: malls, skating rinks, bus stations, online, etc. Traffickers do not typically look like sketchy characters- they are often young and well-dressed. Traffickers will offer to buy you trendy clothes, shoes, cars, or other expensive items.
Traffickers will ask for your phone number; they will ask to see or speak to you alone. Traffickers will tell you how pretty and mature you are, and they may mention knowing celebrities, exotic dancers, models, and porn stars. Traffickers will offer to help you make a lot of money or may offer to help you run away.
Know this- NO stranger (man or woman) has good intentions if they offer to help you run away. NO stranger (man or woman) has anything but personal gain in mind if they offer to help you make money. No matter how cool, how hip, or how fun and friendly they may seem- they mean to harm you.
Seek help from a trusted family member or teacher.
10. Raise awareness! Start a school club to promote awareness for media literacy or human trafficking. You belong to the next generation of advocates who must stand up for your rights and the rights of others. Your voice can make a difference.
Believe in yourself and all that you can accomplish!
Holly Austin Smith is a survivor advocate, author, and speaker. She invites you to join her on Facebook or Twitter and to follow her personal blog.
Read more: http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/speaking-out/2012/jul/26/message-teens-10-tips-protection-against-rafficker/#ixzz2LvIqyPW1
Follow us: @wtcommunities on Twitter
24 Şubat 2013 Pazar
Liam's Latest
To contact us Click HERE
Liam's teacher passed this special piece of artwork to me
and asked if I saw what was wrong with it.
How can you miss those puppies!?!?
On the way home from school, I asked Liam to tell me about everything on his picture.
He informed me that these were in fact Ninja Warriors and that one is bad (on the bottom) and that one is good (on the top).
I also learned that they have super sweet ninja costumes complete with a flap in the front...
not a 3rd leg - not a super long ding dong.
Crisis averted - this time. :)
Liam's teacher passed this special piece of artwork to me
and asked if I saw what was wrong with it.
How can you miss those puppies!?!?
On the way home from school, I asked Liam to tell me about everything on his picture.
He informed me that these were in fact Ninja Warriors and that one is bad (on the bottom) and that one is good (on the top).
I also learned that they have super sweet ninja costumes complete with a flap in the front...
not a 3rd leg - not a super long ding dong.
Crisis averted - this time. :)
Who doesn't love a contest and giveaway!?!
To contact us Click HERE
A friend of mine is SUPER talented and has started her own design company. I am in fact feeling like my entire house needs a makeover by her. Her designs are ADORABLE and super reasonable. (I just ordered some personalized notecards that I'm super excited about.)
She decided to do a giveaway for the summer. Check out all of the fun items that you could win?!?! SO fun!
Simply click on the "a just for fun Summer giveaway" logo below and enter to win!!
She decided to do a giveaway for the summer. Check out all of the fun items that you could win?!?! SO fun!
Simply click on the "a just for fun Summer giveaway" logo below and enter to win!!
Kaydol:
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