First Blog

I cried myself to sleep last night. Some days in this fight are simply tougher than others. ‘

This was a tough week, as I researched how roughly 74% of victims of Human Trafficking had once been children in the foster care system. I researched how the very things that cause children to be placed in foster care (child abuse, sexual abuse, parental substance abuse, homelessness, etc.) make these children so vulnerable to traffickers.

Traffickers are patient, cunning and willing to take advantage of victims of other crimes. They “charm” their victims, providing whatever it is the child needs — attention, compliments, gifts, “love”, even food, clothing, or shelter. Once they have them under their spell, they turn on them — either guilting them into “working off the debt they owe them,” or roughing them up, beginning the cycle of the Trauma Bond.

The statistics are appalling. With over 415,000 children currently in the United States’ foster care system, we can no longer ignore the ugly truth of what is happening to them.

According to Iowa Kids Net, the Cedar Rapids area had 545 referrals for foster families last year, but only 415 families available. More than 107,000 children in foster care are awaiting adoption. There are times I get overwhelmed with all there is to do in this fight.

I am always looking for interventions that would provide the “most bang for the buck.” After learning about the statistics with kids in the system, my husband and I have begun the process of becoming foster parents and will be prayerfully considering adoption.

Would YOU consider helping in the fight against human trafficking in this way as well? For more information, visit iowakids.net.