How many Slaves are Working for You?
Many of us often think of Human Trafficking as sex trafficking but there are an overwhelming number of people trafficked for labor as well. This past weekend I attended our annual Human Trafficking Awareness Conference at church and we were asked “What does a trafficker look like?” The facilitator then asked us to take a selfie and see that we are all traffickers.
WOW!! I was appalled as I volunteer to help women being trafficked so how could I possibly be guilty of trafficking another person?
We were all directed to take a quiz on www.slaveryfootprint.org where we were asked questions about what you eat, clothes you wear, cell phone usage, etc. and at the conclusion you are given a score which tells you how many slaves are working for you. I’m ashamed to say that it said I have 35 slaves working for me. So taking sex trafficking out of the equation now and looking deeper into the way we live and shop, I now see where this is possible. I love my coffee and must have at least one to two per day. Well if I am not drinking “Fair Trade” coffee, I am likely drinking coffee that came from labor trafficking. I can push this further with my smart phone, laptop, and eReaders which many are made by those exploited or labor trafficked. The nail salons and African braiding salons I patronize which are also notorious for labor trafficking as well. Several discount stores we all shop also are able to keep the prices low by using child and/or slave labor as well.
Are you depressed yet? I know I am. So I asked myself, what can be done when the problem is so HUGE and I’m only a small fish in the pond. Like most things in this world, supply and demand are the drivers of this industry. If we decrease the demand by changing some of our shopping habits, the need to supply these industries would decrease and ultimately go away.
I know you are all saying “this will never change because quite frankly if we look at history, slavery is what helped build this country today.”
I challenge myself and all of you to make one small change for the greater good and help decrease the demand for human trafficking.
Peace and blessings to you all.
About Rochelle
Rochelle Redding, M.S. is a wife, mother of four, and the owner and operator of Rochelle Redding Coaching and Consulting Services (RRCCS). RRCCS is a spiritually-based coaching service dedicated to helping women be their best selves and achieve wellness in all aspects of their life. Learn about life coaching services with Rochelle by clicking here.
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Finding Power and Purpose takes the reader on a dynamic journey from darkness, depression, and life-threatening health, to one of healing, self-love and alignment with God’s will.
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