Thursday, October 11, 2012

Sometimes I Wish...






Thanks for the sweet introduction from Nicole Lacolle. Big shoes to fill following her blog!


Being near the tail end of an amazing blog tag is a distinct disadvantage. I would think about one post I wanted to write which fit in with the theme, "Sometimes I wish___" and then someone would post something similar. After awhile, I realized blogging together with such talented story tellers is humbling to say the least.

But I realize what I really sometimes wish is that there was no need to share the facts I am about to share. I wish injustices such as this were so far removed from our society we need never discuss them again. Sometimes I wish we could stop putting a band aid on a major wound and stop refusing to acknowledge what is going on in our own backyard. 

I am a passionate advocate for stopping domestic minor trafficking. It has been 150 years since the Emancipation Proclamation and yet even today over 100,000 children, some as young as 8 years of age are bought and sold in the United States alone as sex slaves to countless individuals! The United States has the second highest rate of trafficking of women and children in the world and this unspeakable crime has invaded not just our inner cities but into our comfortable bedroom communities where children are lured away so innocently it appears invisible. It happens in Columbus, Ohio, Atlanta, Georgia, Houston, Texas, Washington, D.C, Hartford, Connecticut and and every city in between. It is the fastest growing crime in the country and yet few people really believe it is happening at all.


There is hope. Holly Austin Smith is a survivor who bravely shares her story in hopes to stop this epidemic.Organizations like the PolarisProject , Resoultion Hope and Youth-Spark are launching major campaigns to raise the level of awareness about this heinous crime. These are your daughters, sons, sisters, brothers, cousins, nieces and nephews. These are not willing victims or those who elected to end up in the circumstances they are in. These are not individuals who have crime records or have already been involved in breaking the law. These are the faces of children once playing with dolls or Legos,  trying out for the debate team or dreaming about their wedding day.

Would you help save a child if you knew how little it really takes?

I will be expanding my outreach and forming alliances with groups to raise the awareness in our communities and begin building networks where those trafficked can begin building their lives. There are simply not enough places to address the needs of those trafficked and instead they are often sent to shelters where no real treatment is given to restore a life robbed of innocence and dignity.


 I realize how blessed most of us are and how blind we can be to the injustices in our own backyard. If you always wanted to make a difference in someone's life, there is no better way. I will be keeping you posted in the future about my involvement and hope you will join myself and others in making this crime the one every person can stop. We must stop supporting companies that use exploitation to sell products. We must raise the level of awareness for pilots, cab and bus drivers and anyone involved in transporting a victim. And we truly must fund programs and housing to help re-build lives and futures.

Sometimes I wish there would never be a need to share information such as this but until that day...I will share as long as there is just one child left to rescue. I hope I can count on you to help make this wish come true.

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Join me in hopping over to visit Kimly B who shares stories from her soul that will move yours. Love her blog site and her thoughtful inspirations and I am sure you will  think as I do, here is just one more amazing writer in this group! Take it away, Kimly!    


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32 comments:

  1. The moment I clicked on your wish I started guessing what you would have wished for and I was pleasantly surprised. It is really sweet of you to write about such an important issue and spread awareness amongst all of us.

    Thanks for sharing this!

    And yes AMEN to such a lovely wish <3

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    1. Thank you for your comments and your support. I'm just curious what did you guess I would have wished??

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  2. Having two children, having them 'taken' has been one of my largest fears! They are now teenagers, and it's a little easier, but it's always a possibility. I think the big issue is that a lot of parents trust where they live and think that it can never happen to them. How very misled they are. No child is immune to this sickness in the world! Thank you for being the advocate you are, and thank you for sharing!

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    1. You are so welcome, Mary and I absolutely agree many people just assume they have no need to worry and this is just a problem in someone else's backyard.
      Thank you so much for commenting. Come back and visit again!

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  3. Hey, this is a great way of spreading awareness. Glad you shared this.

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  4. Kathy, You are so right! This is a huge problem that is swept under the rug because it is so awful. We all need to be intentional about helping to put an end to it!!!

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    1. Absolutely, Lynne. I am committed to being intentional about this as I realize part of the problem is people are just talking but not "doing". Appreciate your input.

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  5. Okay looks like I am the first one. I am glad that you wrote about something so important and so ignored. Many celebrities are jumping on the bandwagon! Thank you for being so passionate about saving our children!

    This has been going on for a long time. In fact, I started modeling when I was a teenager in Philadelphia, and just escaped being "sold" to someone in the Caribbean. I was scared when girls I worked with started disappearing, never to be heard from again. My cousin's new husband was the deputy sheriff of the county in which my boss lived. The modeling agency was a front for porn and white slavery. I got out fast but I never heard from those girls or knew what happened to them and I was all of 16 years old. This is real and is happening more and more. This can happen to anyone and does need to be stopped. Thank you Kathy for bringing attention to this, and thinking more about raising awareness than writing something pretty. I think we may be soul sisters :)

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    1. So glad you shared your personal experience, Kimly as it just demonstrates how long and how deep this issue is and how casually businesses can "front" activities that appear innocent and yet have such a notorious mission. So glad to meet a soul sister! Hope you will return often.

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  6. Oh, what a tremendous and most needed wish, Kathy! This is, indeed, a global problem of unbelievable horror. I'm so glad you raised this issue and raised the awareness of us all by doing so.
    Blessings, my friend!

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    1. Martha, Thank you. I am very passionate about this and I am glad others see it as a major issue as well. This won't be the end of my band wagon because we must do more than write or talk about it.

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  7. Wow, wonderful addition to the hop. I wish the same as you. I wish for all the atrocities to stop and for society quit living with h\their heads in the sand. In our community I see things frequently that others turn a blind eye too! I never know what to do. people have been denying the drug and gang issues as well as a myriad of others. Then wonder what happened to their perfect little child. I applaud you for standing up and taking a stand about this horrific crime. I can help you spread the word...

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    1. Thanks, Jan. Appreciate your stopping by and will get back to you about how you can help.I will keep you posted

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  8. Hi, Kathy! ~

    Thank you for helping to raise awareness about this important issue! I will be watching for more news from you as you continue to promote empowerment for everyone! Thank you!

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    1. Linda, thanks. Appreciate you stopping by and supporting this post. More news will be forthcoming.
      Have a great weekend.

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  9. Hello, Kathy ... This horrendous crime exists, world-wide, alas. We hear the reports and sit in our homes feeling useless and unable ... yet, here, you show us that it IS possible to become ENabled ... to join the hue and cry and begin to shout about injustice to the whole world, via this wonderful medium, the internet.
    Thank you.
    With respect, Pat.

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    1. Thanks so much for dropping by and commenting Patricia. The only way things will change is if everyone does their part to let everyone else know and you are so right; the internet makes it so easy to share. Appreciate your comments.

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  10. Thank you for raising awareness on this horrible issue.. I too wish there was not one child hurt in any way shape or form...as passionate as you are raising awareness about trafficking .. i am passionate about stopping all child abuse.. I believe our issues go hand in hand.....I too wish there was no reason to have to wish these wishes.... As always...XOXOXOXOXO

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    1. I believe our issues do intertwine as many of the trafficked victims are also victims of abuse or neglect. Thank you for your comment and continue to fight passionately as I believe when we eliminate indifference and make others as angry, we help eliminate the root of many of these tragedies. Someone has to be their voice.

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  11. Hey Kathy,
    This is such a horrible crime that just keeps growing! Education is such a key to putting a stop to it!
    Thanks,
    Lisa

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    1. Agree with you, Lisa. It's very important to keep this top of mind and deliver the true facts to all types of network. It is becoming my mission! Thanks for dropping by and commenting. Come back again :>)

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  12. This is an important issue and one that is finally starting to come into the surface of more and more people's awareness..but not nearly enough. Thanks for bringing more attention to the horrible plight that so many young victims face. Kudos to you. Great post.

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    1. Thanks for your support and kind words, Jessica. I hope to continue to work in many ways to raise awareness. I believe the more people who know about this, the more we will affect change.
      Appreciate you dropping by.

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  13. Dear Kathy - This is a subject very close to my heart and I'm so glad you shared this information. I wish and hope we can all contribute towards making this world safer for children. ♥

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    1. Thanks for stopping by Corinne,and letting me know you enjoyed the post.

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  14. A truly selfless wish - and selfless wishes come true. Small steps create giant leaps. Children and their well being are close to my heart too. Blessings to you.

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    1. Suay,

      I hope you are right about selfless wishes coming true. Thanks for your comment and support. I hope this is the beginning of many more steps to get this message out.

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  15. Thank you very much Kathy for writing about this delicate subject. There are so many crimes kept silent :(

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    1. Nikky,
      Thanks for taking the time to stop and comment.We would all probably be overwhelmed about all the types of silent crime that go on often in front of our face but yet unnoticed.

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  16. Hi Kathy. It's the first time I visited your blog :) I commend you for the work you are doing. I love children and I do pray that one day ~ all these trafficking would cease.

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    1. Thanks for stopping and visiting Melissa and for your support. Get involved where you can about this issue. The more people that share this, the more support it gets.
      I hope you will visit again or perhaps even follow.

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