Ignoring Child Sex Trafficking Doesn't Make It Go Away

 

by Philipa Booyens

We had a woman recently unsubscribe to our mailing list. Her reason? She said she couldn't look at "this." She couldn't see or deal with "it."

My response: (See photo)

8day 2

8 DAYS opens with these words:

(AMBER)  Darkness breeds darkness. It hides monsters in closets and under beds. I used to think closing my eyes and covering my ears would make them go away... I used to think a lot of things.

When I was a child, I used to think such childish things. I'm not a child anymore. Child sex trafficking (what many in Homeland Security Investigation call MODERN SLAVERY) should NEVER be easy to look at. But, here's the thing: ignoring, hiding, closing eyes and covering ears will NEVER make it go away. This kind of thinking, this apathy and fear has led our culture and county to the place it is in. A place where three year old children are sold and raped repeatedly. A place where traffickers molest and move children over our southern border, requiring every girl over 10 to take a pregnancy test. Today in the United States of America children are sold by their families. Girls are locked in closets for years. People are beaten and abused, kidnapped, murdered, branded, "owned" and treated likes slaves.

Don't like it? Don't want to look it? Good. NOW DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

Individually, if we bless one life, we are making a difference. Together, we can change the world. I believe that. I know that. I've seen that through this filming process. Margaret Mead once said: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

Let this be a call to all "thoughtful, committed citizens." It is up to us to fight the crime of child sex trafficking, Let's stop hiding and ignoring this problem that is right under our noses. Let's stop "waiting on the world to change," and make it!

 

Philipa Boooyens is the screenwriter for 8 DAYS (www.8daysfilm.org) and the Creative Director for After Eden Pictures (www.afteredenpictures.com).

Caitlin Reedactivism, artists ending slavery, Awareness, child sex slavery, modern day slavery