Joining Hands to Fight Trafficking
Human trafficking is an insidious and pervasive force in our world today and partners of Tenth, including Chab Dai, are joining hands to combat this. The scale of trafficking is vast, and although here in Canada it is much less visible, the June 2020 edition of the Trafficking in Person Report found that numbers of trafficking victims are increasing each year as traffickers across the globe continue to exploit people daily (TIP Report, 2020).
Forced labour, sex trafficking, debt bondage, and domestic servitude are just a few of the forms human trafficking can take in our current global context. Human trafficking is defined by the TVPA as the subjection to involuntary labour or servitude, sex, debt bondage, or slavery induced by force, fraud or coercion, and it is important to note that this exploitation does not require the physical transport of a victim from one location to another (TIP Report, 2020). In Canada this is commonly the case - victims of sex traffickers are often exploited by those closest to them, such as their own family members (TIP Report, 2020).
In combatting this daunting and heartbreaking violence, it is critical to first recognize the inherent value of every person – the image of God in each victim and perpetrator. “Hope is the key and even if it starts out as small as a mustard seed, [we must] nurture hope” (TIP Report). Chab Dai, founded in Cambodia in 2005, is making hope possible, alongside 53 partner organizations, because this difficult work must be done in collaboration. “Working together is going to have a much greater impact than working alone,” (Helen Sworn, International Director of Chab Dai) and “as we expand our movement globally, we are excited to now be now sharing these lessons of collaboration and networking with many partners around the world as they join us combating modern day slavery” (Tim Amstuiz, International Board Chair of Chab Dai).
Chab Dai’s name reflects this collaboration as it translates to “joining hands” in Khmer. Because the scope of the problem of trafficking is so vast, and manifestations of trafficking so diverse, walking alongside local leaders and partnering with community leaders who know the face of exploitation within their own context is the best way that we can effectively make strides in fighting this violation of human rights and dignity. This is exactly what Chab Dai aims to accomplish as it grows its network of partner organizations internationally and works in fields of prevention, research, advocacy, and community-based justice projects (Chab Dai, 2019).
If you are interested in learning more about this topic of human trafficking, consider joining the online Asia Region Anti-Trafficking Conference. This event is taking place on July 21-22 and will be an incredible opportunity to learn more about anti-trafficking strategies that are taking place in Asia. Click here to learn more or register.
If you’d like to read more about Tenth’s involvement in this work, or offer your support through prayer or finances, click here.
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