|
 |
| |
|
| |
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
During 2004, The
Salvation Army’s International Conference
of Leaders (held in the USA) included in its
closing declaration the promise to accept
the challenge to ‘combat the evil of
human trafficking for sexual exploitation’.
As an international church and charity, The
Salvation Army has the potential to make a
significant impact on this global issue.
Here are a couple of examples of how the work
of The Salvation Army has connected with people
who’s lives are affected by the Human
Trafficking issue and the commercial sex industry.
A phone call to
The Salvation Army Help Line ...
Major David Boorman relates a story of someone
calling The Salvation Army helpline about
a friend that had been trafficked.
‘I’m trying to help a friend,’
explained a middle aged Englishman, who was
calling The Salvation Army Helpline.
His friend was an African refugee woman who
he had met while abroad. She had been lured
to Spain, by the promise of a good job and
a new life.
Granted temporary refugee status, she found
that her new job was in a seedy lap-dancing
club and that pressure was being placed on
her to become a prostitute. This he explained
was intolerable as she was a practicing Christian.
He decided to go to Spain to rescue her and
hatched a wild plan. He would claim that she
was his wife and that she had lost her passport
and try and get her into the country and claim
asylum.
However, while they were escaping her absence
was discovered and her mobile phone rang.
He said that she turned completely pale as
threats were made against the life of her
son living in Nigeria. She returned to the
club.
‘Can you help in any
way?’ asked the man. I gave him the
telephone number of our Europe department
at IHQ and also an international charity with
contacts with overseas social workers.
The Salvation Army
in Bangladesh ...
Worldwide, The Salvation Army does a lot of
work in reaching out to people engaged in
commercial sex work. One such project is based
in Old Dhaka, in Bangladesh.
With about 140 million people, Bangladesh
is a source country for women and children
trafficked for international sex markets.
It also supports a substantial domestic sex
trafficking industry.
The people that The Salvation Army works with
in Old Dhaka have often been sold into prostitution
by a family ‘friend’ or ‘relative’;
others are victims of rape and are afraid
to return to their families; still more have
been lured into the sex industry with false
promises of work.
The Salvation Army centre provides counselling,
skills training in handicraft making, encouragement,
care and friendship. The handicrafts they
make are sold at The Salvation Army’s
'Sally Ann' shop in Dhaka, as well as its
sister shop in Norway. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Youthwork -
The Partnership ...
ALOVE,
Youthwork Magazine, Youth For Christ, Spring Harvest and
Oasis are working together to equip and resource the Church
for effective youth work and ministry. |
 |
|
|
|
|
