Be A Hero - Become A Mentor

Often times, when people think of getting involved in the fight against human trafficking, images of being a hero and breaking down doors to a brothel come to mind. The reality is that scenario is not likely how you would be involved should you decide to get involved.

Being a hero can come in a much different form.  Become a mentor and prevent sex trafficking from occurring in the first place.

Vulnerable youth are much more likely to become victims of trafficking because pimps seek out vulnerabilities to prey on.  These vulnerabilities include low self esteem, domestic abuse, broken family units, drug abuse, sex abuse, loneliness and more.  If a child has something missing in his or her life, the pimp will try to fill that role.

When you build into the life of a child who is vulnerable, hurting or suffering you can decrease their risk of becoming a victim later in life. 

By becoming a mentor you have the opportunity to be a stable and consistent presence in that child's life.  You can show love to a child that may not be receiving it at home.  You can demonstrate what a healthy relationship looks like.  You can show them that they matter.


There are certainly many opportunities to build into these children, but here are a few:

Safe Families - Safe Families provides a safe alternative to child welfare custody.  A Safe Family steps in when the biological family experiences circumstances that makes it difficult for them to care for their children.  The biological parents maintain full custody and the goal is to reunite the family as soon as possible. The average stay can range from 2 days to a year.  Safe Families, the local church, and the referring organization work closely together until the child can be placed back with his or her family.

Big Brothers/Big Sisters - As the nation’s largest donor and volunteer supported mentoring network, Big Brothers Big Sisters makes meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteers and children, ages 6 through 18, in communities across the country. We develop positive relationships that have a direct and lasting effect on the lives of young people. 

Foster Families - In the US our foster care system is clearly imperfect, but it is the opportunity to provide a safe home to children who are under the guardianship of the state because their home life is unsafe.  The state retains full custody of the child and placement is meant to be temporary. 

Kids Hope USA - These are kids who have been identified by the teacher to be struggling. 
Kids Hope USA develops these one-on-one relationships through the creation of church-school partnerships that pair church members with at-risk kids in supportive, mentoring relationships. Mentors spend just one hour per week, reading, talking, playing and listening to a child at school. By helping the child feel loved and valued, they help that child to learn, grow and succeed.

C.A.S.A. - Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for Children is a network of volunteers who advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children in courtrooms and communities. Volunteer advocates offer judges the critical information they need to ensure that each child’s rights and needs are being attended to while in foster care. Volunteers stay with children until they are placed in loving permanent homes. For many abused children, a CASA volunteer is the only constant adult presence in their lives.