Documentary on sex trafficking aired
Film shown at church, college campus meant to bring awareness to issue affecting millions
Reports of slavery’s demise are sadly inaccurate. A documentary completed almost a half-dozen years ago estimated the number of the world’s enslaved humans at 27 million, the largest number in history.
Despite the proactivity of law enforcement, the education community and faith-based entities, the numbers of victims of the ensnarement known as human trafficking are still frightening.
Guardian Group, a law enforcement support organization, affirms “the fastest growing criminal industry in the world is the buying and selling of people.”
The documentary, “Blind Eyes Opened, The Truth About Sex Trafficking in America,” was presented Friday, Jan. 28, at Faith Bible Church in Mechanicsville and again the following day at the College of Southern Maryland’s Prince Frederick campus.
The three-hour program was a collaborative effort of the Maryland-based Unstoppable You Ministries, Concerned Black Women of Calvert, the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office and CSM. The Christian documentary, which chronicles the lives of six female victims of sex slavery, was part of the local event marking the month of awareness of human trafficking.
Some of the points made by interviewees in the documentary were that young people from families lacking structure are vulnerable, sometimes parents perpetrate the trafficking, runaways and youth with low self-esteem are targets.
Law enforcement experts interviewed in the documentary agree penalties for trafficking aren’t strict enough. Crimes such as child pornography are fueling the “consumer demand” that prompt
exploitation and trafficking.
“This is a spiritual battle,” said Ross Spano, a former Florida congressman and state legislator, adding that the challenge is in “changing the hearts of men and women.”
Speaking up when a situation involving a child and an adult doesn’t seem innocent is also crucial, Sylvia Parker, Concerned Black Women of Calvert member, told the audience at Saturday’s event.
“We have to be the village,” said Parker. “If you see something, say something.”
“Keep the conversation going,” said Jennifer Foxworthy, Unstoppable You Ministries president and CEO.
Foxworthy, a Navy veteran who is a motivational speaker and domestic violence victims’ advocate, founded the nonprofit in 2017. She is also a member of the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force.
During the local event’s post documentary discussion, Foxworthy held of a list of “15 apps parents should know about.”
The apps are used by youth to share photos, videos, profiles as well as converse.
“It starts in the home,” said Foxworthy of the vigilance required to keep children out of harm’s way.
“Take this information back to the community, back to your friends,” Del. Rachel Jones (D-Calvert, Prince George’s) urged members of the audience prior to the documentary’s showing.
“It was an eye-opening experience,” Navy Capt. Deserine Price Jordan told Southern Maryland News after the program concluded. “It’s happening in our backyard. We need to take action. I can make people aware to keep our young people from falling victims, identify perpetrators and get resources to victims to help them recover.”
Foxworthy told attendees she will bring the “Blind Eyes Opened” DVD to churches and other organizations for a fee to help defray the public licensing costs. The licensing fee is used by the documentary’s producers to pay the sex trafficking survivors who shared their stories and are still recovering from their experiences.
Those in attendance were also given packets of red sand to sprinkle in sidewalk cracks, an art project that raises awareness of the human trafficking victims who have “fallen through the cracks.”
To learn more about the fight against human trafficking, go to www.unstoppableyouministries. org.