Talking Points (Sex Trafficking)

Christians have a long history of social justice and individual ministry to the downtrodden.

Because sex trafficking isn't a common dinner table discussion, Christians play a vital role in highlighting the harms of commercial sexual exploitation, protecting vulnerable youth and promoting a society that values every human being. The following talking points can help you educate and engage others on this issue:

• Sex trafficking turns people into commodities – sexual objects that can be bought, sold, used and discarded. No human made in God's image should be treated this way.
• Global commercial sexual exploitation harms millions of women and children each year.
• Sex trafficking occurs across national borders, requiring global cooperation to investigate, prosecute, convict and sentence sex traffickers and rescue traffic victims.
• Sex trafficking would not exist if there was no demand.
• Sex trafficking is fueled by the proliferation of pornography.
• Lax federal and state enforcement of obscenity laws has allowed a once back-alley pornography industry to contribute to an unprecedented global trade in human persons.
• Pornography and other feeder enterprises, such as massage parlors, prostitution, strip clubs and porn shops must be curtailed through the enforcement of obscenity laws and zoning ordinances.
• Church leaders and Christians have an obligation to promote and live out God's design for sexuality and instill a healthy understanding in the next generation.
• Our society must examine and confront the media and pop culture messages that contribute to the hyper-sexualization of youth and promote the same types of messages found in pornography and the commercial sex industry.
• We must work to limit the amount of sex promoted in youth-oriented media programming and end the glorification of "pimp culture" in music, video games and the movies.