I decided to swear off pants for a whole month.
Photo by Hannah Midkiff Photography
For any other year, this may not seem like a big deal for me, but COVID19 has definitely impacted my fashion choices!! (ie. sweatpants, leggings, pajamas) My reason is more than just choosing to wear a dress every day of December. It’s about choosing to make a statement every day of December. You don’t realize how little time it takes to choose an outfit in the morning until you realize the choice isn’t as simple. I’m making the choice to make a statement.
What I realized through doing this challenge two years ago, is that many women every day do not get the same choice. Not only on what they wear, but what they do each day, who they see, where they go, etc. Their days are not their own but decisions are made by someone who
owns them. Someone who has violated their personal freedom physically, mentally, emotionally, or maybe a combination of the three. This reality made me even more awake to the injustice of human trafficking and reminded me why I’m wearing a dress for December.
Let me take a minute to explain what the heck “Dressember” is and why I’m doing this! In 2005, the founder and CEO of Dressember began hearing about sex trafficking and was deeply affected by the injustice, but felt helpless to make a difference. She was sexually abused as a young girl and has suffered from the emotional trauma, guilt, and shame since then and was heartbroken for the millions of others in bondage to the same trauma she suffered.
“In 2009, Blythe challenged herself to wear a dress every day of December (hence: Dressember). The next year, a few friends joined in. By the third year, her friends’ friends began to participate, and it occurred to Blythe that there was more to this challenge than she originally thought. By 2013, the movement blossomed into something completely unexpected - an international campaign to aid the fight against sex trafficking.”
Since then, every year in December, advocates of all ages make a statement with a dress or bow tie every day. What does this do you may ask? Exactly that! Raises questions and promotes global awareness of modern day slavery. It’s a conversation piece that educates our community. The initiative has raised millions of dollars through Dressember advocates and their commitment to fighting injustice with a dress.
Let me start with saying that COVID-19 has tremendously affected the human trafficking trade in the world. With many more doors closed due to lockdowns and social distancing. Many more women and children are forced into violent situations or exploited. Traffickers are taking advantage of the pandemic for financial reasons as well.
As a result of economic shutdowns, many survivors of trafficking are finding themselves in a position of financial instability, leaving them vulnerable to be trafficked again.
One part of Dressember’s Campaign is Restore NYC. Dressember was able to provide emergency funding with Restore NYC through the COVID-19 campaign. Women like Carmen who was almost forced back into the massage parlour where she “worked” since moving to NYC at 19, was able to receive emergency funding. Because of donations and the work of organizations like Dressember and those in the Dressember Network women are given help and safe employment during such a challenging time.
(For more info read https://www.dressember.org/blog/covid-and-survivors)
Why is this so important to me and countless others? Let me share a few facts and statistics regarding human trafficking in our world today.
Globally, the average cost of a slave is $90.
Trafficking primarily involves exploitation which comes in many forms, including: forcing victims into prostitution, subjecting victims to slavery or involuntary servitude and compelling victims to commit sex acts for the purpose of creating pornography.
According to some estimates, approximately 80% of trafficking involves sexual exploitation, and 19% involves labor exploitation.
There are approximately 20 to 30 million slaves in the world today.
According to the U.S. State Department, 600,000 to 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders every year, of which 80% are female and half are children.
The average age a teen enters the sex trade in the U.S. is 12 to 14-year-old. Many victims are runaway girls who were sexually abused as children.
California harbors 3 of the FBI’s 13 highest child sex trafficking areas on the nation: Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego.
The National Human Trafficking Hotline receives more calls from Texas than any other state in the US. 15% of those calls are from the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Human trafficking is the third largest international crime industry (behind illegal drugs and arms trafficking). It reportedly generates a profit of $32 billion every year. Of that number, $15.5 billion is made in industrialized countries.
The International Labour Organization estimates that women and girls represent the largest share of forced labor victims with 11.4 million trafficked victims (55%) compared to 9.5 million (45%) men.
https://www.dosomething.org/us/facts/11-facts-about-human-trafficking
Now you may be asking, “What can I do?” If so, I have a couple suggestions. First of all,
raise awareness. Any time of year can be a time to have a conversation about slavery. Wearing a dress or bowtie in December is a simple way to make it into a conversation topic. But raising awareness is definitely the first step. Join my Team of women who are making a stand to wear a dress every day this December! I would love to have you join me! (Or wear a tie, guys!)
Second, consider taking a minute to give monetarily to the effort of raising global
awareness and eradicating slavery and the sex trafficking trade. I’ll attach my campaign to this post or you can find it on my Linktree from any social media account. Any amount helps. The money raised goes toward the urgent needs of a labor or sex trafficking survivor (therapy, food, medical care, etc.), aftercare would include counseling for a survivor who has undergone years of drama which may take years of mental as well as physical care before they can experience wholeness, or a rescue operation conducted by law enforcement who investigate a case and then go in and rescue victims.
Thirdly, supporting those who have survived and are attempting to make their way.
Many programs are out there that allow women and children to make their way after being rescued. In building their lives again, they often struggle to find work and make a living.
The Starfish Project sells jewelry handcrafted by women who are regaining dignity and self-worth after years in the sex industry. Check out their website and gift shop to buy some beautiful pieces made for a purpose.
https://starfishproject.com/
A 21 is another organization committed to abolishing slavery everywhere. You can commit to giving monthly or make a purchase that benefits the aftercare of a survivor.
https://www.a21.org/content/shop/gnw66w?permcode=gnw66w
For my readers in Arkansas, PATH (Partners Against Trafficking Humans) is a missions based organization that “advocates for those victimized by the sex-industry by providing a safe environment where healing can occur, making success possible and dreams achievable.” They integrate faith, learning, and healing into the aftercare of victims. Go to their website to give or purchase a prayer bracelet made by women and children who have been rescued.
http://pathsaves.org/shop-gifts/
Finally, commit to prayer for those enslaved. What a time to remember those in captivity as we celebrate and remember the sacrifice Christ made in humbling himself and taking on flesh to bring us out of captivity! In his death, He not only defeated death and crushed Satan’s head, he delivered us from the bondage of sin and allowed for all who call upon His name to have eternal life! We no longer walk in darkness though the darkness surrounds us because of His glorious light he sent into the world IN US through His Holy Spirit. In remembering those in bondage we praise Him for the deliverance coming and also pray for their deliverance from the physical bondage of slavery. There is power in our prayers.
I’ll close with a quote I’ve read outside the door of a professor’s office. “You’ll never look into the face of someone God doesn’t unconditionally love.” He deeply loves every man, woman, and child and even their offenders. And He has called His people to be His hands and feet to a world in darkness.
Thank you for taking the time to read this post all the way through. Let’s use our freedom to stand for those who cannot this year. God bless you!