Call for the Wailing Women: Wail for Child Prostitution
There will be no Wailing Women Workshop this month. Instead, the women of Holiness Tabernacle will participate in our Annual Women’s Retreat!
I had a difficult time deciding to deal with the heavy topic of child prostitution for this month. It is a very taboo topic that, while Americans do not like to talk about, everyone knows it goes on.
A few years ago, when I returned to school to obtain my Bachelor’s in English, I took a class about Bollywood (India’s version of Hollywood) movies. One stood out to me called “Water” by Deepa Mehta. While “Water” has a heavy-laden plot of all types of abuses, the one that stood out for me was the little girl, Chuyia, who was prostituted at the tender age of eight. This violation left her completely traumatized and in a catatonic state.
When you ask a young girl what she wants to be when she grows up, you may get a variety of answers. But, no girl ever says, “when I grow up I want to be a prostitute.” Most times, it is something she is thrust into doing by circumstances which are beyond her control. Whether she is placed into this lifestyle by force or she is a runaway or orphan, it is something that leaves young girls exposed and vulnerable to probably even greater abuses than the ones from which they are trying to flee. The pimps lure them and create a false-sense of family and acceptance for them. For example, a pimp will lure a child with food, clothes, attention, friendship, love, and a seemingly safe place to stay. Once they learn to trust, they are abused and exploited.
While technology has helped us in so many areas, making our lives easier, it has unfortunately led to the propagation of childhood prostitution. According to the Department of Justice:
Technological advances, in particular the Internet and mobile devices, have facilitated the sex trafficking of children by providing a convenient worldwide marketing channel. Individuals can now use websites and social media to advertise, schedule, and purchase sexual encounters with minors. The Internet and mobile devices also allow pimps and traffickers to reach a larger clientele base than in the past, which may expose victims to greater risks and dangers.
As I read more about childhood prostitution, I can across another article from the Department of Justice which said that these young girls are usually not looked upon as victims but as criminals because the environment in which they must learn to survive has hardened them. So, when they are arrested they are jailed because law enforcement does not feel any sympathy for them. This just adds to their tragedy. We must not fool ourselves to think that these victims only come from the inner cities. Victims of child prostitution come from all backgrounds in terms of class, race, and geography (i.e. urban, suburban, and rural settings). While we may not like to talk about, it is all around us and may even be affecting some of our own families.
This month let us take up a wailing for these young victims of child prostitution who have found themselves in situations beyond their control and many see no way out. We know that the Lord can deliver from any situation we may deem impossible. Let’s wail for these precious souls that they may be released from the grips of their oppressors and receive the help they need to exit these lifestyles.