I will be in my new home of Quito, Ecuador in 6 hours! After much anticipation I am so happy to begin learning from One Collective’s anti-sex trafficking ministry by following a few brave girls as they dare to journey through recovering from this horrific exploitation.
I have loved having conversations with friends back home about the work I am going to be joining, but also feel that maybe part of my ministry is talking to people about this issue. So many times when explaining that I will be combating the sex-trade industry in Ecuador, caring friends follow up with the question, ‘’Oh, is that a problem there?’’ Well yes-it’s a problem everywhere.
The sex industry brings in $3 BILLION annually. And it’s not just in far-off, third-world countries; it’s here in USA, hidden behind the smoke screens of motels and massage parlors. Just as easy as it is to find porn, anyone is just several clicks away from a girl being purchased for pleasure and delivered to their doorstep. Just as the problem is not overseas, the victims themselves are getting taken from our own backyards. In the U.S., 80% of sex-slaves are American citizens with 12-14 being the average age of they enter into prostitution.
It is crazy. That’s why I wanted to share the best documentaries and movies about sex-trafficking that I have found with you. These are films that have opened my eyes to this modern day slavery and inspired me to fight this injustice in Ecuador. I hope that you are encouraged to join me in becoming more aware.
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Nefarious: Merchant of Souls (2012).A good overview of trafficking around the world and my personal favorite as a introduction to the topic. Rent it here for $5.
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In Plain Sight. A documentary of sex trafficking in the United States and the people who are doing something about it. Rent it on Amazon for $3.
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Human Trafficking. A drama that tells the fictional story of the police force investigating a worldwide sex-trafficking ring. Buy on amazon for $5.
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Sold. The fictional story a child sold into the brothels of India. (Also a book). Rent the movie for $5.
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I am Jane Doe. Netflix. A true documentary of families’ legal fight against Backpage.com for allowing pimps to sell their daughters as prostitutes on the webpage.
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Hot Girls Wanted. Netflix. How the porn industry exploits 18 year old girls with the lure of stardom.
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Stopping Traffic: The Movement to End Sex Trafficking (2018). Examines life on the streets, rescues initiatives and personal stories to help start the conversation around this taboo topic. Rent for $5 on Itunes.
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Born into Brothels: Calcutta’s Red Light Kids (2004). Netflix. A documentary of a photographer who teaches her trade to children of prostitutes in India’s largest red light district with the hope of giving them a better future.
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The Whistleblower. The true story of a American woman in Ukraine who tries to expose the police-centered sex-trafficking ring.
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Liberated: The New Sexual Revolution (2018). Netflix. Explores how pop culture shapes this generation’s beliefs about gender, sexuality and violence by following college students on spring break