ENDORSEMENTS

This volume on human trafficking is a stunning work of reflection from front line service providers, theorists, researchers, and passionate advocates for those who are moved by the scourge of modern-day slavery. It introduces and advances you to some of the deepest issues and questions that must be faced in order to offer a mature Christian response to this heartache. This brilliant work models how vastly different perspectives on this issue can sing together to create a song of shalom. This is a must read gift to the body of Christ. 

Dan B. Allender, Ph.D.
Professor of Counseling Psychology and Founding President,
The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology
Author, The Wounded Heart, To Be Told and other works

Christians have been leaders, service providers, and financial supporters of the fight against sex trafficking going back the 19th century when it was called the white slave trade. This volume is an excellent collection of Christian thought on sex trafficking and the topics related to it.

Donna M. Hughes, Ph.D.
Professor & Carlson Endowed Chair at the University of Rhode Island

I am delighted to endorse this first volume of Stopping the Traffick.  For more than a decade now the church has become aware of these issues largely through a plethora of media articles, documentaries and blogs.  However, the content of many of these have presented a simplistic and often highly sensationalized overview and with sentimental responses to what is an incredibly complex environment of both the issues and responses. I believe this volume presents a unique profile of these challenges through the words of a broad spectrum of academics, activists and practitioners who have worked tirelessly with and for those who face the most vulnerable and exploitative environments in our world today.  This volume asks and responds to the deep and often awkward questions that many people want to hear but struggle to bring into the light.  It presents both an academic framework as well as a practical basis of case studies for many of these enabling the reader to gain a global perspective and understanding on the many cross-cutting issues that contribute to both the vulnerability and demand factors of human trafficking.  I believe that knowledge equals responsibility—therefore, be prepared to be challenged beyond the words to action!

Helen Sworn
International Director & Founder, Chab Dai, Cambodia
Founder Freedom Collaborative

Throughout history people of faith have played a vital role in justice movements and caring for the oppressed. This book is written specifically to engage people of Christian faith in not only recognizing the ongoing importance of that role but also the desperate need for thoughtful and practical approaches to complex issues.

You will find the authors represent a wide range of expertise and experience as well as a diversity of opinion.  Coming from the perspective of a person of faith, but also as a leader of a non-faith-based organization I found myself agreeing with Christa Crawford who writes in her Introduction; “No one will concur with every perspective represented in this book. We don’t want you to.”

There are thoughts and ideas expressed in Stopping the Traffick that had me enthusiastically nodding my head in agreement and others that I found troubling or disagreed with. Within the community of faith, as well as outside of it, and certainly within this book, there are a diversity of opinions and perspectives—if you have a firmly held view, you will likely find dissonance with some represented here, and hopefully find resonance with others—I know I did, and benefitted from it.

Rob Morris
President & Co-Founder, Love146

This rich and comprehensive resource written by experts in the field will prove to be highly valuable to anyone caring for sexually exploited persons. The topics in this book are issues that must be discussed and thoughtfully engaged. I will highly recommend this book to students, organizations and anyone interested in this ministry. I will also keep it as an anchor resource on my desk.

Pamela MacRae, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Pastoral Studies Department, Moody Bible Institute
Director of “Ministry to Victims of Sexual Exploitation” major

Stopping the Traffick is more than a timely address of the global epidemic of exploitation. Trafficking is one of these issues that is easy to address poorly. But Glenn Miles and his capable team of editors have achieved a benchmark of insight and credibility. Insight, because they’ve chosen to address sexual exploitation using over forty different professional voices, each writing in an area of expertise. And credibility, because they address trafficking as the multiplex problem it really is: from pimps to pornography, tourism to transgender communities, and theology to technology. Writers acknowledge the damage politics can do, yet the book refreshing rises above the political fray. In fact, many entries creatively appeal for a more compassionate Church to be involved. Most encouraging for me is the investigation into the wholesale neglect of boys (Chapter 4), a discussion long lost to politics and proportionality arguments.

From advocacy organizations to mission teams and academic classes, Stopping the Traffick is raw and engaging—as it must be—since it explores the complexity and urgency of global sexual exploitation. Here is a tool of training for the next generation of Christian response to sexual exploitation.

Andrew J. Schmutzer
Professor of Biblical Studies, Moody Bible Institute

Stopping the Traffic is a timely response by reflective practitioners to the many questions the Church has of human sexual exploitation and trafficking but not sure where to look for ‘biblical and theological’ answers. While the readings remind us of the gross evil that lies at our doorstep and the mammoth challenges before us, it also directs us to hope—God and His people can and are already advocating to make a difference. This book should be in the bibliography of every advocacy training syllabus.

Rosalind Lim-Tan, Ph.D.
Director, Holistic Child Development Institute, Penang, Malaysia

All readers, whatever their cultural, socio-economic, religious or political views will find so much to grill their conscience in this book. Its extensiveness, the concrete research data, the social science, historical, and theological approach of its arguments will provoke one’s spirit, soul, and mind. This book is a gift from God, the One who created all human beings-equal and free.

Nativity A. Petallar
Program Director, Holistic Child Development
Asia-Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary, Manila, Philippines