This week's program was presented by Greg Colbeck, who has been COO of RAHAB Ministries since 2014.  RAHAB (Reaching Above Hopelessness and Brokenness) was begun by Becky Moreland, at the time a single mom raising four children, who began meeting with women on the streets out of concern for them.  After building the organization that now employs 70 staff, she retired and the new CEO is Suzanne Lewis-Johnson.  

 

Sex trafficking is a different problem than most of us recognize.  We picture this activity happening in other places to people who are taken against their will and locked away.  Most victims don't identify with this 'movie' idea as they call their trafficker their boyfriend and sometimes even 'daddy'.  The victims may shop next to you or may be staying in hotels, abandoned places or hanging out on-line. Because of technology, traffickers are now invited into private homes to make contact and recruit participants.  Victims live where we live.

 

Federal Law defines sex trafficking as the recruiting, harboring, patronizing or soliciting of victims for a commercial sex act induced by force, fraud or coercion.  Minors are considered victims automatically even if force, fraud and coercion are not factors.  

 

Persons from any background who have a history of emotional neglect and/or physical abuse are the number one victim candidates.  Other precipitating factors are a history of sexual abuse, mental illness, divorce, having a mother who was treated violently, and having an incarcerated relative.  

 

When asked why the victims just don't walk away from these situations, the answers are similar to the answers of those who stay in domestic violence situations.  The abusers show 'love' to victims; the victims have strong bonds with the abusers; the victims know no other way of life.

 

The goal of RAHAB is to offer an authentic version of love.  Women are invited to community-based programs that connect them with meals, jobs, recovery and trauma support.  There is an adult 24/7 safe house and a home for minors.  Funding comes through Victims of Crime Assistance Grants, private grants, church partners and individual donors.  For further information, Greg can be contacted at greg@rahab-ministries.org.