There are so many things I take for granted every day….like the freedom to walk down the street and feel safe. So when I heard the staggering numbers about human trafficking, it made me stop for a minute and think about the amazing freedoms I enjoy.
In our world today, more slaves exist than ever before. While statistics about the numbers of individuals who are being held in forced bondage vary greatly, one thing is for sure: it is an international crisis that demands our attention.
-20.9 million The number of victims of slavery around the world
-11 million The number of people held captive in modern day slavery in Asia and the Pacific (TIP Report 2012)
-300,000–400,000 The number of trafficked persons in the Philippines, about one-‐fourth of which are children (Philippines Today, 2007)
When I hear numbers like this, it makes me feel helpless. I know there must be ways to help, but it’s hard to know what to do.
That’s when I heard about My Refuge House. My Refuge House is a home in Cebu, Philippines created to be a safe environment for girls who have been rescued from commercial sexual exploitation, human trafficking, and sexual abuse.
I was fortunate enough to meet the Director of Engagement for My Refuge House, Kim Jones, and she’s giving everyone a way to help. If you live in Dallas, October 9th is a great night to come downtown and see an epic fashion show called Fashioned for Freedom that benefits this organization. For a $40 ticket, you can:
- Attend an exclusive premiere showing of top fashions by outstanding designers
- Learn what human trafficking is and why it matters
- Listen to inspiring stories of the girls at My Refuge House
- Enjoy hors d’oeuvres and drinks
- Participate in a raffle of designer purses
- Find out ways you can join the fight against human trafficking
Pretty awesome! If you can’t attend the show, you can still help. They have partnered with The Fashion Project, a great way to clean out your closet and donate your clothing. A portion of the proceeds will go directly to My Refuge House. You can also choose to adopt one of the girls. Through the donation of $480 a month you can cover ALL of her needs. That’s pretty cool. You can also choose to cover maybe one specific need like education, food, or shelter. You can find all of the donor/sponsorship information here.
Tomorrow I am going to feature my interview with Kim Jones about My Refuge House so you can hear firsthand why human trafficking is something that should be on all of our minds. Attend on October 9th by purchasing your tickets here, and come back tomorrow for Kim’s inspiring interview!
F21 Plaid Shirt / F21 Jeans / Sperry Topsiders / Cartier Watch / Horseshoe Necklace / F21 Aviators / Louis Vuitton Neverfull
Photography: S. Jackson
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