Policy / Advocate for Victims of Human Trafficking

Advocate for Victims of Human Trafficking

Southern Baptists believe that all men and women are created in the image of God and should be safe from harm. As believers, we are instructed to speak out against injustice and unfair treatment toward vulnerable people, including the widow, orphan, sojourner, and the poor (Matt. 25:35-40; James 1:27). The ERLC is committed to advocating for the dignity of all people experiencing the horrors of human trafficking.

Consistent with several resolutions on immigration, including most recently in 2023, the ERLC denounces any form of nativism, mistreatment, and exploitation toward people made in God’s image as inconsistent with the gospel. This is particularly true within the spheres of immigration and forced labor, where human trafficking is inextricably linked. The ERLC encourages all elected officials to do everything in their power to pursue secure, just, and fair immigration and labor systems that combat human trafficking.

Today, it is estimated that nearly 28 million people are trafficked globally for labor or commercial sexual exploitation, including roughly 17,000 people trafficked into the United States every year. Additionally, international conflicts often create environments ripe for crimes against humanity and preying on vulnerable people like women and children.

For instance, since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Russian military forces have abducted an estimated 20,000 children from their homes in Ukraine and re-homed them in Russia. Other estimates suggest the number may be closer to 35,000 children. The ERLC has sent multiple letters to the Trump administration advocating that all missing children be returned home without precondition in advance of peace talks.

Central American Women and Children Protection Act

The ERLC will continue to champion domestic and global anti-human trafficking efforts that protect the vulnerable from the horrors of this evil practice. We urge lawmakers to prioritize anti-human trafficking legislation —particularly, proposals aimed at supporting trafficking victims, and increasing the responsibility of companies to remove harmful content from their platforms.