Is Sex Trafficking Really Happening in Minnesota?

The short answer is absolutely YES!  Sex trafficking is not only happening in Minnesota, Minneapolis has emerged as one of the top sex trafficking cities in the country involving children.  Here’s an excerpt from the Minnesota Attorney General’s website:

“Minneapolis is one of the top locations in the U.S. for child sex trafficking. A six-month study by local prosecutors found over 34,000 advertisements posted online for sex in the Twin Cities.”

After reading this excerpt, one might think that Minnesota’s sex trafficking problem is mostly limited to Minneapolis, but that is not true either.  Sex traffickers do not discriminate on the basis of location . They go where it is easy to nab their prey.  Here is the rest of the excerpt from the Minnesota AG website:

“But sex trafficking is not just a Twin Cities problem. Trafficking affects people from all parts of Minnesota. An online sting in southwest Minnesota led to the arrest of 48 individuals. One 16 year-old who was trafficked in northern Minnesota stated that she was exploited on average by five men every day―which means that she was exploited over 1,800 times in a year.”

If you want to read the entire article on the MN AG website click here.

5 Ways to Fight Sex Trafficking

Here are some great ways to fight sex trafficking:

1. Learn More
There are incredible amounts of information available on this site and many others as it relates to the realities of sex trafficking in America.  The more you know, the more powerful you are.

2. Talk to Your Kids
It can be an awkward conversation for you to have with your kids.  Be age appropriate, of course but know that not talking to them about sex trafficking is not making the problem go away.  Having an honest conversation can lead to some amazing moments with your kids. 

The average age of introduction into sex trafficking for girls in America is 13 years of age.  Look around this site or contact our office and we can help arm you with the best information to start the conversation with your kids. 

3. Talk About It
Silence is the great killer of progress when it comes to sex trafficking.  One of the best ways to combat sex trafficking is to talk about it with your family, friends, co-workers and church community.  We have a theory at Amborella House:  Once you learn the truths about sex trafficking, you can’t look away.  Nearly every person feels this deep sense that they need to do something. 

4. Pray
We believe that your prayers help us to make wise decisions when dealing with the issues that trafficked survivors face.  Please keep praying. 

5. Give
I know this sounds too simple but the reality is, helping women find a restored life takes resources.  This is really a job that requires the help of professional therapist, counselors and good people who know exactly how to care for women who have faced this kind of trauma; often at such a young age. 

Amborella does not receive government funding as it usually comes with restrictions on who and how we can serve.  Your generous donations are the fuel that drives our ability to help these amazing young women find restoration and hope in  their life.  

Of course there are many ways to fight sex trafficking but these are five worth considering in everyone’s busy, scheduled life.