Trafficking in innocence after the storm

Social worker Marlyn received a message that a 14-year-old girl named “Princess” had been trafficked and sold to a sex bar here in the Philippines. Marlyn alerted me and we began planning to rescue the child, just one of thousands of children trafficked for sexual abuse each year in this country and many more around the world. It is a problem of global reach. The recent agreement signed by the heads and representatives of the major religions to fight it is a positive encouragement. It’s now almost six months since the the devastation of Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) and many more children will fall victim to sexual predators as the poverty grows and young people and parents become desperate to get jobs and money. It’s all to common.

Marlyn, who herself was rescued from sex-trade traffickers, works with me in the Preda Foundation organization I founded 40 years ago. Preda actively responds to and rescues victims, and then helps them get an education and start new lives of dignity.