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The illegal trafficking of human beings is the third largest black-market crime in the world, generating $5 to $9 billion in revenue each year.

Much of this criminal industry involves kidnapping young girls - often between 8 to 14 years old - who are forced into unthinkable sexual acts with strangers who are adult men. This despicable trade constitutes the global sex tourism industry.

We absolutely must stand with the victims of this despicable crime, to work on prevention, law enforcement, and rehabilitation, addressing the problem from all angles.

No statistic can do justice to the immense cost of human dignity and human life brought on by this toxic global plague of trafficking in persons.

In Asia, it takes the form most often of forced sex slavery. In Africa, young children are often kidnapped into rebel armies and given guns to fight in wars they don't understand. Some 15,000 people are trafficked into the US each year, with 50% of those being children (data graph). Over 800,000 are trafficked globally each year, with an estimated total of more than 20 million trapped in this underground industry.

The estimated cost to end human trafficking globally is $14 billion. In 2008, Americans spent $17 billion on Valentine's Day - an average of $120 per consumer.

Your Impact: By fasting just one meal per week for a year, your sacrifice would support 3 rescued victims through a rehabilitation and work skills program.

Human Trafficking: Countries of Origin and Destination

The map above indicates that the primary countries of destination for victims of trafficking are the United States, Italy, Japan, Canada, Australia, and other 'advanced nations.' We must end the demand in these nations, we must punish traffickers, and we must rehabilitate rescued victims.