A Couple of Interesting Articles Today

These headlines jumped out at me today. Please pray for the innocent children caught up in this evil. Not just the ones they rescued today (10 in Seattle) but those they haven't found. Also, please pray the evidence to convict the traffickers holds up in court and that justice is served.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090223/ap_on_go_ot/child_prostitutes

http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/seattle911/archives/162600.asp

Additionally, this article is in today's Seattle Times.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008774010_impound23m.html

What do you think of what they're looking to do? I know what I think but unless I lose my temper again, I'm trying to avoid stating my opinions too much (ok - I'm from Jersey. I can't help but express my opinions so I'm sure my earlier rant won't be my last one...).

Proverbs 31:8-9

Things to make you go grrrrr....

This blog isn't supposed to be about my opinions but today I have to vent a bit. In my search for some information on a subject, I came across a post titled "Friend Pimps." The woman that wrote the post used the terms 'whore' and 'pimp' to talk about how she and her husband look for friends for one another.

She's younger - in her 20's I guess and I'm NOT saying she's a bad person. I am, however, asking why people don't think about what they're saying and why do they not realize just how powerful their words are?

Do people really know what a pimp is? A "pimp" is a man who controls women - forcing them to have sex with his "clients," collect money and then turn it over to him. Perhaps the woman is *cough* "lucky" and her pimp will set her up via parties. If not, he forces her out onto the street to stand on the corner, walk the road, etc. until she has made her quota. What is her quota? Who knows. That's up to the pimp. She, after all, doesn't get to set her own hours or her own rate. He will "train" her in what to charge for what service.

Now... let's do some math. What if he wants her to stay out until she makes $500 for the evening (mind you - that's low)? If he says she can charge $50 for intercourse that's at least 10 guys. Ten. Men. She. HAS. to. have. sex. with. Keep in mind this is not a choice for her - she does not get to stop working until she has made her quota for the evening. Oh... and if she doesn't meet quota fast enough and pimp wants to go home to sleep? IF he lets her back in the house, she's probably going to get beaten. If not? She's sleeping on the street because, after all, it's "his" house and she didn't "get her work done." Ah... and one other thing. Her quota usually has to be met 7 days a week. 365 days a year. Unless she has the misfortune of getting pregnant. Or AIDS. Or some other venereal disease. Or killed. She can take time off if she gets killed...

Do not - do not insult me - by trying to tell me these girls choose this life. A few of them might but that number is so incredibly low and if you don't think so, start doing some research and reading. I already have.

Most of these girls start much younger than 18. A lot of them have been kidnapped off the street (or out of the mall), drugged, often driven to another state, raped and beaten into submission. They don't always know where they are, they are confused and given enough drugs, they are turned into addicts. They are also told they are now "ho's" and "police arrest ho's." So... any, all, and every security they once knew or had has been yanked from under their feet. Society considers them dirty and disgusting, the police just want to arrest them and no one is looking for them (so that wonderful pimp has told them.).

And we glorify pimps. We talk about pimping out our cars, our homes, our clothes, our jewelry... whatever we want and today I see "friend pimp" and all I can wonder is why? Really - is there no other phrase that can't express the point as clearly? Our words contain power - so we say and so we know. If our words contain power, why have we elevated the word "pimp" to the status it holds today? "Pimp" "pimped" "pimped out" are terms of endearment almost...terms our youth strive to achieve for themselves.


Those men - who ARE pimps - know the world is laughing along with them. Excusing what they actually do by glorifying what they are by minimalizing the degradation to which the word "pimp" alludes to.

When we desensitize ourselves to something, we condone it. We condone it. We condone it.

A "whore" does not always see any other choice. Sometimes a "whore" is a woman who was drugged, raped, drugged again, raped again, drugged again, raped again, beaten a time or two, unable to escape, until she is so addicted to the drugs she's been given and feels so bad about "allowing" herself to have been "duped" that she can't even look someone in the eye let alone ask for help...

How I wish you could see my anger could seethe in this post. How I wish you could see how physically ill it makes me to hear people toss these words around as if the people who you would actually label them by don't exist. Don't matter. Don't feel.

We hide behind what makes us comfortable... "It's her choice." "She decided to live this way." So we feel justified in using these words, knowing "those people" don't really matter anyway. We stay comfortable in our ignorance, hiding behind our doors, in our warm, safe homes with our spouses, 2.3 kids, dogs, picket fences....

While right down the road, right around the corner from your safe, suburban house - a 14 year old is being forced to walk the street by some man who has had his named tatooed across the back of her neck because she is "his" (property). And he is her pimp.

The next time you use the word "pimp" try to remember that it is the pimp who prostitutes women. Women are rarely prostitutes but are prostituted.

They deserve more respect than you offer them. They deserve your compassion and your action - against those who would choose to profit off of their backs. Our men need to be taught. Our sons need to be taught. Look at your son - do you want him abusing women that way? Look at your daughter. Can you see her servicing ten men a day as her "career choice?" Your son. Your daughter. Not any different than the men and women you glorify or demonize with your words.

Proverbs 31:8-9

International Justice Mission

The annual IJM fundraising dinner will be Tuesday evening, April 21, 2009 at the Sheraton Grand Ballroom in downtown Seattle. I do not have a time yet for the evening but will post that as soon as I get it. Sharon Cohn Wu, IJM Senior Vice President of Justice Operations will be their featured speaker.

Tickets are $50 each or $500 for a table. You can register by going to:

http://www.ijm.org/getinvolved/benefits-2009seattlebenefitreception

I hope you can attend. I hope to fill a table. If you would like to sit with my husband and I, please let me know.

If you are a bit further south, IJM President Gary Haugen will be speaking at the Portland, OR event on May 14, 2009. That dinner will be held at The Governor Hotel. You can go here to find out more information:

http://www.ijm.org/getinvolved/benefits-2009portlandbenefitdinner

Proverbs 31:8-9