Remedy Drive Helps Fight Human Trafficking

When David Zach from Remedy Drive spent two weeks in Southeast Asia, it was not for a vacation or standard mission trip. The singer went with a 501c3 called The Exodus Road to help bring children out of sexual slavery.

His life, understandably, was changed forever. Reading about human trafficking is one thing; seeing children being sold as sexual play toys in underage prostitution rings, as payment in debt bondage, or to pedophiles is another. David and his brother Philip wrote a song called "Commodity" and they want to expand that to an entire concept album that will shine a light on slavery. "Commodity" is currently at #1 on the BDS Christian Rock National chart and it's been there for the past 4 weeks.

David talked to CBN about what the band hopes to accomplish with the project, saying, "My hope is that this album will sound like a captive's dream of liberty-a defiant reminder, against all odds, that in the King's Kingdom the oppressed can find refuge, the marginalized can find hope, the child soldier can find safety, and the trafficked daughter in the red light district can return to her innocence again as a princess of the Realm."

According to The Polaris Project, there are 27 million people trapped in modern-day slavery around the world. One million of those are children who are being sexually exploited. Human trafficking is a $32 billion dollar a year industry.

In the United States, The Covering House shares some shocking facts about human trafficking:

• Human trafficking generates $9.5 billion yearly in the United States. (United Nations)
• Approximately 300,000 children are at risk of being prostituted in the United States. (U.S. Department of Justice)
• The average age of entry into prostitution for a child victim in the United States is 13-14 years old. (U.S. Department of Justice)
• A pimp can make $150,000-$200,000 per child each year and the average pimp has 4 to 6 girls. (U.S. Justice Department, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children)
• The average victim may be forced to have sex up to 20-48 times a day. (Polaris Project)
• Fewer than 100 beds are available in the United States for underage victims. (Health and Human Services)
• One in three teens on the street will be lured toward prostitution within 48 hours of leaving home. (National Runaway Hotline)

The Department Of Justice has identified the top 20 human trafficking jurisdictions in the country:

• Houston
• El Paso
• Los Angeles
• Atlanta
• Chicago
• Charlotte
• Miami
• Las Vegas
• New York
• Long Island
• New Orleans
• Washington, D.C.
• Philadelphia
• Phoenix
• Richmond
• San Diego
• San Francisco
• St Louis
• Seattle
• Tampa

There are several groups in the United States that work to combat human trafficking within our borders by educating, bringing awareness and rescuing victims:

B.E.S.T. (Building Empowerment by Stopping Trafficking) (Aftercare resources)
Bishop Outreach (Rescue Group)
Not For Sale
The Defender Foundation (Rescue Group)
The Polaris Project (Trafficking Policy and Advocacy)
Trafficking In America Task Force (Education)