In Plain Sight-Movie Review

You may not know this but January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Yes, I agree it is a sad, sad thing that we need a month for this. Unfortunately, in the United States Human Trafficking is a growing problem. In the US humans are generally trafficked for 2 industries, sex trades and labor. Over 80 percent of victims in 2011 confirmed sex trafficking cases in this country were American citizens. In this post I’m focusing on Sex Trafficking and the newly released documentary In Plain Sight.

I was made aware of the human trafficking problems in the United States a few years ago when our local Christian Radio Station partnered with Natalie Grant and what was then Abolition International to raise money for the victims of this horrible crime. In 2013 I volunteered at the Team Freedom Pasta Party and cheered on the runners who participated in a half-marathon. In 2014, I again volunteered but I also raised my own support and ran in the 5k. This year I am not running, but I am planning to volunteer for this worthy cause.

In case you are having trouble wrapping your head around the fact that human trafficking is an issue here in the United States, here are some statistics from the film.

• 80% of sex trafficking victims are women and girls and up to 50% are minors. (U.S. State Department)
• 90% of prostituted women have been physically abused as children (Encyclopedia of Women and Gender)
• 70% of sex trafficking is linked to organized crime (Real Stories: Legal Efforts to Curb Sex Trafficking)
• 75% of prostituted women have attempted suicide (Prostitution: Factsheet on Human Rights Violations)
• 12-14 is the average age for girls trafficked into prostitution in the United States.
• Working nearly seven days a week, four women meeting a daily quota of $500 per night would earn their pimp an estimated $632,000 according to the research of the Polaris Project.
• The youngest child rescued to date by Hope for Justice was 1 year old.

If those facts don’t break your heart, I doubt that you have one.

About In Plain Sight

Executive Produced and Narrated by Natalie Grant, In Plain Sight: Stories of Hope and Freedom features six modern-day abolitionists as they fight sex trafficking across America. Premieres are scheduled around the nation in during January 2015. Journeying to six US cities, the documentary opens the viewer’s eyes to what’s happening down the street “in plain sight”. Through engaging interviews with numerous victims of sex trafficking, the force, coercion, and deception of the children and women becomes apparent. In the midst of the darkness, stories of hope and freedom emerge as each survivor shares how she was impacted through the work of a sex trafficking aftercare home.

“Most Americans are completely oblivious to the fact that thousands of women and children are enslaved within their own communities,” said David Trotter, co-executive producer. “This isn’t limited to Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and New York. We’re talking about cities across America – from Sacramento to Little Rock to Baltimore – where the unthinkable is happening.”

“The reality is that children are being ravaged day in and day out. If you have a heart beating on the inside of you, I don’t understand how this couldn’t be important to you,” said Natalie Grant, narrator and co-executive producer.

With a focus on educating the American public and motivating people to take action, the campaign centers around three resources to be released by Word Entertainment. The DVD, music album, and 31 Day Devotional & Group Study Guide are available in stores nationwide.

Mom Maven’s Thoughts

In Plain Sight is a well made documentary focused on six female abolitionists who have answered the call to step out into a messy world and fight against sex trafficking here in the United States. I enjoyed hearing the vastly different stories of how God called these women to get involved in this fight and what their obedience has done to bless women and children who are victims to this crime. I was encouraged to hear from law enforcement and how their perspective has changed and how they are now seeing these women as victims-slaves instead of criminals. I was blessed to hear the personal stories of the survivors who shared what they have lived through and how God, with the help of these abolitionists, has transformed their lives and given them hope and a purpose to go on living.

I will continue doing what I can to help spread awareness and support agencies like Hope for Justice who are on the front lines every day. What will you do? Here are 31 ways You Can Take Action.