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Ending Human Trafficking: A Handbook of Strategies for the Church Today
Author Sandra Morgan awarded Wilberforce Award Human trafficking is one of the most pressing social justice issues of our time, and in recent years there has been renewed interest among Christians, as many have been stirred up to take their part in the ongoing battle. This is a wonderful thing―and yet misinformed and misguided efforts can do more harm than good. Ending Human Trafficking is a handbook designed to educate churches and parachurch organizations for truly effective work. In collaboration with The Global Center for Women and Justice at Vanguard University, Ending Human Trafficking is an accessible and compelling resource for Christian leaders, written by seasoned leaders in the struggle against modern slavery. Grounded in a theological response to the issue and filled with stories, up-to-date data, and practical tools and tips, it promises to be an invaluable resource for years to come.
- GenresChristianity
224 pages, Paperback
Published April 5, 2022
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54 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
May 21, 2023
If you are looking for an inspirational book that will inform you of the problem of modern-day slavery and inspire you to get off the sidelines and do something, this is not your book. The first book that comes to my mind along those lines is Not For Sale, but I read that well over a decade ago. I am sure there are others more recent and up-to-date that are probably just as good.
However, if you are already informed and desire to do something, this book is exactly what you are looking for. In Ending Human Trafficking, Shane Moore, Sandra Morgan, and Kimberly Yim give practical, down-to-earth advice for how you can get your church, or church group, involved in combatting the very real problem that is human trafficking. They do this through five "P's." These are: prevention, protection, prosecution, policy, and prayer.
Probably one of the best takeaways from the book is that we should "stay in our lane." The church is best suited to prevention and prayer. While the book talks about what lawmakers and policymakers are doing and in what ways the church, or independent Christian ministries, can help them, where we are most needed, and where we can do the most good is in these two categories.
The most quotable moment comes from the testimony of a trafficked survivor.
Those were ways that they [the church] helped. They were present, consistently. "Now when the church steps in, I know that for the trafficker to have access to me again, they have to go through this community of people, which was my church, in order to get to me. That gave me shelter."
However, if you are already informed and desire to do something, this book is exactly what you are looking for. In Ending Human Trafficking, Shane Moore, Sandra Morgan, and Kimberly Yim give practical, down-to-earth advice for how you can get your church, or church group, involved in combatting the very real problem that is human trafficking. They do this through five "P's." These are: prevention, protection, prosecution, policy, and prayer.
Probably one of the best takeaways from the book is that we should "stay in our lane." The church is best suited to prevention and prayer. While the book talks about what lawmakers and policymakers are doing and in what ways the church, or independent Christian ministries, can help them, where we are most needed, and where we can do the most good is in these two categories.
The most quotable moment comes from the testimony of a trafficked survivor.
Those were ways that they [the church] helped. They were present, consistently. "Now when the church steps in, I know that for the trafficker to have access to me again, they have to go through this community of people, which was my church, in order to get to me. That gave me shelter."
August 31, 2023
So you saw Sound of Freedom and now you want to “do something” about the problem of human trafficking. Or perhaps you’ve heard about it in the news and were shocked and saddened and want to help.
If so, please - please - get Ending Human Trafficking: A Handbook of Strategies for the Church Today (galley received as part of an early review program).
You might find the introduction offensive: the authors speak of how police disparage a lot of people motivated by their faith to “do something” about human trafficking. Yet they well explain why: a lot of times those motivated by their faith, with the best of intentions, “do something” they think is “helping” but at best proves redundant, and at worst actively hinders and works against the work a lot of law enforcement and non-governmental organizations are doing on the ground.
Instead, the authors of Ending Human Trafficking encourage Christians and churches to get trained and educated about the history of slavery and human trafficking, the nature of slavery and human trafficking today, the terminology used, all applicable laws, and they provide a guide for Christians and churches to develop efforts to work with existing efforts from law enforcement and non-governmental organizations to end human trafficking following the six Ps: prevention, protection, prosecution, partnership, policy, and prayer.
The authors do well at dispelling a lot of the myths about human trafficking and work to uncover its reality: there are far more people trafficked for labor than for sex and it often does not look as obvious or dramatic as it is made out to be. It is important to be trained in how to effectively work with survivors of trafficking and maintain firm commitments in efforts to work toward their restoration. Christians can do a lot to maintain a spotlight on the issue, in their prayers, and do what they can to prevent people from falling into trafficking and partnering with organizations to help those who have been trafficked.
There is a lot of practical wisdom in this book. I appreciate the sharp criticism of the white saviorism and “lone ranger” tactics which prove all too pervasive in conservative Christendom writ large and what seems to be exemplified in Sound of Freedom (I again refer to Laura Robinson’s excellent series on this topic beginning here). Some of us have some qualms about the church as a corporate collective institutionalizing some of these programs, and there are some valid critiques of the urge to systematize in general; nevertheless, the problem remains very real, and there do need to be a lot of institutional guidelines and safeguards erected and maintained in order to properly help restore survivors of trafficking.
If you are as serious in substance as in profession regarding human trafficking, this is a great resource to consider.
If so, please - please - get Ending Human Trafficking: A Handbook of Strategies for the Church Today (galley received as part of an early review program).
You might find the introduction offensive: the authors speak of how police disparage a lot of people motivated by their faith to “do something” about human trafficking. Yet they well explain why: a lot of times those motivated by their faith, with the best of intentions, “do something” they think is “helping” but at best proves redundant, and at worst actively hinders and works against the work a lot of law enforcement and non-governmental organizations are doing on the ground.
Instead, the authors of Ending Human Trafficking encourage Christians and churches to get trained and educated about the history of slavery and human trafficking, the nature of slavery and human trafficking today, the terminology used, all applicable laws, and they provide a guide for Christians and churches to develop efforts to work with existing efforts from law enforcement and non-governmental organizations to end human trafficking following the six Ps: prevention, protection, prosecution, partnership, policy, and prayer.
The authors do well at dispelling a lot of the myths about human trafficking and work to uncover its reality: there are far more people trafficked for labor than for sex and it often does not look as obvious or dramatic as it is made out to be. It is important to be trained in how to effectively work with survivors of trafficking and maintain firm commitments in efforts to work toward their restoration. Christians can do a lot to maintain a spotlight on the issue, in their prayers, and do what they can to prevent people from falling into trafficking and partnering with organizations to help those who have been trafficked.
There is a lot of practical wisdom in this book. I appreciate the sharp criticism of the white saviorism and “lone ranger” tactics which prove all too pervasive in conservative Christendom writ large and what seems to be exemplified in Sound of Freedom (I again refer to Laura Robinson’s excellent series on this topic beginning here). Some of us have some qualms about the church as a corporate collective institutionalizing some of these programs, and there are some valid critiques of the urge to systematize in general; nevertheless, the problem remains very real, and there do need to be a lot of institutional guidelines and safeguards erected and maintained in order to properly help restore survivors of trafficking.
If you are as serious in substance as in profession regarding human trafficking, this is a great resource to consider.
July 17, 2022
Excellent educational guide for churches on how to engage with anti-trafficking efforts in an intelligent, practical, and helpful way. It was also encouraging to come across a resource that talks about not only sex trafficking, but labor trafficking as well. You do not need to be a church leader for this to be applicable. Most of the book is geared for all who want to be more educated on how to help, and not end up hurting the cause and ultimately survivors.
February 19, 2023
Excellent resource for anyone (especially in the church or ministry context) looking for practical knowledge on how to actively engage your community in the battle against human trafficking. I especially appreciated the term explanations and the why behind them.
August 2, 2022
It’s a difficult topic for Americans and American Christians to get their minds around. We have been accustomed to thinking of slavery as some soiling blemish on our national past that we finally fixed by war and proclamation. Yet, the stark reality is that enslavement has been a deep part of human history all along and is still alive and well in the present. It’s economic-based, or ethnic-based, or gender-based, but it’s always about power and production and profitability. And it is a problem in our neck of the woods as well as globally. Yet there are significant approaches that churches can take to make a difference. To help, a new 224-page paperback has arrived as a guide for those desiring to address modern forms of slavery, “Ending Human Trafficking: A Handbook of Strategies for the Church Today.” This manual is compiled by Shayne Moore, author, editor and activist, Sandra Morgan, director of the Global Center for Women and Justice at Vanguard University, and Kimberly McOwen Yim, cofounder and director of the SOCO Institute.
The authors wrote the book to “inform a collaborative and cohesive biblical response in our churches, nonprofit organizations, and ministry efforts.” They aim to “educate and assist” readers and church leadership “in discerning what part of it you can build collaboratively with your greater community” (3). It is a valuable, and useable resource that steers away from potholes and pitfalls, into being better at tackling this significant, multi-billion-dollar industry. Human trafficking, whether it is labor or domestic or sex, has shackled well over 25 million people in our day.
The book revolves around the 6-Ps: Prevention, Protection, Prosecution, Partnership, Policy, and Prayer. As it works through each principle in detail, the writers explain what most churches and nonprofits can honestly and honorably do, and what they must avoid. Most of the details are practical. Many of them seem organic, in that lots of churches are already doing some version of them. As the authors discuss prevention, as an example, they’re clear about its significance. “Focusing primarily on prevention is the only way to end human trafficking and modern slavery” (42). They then develop the particulars of prevention that are doable. Each chapter is interspersed with real-life examples and assessments by others who have been engaged with ending human trafficking.
I appreciated how practical the volume is. Not just that it provides doable steps and strategies, but also how it lives in the real world. For instance, the authors recognize that not every “church has to have a separate ministry addressing human trafficking, but in providing information and language around the problem, we hope to help leaders see strategic ways their church may already be addressing this problem” (152). That is a sane recognition and scores big with me. I was also grateful for how the writers promote patience. When talking about survivors healing and recovering, they note that their healing takes time, “longer than emotions last”. In fact, they correctly observe that justice “takes time. And this is justice work” (127). The whole book avoids the idealized “success-in-ten-easy-steps” syndrome and the “success-now” malady that infects many programs that are focused on applying biblically shaped justice in our historical moment.
I found “Ending Human Trafficking” a valuable work on a topic that has been dear to my heart for near 20 years. As a Christian minister I encourage all other Christian ministers and leaders to snatch up a copy and work through it. For those who are concerned about human trafficking, whether they’re on the frontlines or sidelines, this paperback will aid you in having a better perspective and thinking through how you can approach the trouble thoughtfully and thoroughly. I highly recommend the work.
My thanks to IVP Academic who sent me the copy used for this review at my request. They made no demands on me. They offered me no brides. Therefore, this analysis is all mine, freely made and freely given.
The authors wrote the book to “inform a collaborative and cohesive biblical response in our churches, nonprofit organizations, and ministry efforts.” They aim to “educate and assist” readers and church leadership “in discerning what part of it you can build collaboratively with your greater community” (3). It is a valuable, and useable resource that steers away from potholes and pitfalls, into being better at tackling this significant, multi-billion-dollar industry. Human trafficking, whether it is labor or domestic or sex, has shackled well over 25 million people in our day.
The book revolves around the 6-Ps: Prevention, Protection, Prosecution, Partnership, Policy, and Prayer. As it works through each principle in detail, the writers explain what most churches and nonprofits can honestly and honorably do, and what they must avoid. Most of the details are practical. Many of them seem organic, in that lots of churches are already doing some version of them. As the authors discuss prevention, as an example, they’re clear about its significance. “Focusing primarily on prevention is the only way to end human trafficking and modern slavery” (42). They then develop the particulars of prevention that are doable. Each chapter is interspersed with real-life examples and assessments by others who have been engaged with ending human trafficking.
I appreciated how practical the volume is. Not just that it provides doable steps and strategies, but also how it lives in the real world. For instance, the authors recognize that not every “church has to have a separate ministry addressing human trafficking, but in providing information and language around the problem, we hope to help leaders see strategic ways their church may already be addressing this problem” (152). That is a sane recognition and scores big with me. I was also grateful for how the writers promote patience. When talking about survivors healing and recovering, they note that their healing takes time, “longer than emotions last”. In fact, they correctly observe that justice “takes time. And this is justice work” (127). The whole book avoids the idealized “success-in-ten-easy-steps” syndrome and the “success-now” malady that infects many programs that are focused on applying biblically shaped justice in our historical moment.
I found “Ending Human Trafficking” a valuable work on a topic that has been dear to my heart for near 20 years. As a Christian minister I encourage all other Christian ministers and leaders to snatch up a copy and work through it. For those who are concerned about human trafficking, whether they’re on the frontlines or sidelines, this paperback will aid you in having a better perspective and thinking through how you can approach the trouble thoughtfully and thoroughly. I highly recommend the work.
My thanks to IVP Academic who sent me the copy used for this review at my request. They made no demands on me. They offered me no brides. Therefore, this analysis is all mine, freely made and freely given.
March 30, 2022
This is a book that can help churches and other establishments to help in the human trafficking issue we have in our nation and worldwide. It is especially helpful for faith based communities to get involved and become organized with local law enforcement to help with this out of control problem. This book is very good at laying things out in how it should be done, working with law enforcement and listening to what they say to keep from you and others getting hurt. It lays out how to help and how to do it safely. Thank you to #NetGalley and the publishers IVP Academic , and the authors, for the opportunity to read and review #EndingHumanTrafficking with my honest thoughts and opinions.
May 24, 2022
In Ending Human Trafficking, Shayne Moore, Sandra Morgan, and Kimberly McOwen Yim empower their readers with information on how to fight human trafficking effectively in the context of their local church. The authors overview 6 Ps of fighting trafficking: Prevention, Protection, Prosecution, Partnership, Policy, and Prayer. Each of these steps are supported by scriptural examples of why they are effective and important, as well as more modern examples of how to do these steps well. Each chapter is ended with practical activities that individuals and churches can do to fight trafficking in their local communities, in order to take this book beyond the theoretical and pushed into action.
This book needs to be in every church library. Every believer that cares about human trafficking, justice, and making their communities safe for all should read this book. I am not exaggerating when I say this is easily one of the top 5 books I've read this year because it was so paradigm shifting.
This book needs to be in every church library. Every believer that cares about human trafficking, justice, and making their communities safe for all should read this book. I am not exaggerating when I say this is easily one of the top 5 books I've read this year because it was so paradigm shifting.
April 5, 2022
As I began to read more and more of this book, Ending Human Trafficking, I became more and more overwhelmed and agitated and the "citizen savior" emotions arose. There were sleepless, mind whirling nights. Indeed, I had had no idea of the extent of human trafficking that bridges and taints the world with all its evil capacities and comprises. However, as I read further into the book, I found that there are comprehensive helps for victims, not just in the rescue domain but from where the trafficking sources can be nipped in the bud with pre-emptive, prevention measures. From this, light began to dawn in my heart that hope for the most vulnerable of victims could be available when ongoing, wisely-determined efforts could be sustained.
Awareness is a giant key to prevention and this book explains how a person can help without causing worse trouble for the victims, which starts by being rid of the dangerous 'citizen savior' desire. The authors systematically unfold this awareness using a series of five Ps which are expounded upon of how a collaboration of churches, law enforcement and other anti-trafficking organizations can work together to achieve these Ps.
The authors want each and every one of us caring people to know the undergirding thought and the basis for making the effort to stop the trafficking, be it for labor or for commerial sex exploitation, is that human beings are 'imago Dei' - made in the image of God. As such, each individual should be respected and treated with decency and dignity.
This is definitely a faith based, Christian book. Various Bible verses are quoted and prayer is an important viable factor P which adheres and joins the other Ps in effective community (read the book to discover those Ps). Additionally, the book ends with some important Appendices and makes note of some case studies from which lessons have been learned.
This is very much a "must read" and then "take action" sort of book. Church leaders, pastors and even congregants, the world over, should all be encouraged to read and then act upon, in the way best suited to your particular membership and community; being sure to partnership with those who are more experienced in the goal of ending human trafficking.
~Eunice C., Reviewer/Blogger~
January 2022
Disclaimer: This is my honest opinion based on the complimentary review copy sent by NetGalley and the publisher.
Awareness is a giant key to prevention and this book explains how a person can help without causing worse trouble for the victims, which starts by being rid of the dangerous 'citizen savior' desire. The authors systematically unfold this awareness using a series of five Ps which are expounded upon of how a collaboration of churches, law enforcement and other anti-trafficking organizations can work together to achieve these Ps.
The authors want each and every one of us caring people to know the undergirding thought and the basis for making the effort to stop the trafficking, be it for labor or for commerial sex exploitation, is that human beings are 'imago Dei' - made in the image of God. As such, each individual should be respected and treated with decency and dignity.
This is definitely a faith based, Christian book. Various Bible verses are quoted and prayer is an important viable factor P which adheres and joins the other Ps in effective community (read the book to discover those Ps). Additionally, the book ends with some important Appendices and makes note of some case studies from which lessons have been learned.
This is very much a "must read" and then "take action" sort of book. Church leaders, pastors and even congregants, the world over, should all be encouraged to read and then act upon, in the way best suited to your particular membership and community; being sure to partnership with those who are more experienced in the goal of ending human trafficking.
~Eunice C., Reviewer/Blogger~
January 2022
Disclaimer: This is my honest opinion based on the complimentary review copy sent by NetGalley and the publisher.
January 20, 2022
"Ending Human Trafficking: A Handbook of Strategies for the Church Today" was written by Shayne Moore, Sandra Morgan, and Kimberly McOwen Yim. This book was written for church leaders and members who are interested in effectively helping those who have found themselves entangled in the world of human trafficking. The authors use the 6 P's to summarize their work: prevention, protection, prosecution, partnership, policy, and prayer. With each "P", helpful tips and anecdotal evidence is given. I also appreciated the transparency from the authors, and their own real life stories.
This book would be very helpful for church leaders wondering how to help this needy population. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
This book would be very helpful for church leaders wondering how to help this needy population. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
April 4, 2022
I have read other books on this topic, but I still found this very educational and informative. This is a much needed read, and I would recommend it or get it for people when it comes out. This book is intended for members of the church and leaders of the church who want to help those victimized by trafficking. Something I appreciated about this was the breakdown of types of trafficking, as well as the authors’ work and strategies for supporting those victimized by trafficking. I also appreciated that the authors referenced specific books and verses of the Bible throughout.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC and the opportunity to share my opinions on the book!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC and the opportunity to share my opinions on the book!
January 6, 2023
This book is the best, most clear book on Human Trafficking of many I have read. It is specifically designed to present clear strategies for church leaders who want to be part of the solution- not just to learn. The chapters are clear- based on the 5 P model- prevention, protection, prosecution, prosecution and partnership. It is current, well researched, gives clear strategies and best practice suggestions and each chapter ends with specific challenges. This book is recommended for people brand new to the issue as well as long time champions! The authors each have personal credentials as authors, leaders, advocates and presenters in America and internationally!
January 20, 2024
Practical, evidence based, and well organized handbook of strategies for faith organizations to participate in the fight against human trafficking. Focusing on prevention, protection, prosecution, partnership, policy, and prayer, the book lays out best practices for helping to end exploitation.
April 12, 2022
What can churches do to help end human trafficking?
That is the question Ending Human Trafficking sets out to answer.
Written by veteran anti-trafficking activists Shayne Moore, Sandra Morgan, and Kimber McOwen Yim, the book outlines a “victim-centered trauma-informed approach” whose goal is to “prioritize people over process” because people are made in God’s image.
What is human trafficking? The authors cite the “internationally accepted definition” found in the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime and the Protocols Thereto:
“ … the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force, or other forms of coercion, abduction, fraud, deception, abuse of power or vulnerability, or giving payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation includes, at a minimum, the prostitution of others, or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labor or services, slavery or similar practices, servitude or the removal of organs.”
It is worth citing this definition of length in order to correct the impression I have often found among my fellow churchgoers, who conflate human trafficking with sex trafficking. Human trafficking is much broader than sex trafficking, however. “Internationally,” the authors write, “64 percent of trafficking victims are in forced labor, approximately 20 percent are in sex trafficking, and another 16 percent are in state-imposed forced labor.”
Another misimpression I have often found among my fellow churchgoers, related to the first misimpression, is that human trafficking is a sexual sin, driven by the lust of johns. The legal definition and statistics show that it is more fundamentally an economic sin, driven by the greed of traffickers. As 1 Timothy 6:10 says, “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.”
Ending Human Trafficking argues that churches need to beyond merely ministering to victims in the aftermath of human trafficking and commit to preventing it from occurring in the first place. The authors structure their advice around five Ps that have been widely adopted by governmental and non-governmental anti-human trafficking agencies:
• Partnership: The goal is to share and develop multidisciplinary expertise and resources. It has a multi-agency focus.
• Prevention: The goal is to eliminate or reduce victimization risk. Its focus is on vulnerable populations.
• Protection: The goal is to empower survivor’s personal dignity, so the focus is on the survivor.
• Prosecution: The goal is to hold suspect(s) accountable, which means the focus is on the perpetrator of the crime.
• Policy: The goal is to support and sustain anti-human trafficking efforts. This has a broad human rights focus.
The authors add a sixth P to this mix: “prayer is the most important undertaking the church can take.” There is a spiritual warfare element to anti-human trafficking activism—greed is idolatry, after all (Ephesians 5:5). Confronting that evil requires supernatural assistance.
I strongly recommend Ending Human Trafficking to church leaders and Christian activists who want to take practical action to end human trafficking. It will correct many misconceptions, warn against counterproductive strategies, and show how to cooperate intelligently and prayerfully with others in the goal of preventing such evil from happening.
I close with the recommendation my late father, Dr. George O. Wood—then chairman of the World Assemblies of God Fellowship—provided for the book. Dad was a mentor of Sandra Morgan and her husband Jean and thought very highly of her work. Here’s what he said:
“Human trafficking—whether for labor or for sex—is modern-day slavery. It is an assault on the dignity of people created in God’s image, and Christians must oppose it. In this book, my good friend Sandra Morgan and her coauthors offer a six-point comprehensive strategy for churches to collaborate with others in the godly work of ending human trafficking. This is an eye-opening and helpful book.”
It is, indeed.
Book Reviewed
Shayne Moore, Sandra Morgan, and Kimberly McOwen Yim, Ending Human Trafficking: A Handbook of Strategies for the Church Today (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2022).
P.S. If you liked my review, please click “Helpful” on my Amazon review page.
March 29, 2022
From a human trafficking literature perspective, this book does a great job of breaking things down and giving practical tips of how to move forward
From a Christian literature perspective, while this book does a good job of pointing out where churches are lacking, it also brings in scripture to point out that human trafficking in not a new phenomenon.
From a Christian literature perspective, while this book does a good job of pointing out where churches are lacking, it also brings in scripture to point out that human trafficking in not a new phenomenon.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews