Academy Lecture 3: Human Trafficking

Theresa Flores gave a short over view of her adolescent years, unfortunately for her she did live the normal life of a girl her age. Theresa Flores was a victim of sex trafficking for over 2 years, and saw no way out. Her life was constantly in danger, as well as the lives of her family as they were threatened by the sex traffic ring she was stuck in. She was forced to do things that no woman should have to do. She is living proof that something like this can happen to anyone, she came from an affluent family and was so innocent and sheltered. It didn’t matter how much money her father made or how big their house was or how safe the neighborhood, she still fell victim. After escaping the ring she felt a calling to use her bad experience to help girls going through the same thing and to try and prevent it from happening to more girls. She founded an organization called SOAP, Saving Our Adolescents from Prostitution. By putting the national hotline for sex trafficking on the back of bars of soap in motel and hotels, victims could reach out for help by calling in to the number on the bar of soap. Since many meeting points for these interactions took place in cheap motels, they served as a prime place for the soap to be distributed.

I learned that leadership can sometimes come out of some very uncomfortable situations, situation that would never want to re-live or that you would never want anyone to have to experience. I think leaders in roles like these can be very powerful in having a positive impact on people lives. The commonality they can share with people that have gone through the same thing can be much more powerful than the best psychologist or counselor.

Theresa Flores had strong personal values that she acquired from her upbringing and church life. She had remained purposefully remained a virgin her whole life until she was raped by the human traffickers. So few take on the role to abstain, and for it to be taken away from her and for her to still trust God through it all speaks volumes to her character and love of the lord. She knew that there were girls out there that were hurting just like she was and that helping them in whatever way possible was the right thing to do.

Further down the road in my leadership path, information like this may be quote useful. We all have faced some unique or sometimes extremely difficult circumstances, but using these experiences to help others grow is something we should all strive for. No matter how horrible the circumstance leaning on go for help and trusting him to get you through it can get you along way and out of situations that seem to have no escape. My biggest takeaway from this lecture would be to use the experiences that you have faced in your life to relate to and help others out along the way. While doing so, trusting in God to guide you through and staying faithful to him are of the utmost importance.