I know this is far away. And about people we don’t know. And we have enough cares and woes and responsibilities close by.
But still….
With an increase in people comes an increase in demands. South Africa has discovered this firsthand as they’ve upped the ante on transportation, hotel space, and shopping for the World Cup. In an attempt to meet every need, however, there has been one disturbing consequence.
Human trafficking has increased immensely in South Africa in preparation for the international tournament, mostly but not exclusively for the purport of prostitution. There have been several reports of an influx in human trafficking since the games began, but business moves swelled long before the June 11 kick off. Many of these dealings have been in the works for years.
“[Traffickers] started the trafficking of people in 2004 as soon as they found out the World Cup would be in South Africa,” says Martha Richards, a missionary for International Mission Board in South Africa. “That’s when the traffickers started organizing official trafficking for this event.”
There is a common misconception–even by South African police, who turn their heads from prostitution because it brings revenue into the country–that women prostituting themselves at these sorts of events are earning money and have chosen their profession on their own. But these lies are not reality. Many men, women and children as young as 10 have been enticed into this lifestyle having no idea they would soon be enslaved, and they don’t keep a penny of the money they make.
I excerpted less than half of The lesser-known sport of the World Cup. You really should read the whole thing.
And pray?