Kevin Beirne
It is appropriate that today, the start to our nation’s Independence Day weekend celebration, is the day that a new set of Tennessee state laws begin to combat sex trafficking.
In our land of the free, too many women and children, have not been free at all. Trapped in the world of sex trafficking, often at a young age, they do not possess the most basic of our human rights.
It is tragic that this problem has become widespread, particularly because its victims are so often minors. In fact, research by WRCB-TV confirmed that nearly half of the current sex trafficking cases in Hamilton County involve a child.
It’s hard to comprehend how someone could treat a precious life and a child’s innocence as a commodity.
Several young children have been placed in our care because they have had a parent or guardian caught up in this tragedy. Imagine a person who sells her own daughter on the streets, then walks away when the daughter becomes pregnant and has a child.
At Bethel Bible Village, we’re providing safety for these children in our homes, and healing through counseling and therapy and we applaud these new laws to further protect our children.
As you celebrate our nation’s freedom this weekend, I hope you’ll take a moment to pray for the young children who are being impacted by this terrible offense, and pray for our law enforcement, Juvenile Court officials and TBI special agents who will work to stop sex trafficking and imprison the offenders.
Kevin Beirne
President, Bethel Bible Village