We think of sex trafficking as being out there somewhere in the jungles of Central America or in Thailand and Cambodia. And to be sure, it is there. But what we must understand as parents and as Christians is that human trafficking is in every zip code in the United States as well.

What do we need to know as parents to help prevent our children from being sexually exploited?

In this episode, Dr. Rondy Smith shares the shocking way many young girls are being lured by sexual predators. She reads a letter from a young woman with the pseudonym “V” who was sexually exploited for all of her teenage years—and  her parents had no idea even though it was happening under their roof. “V” was lured into a sexually exploitive relationship by a distant family member in his 30s who was posing as a suicidal 12-year-old boy from a neighboring school. Once this predator got his first image, he had control which he used to manipulate “V” for 8 years.

Rondy provides invaluable advice for parents to spot the signs of sexual exploitation. Moms and dads must:

*Heed that still, small voice—if something feels off, trust your instincts.

*If your child panics when denied access to their devices, dig deeper. That could be a sign that they are in a sexually exploitive relationship.

*Know that your child will often take the blame for their abuser and seek to shield others from the pain of what is happening.

*Use extreme caution when posting pictures of children online.

*Learn to think like a predator because they exist.

*Not live in fear, but awareness.

Parents must be “wise as serpents but innocent as doves.” (Matt. 10:16). We must know the threats and the signs in order to prevent the spread of this evil.

Rondy’s bio: Dr. Rondy Smith is Founder & CEO of Rest Stop Ministries, which is a residential restoration program for female survivors of sex trafficking in the Nashville, TN area. Rondy is an ordained minister with a Doctorate in Education from Vanderbilt University in Human & Organizational Development, and she has served 37 years in Corporate, Academic, and Ministry professions.

EPISODE RESOURCES:

Rest Stop Ministries, Rest Stop: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter

NCOSE: The National Center on Sexual Exploitation

SCRIPTURES REFERENCED:

Galatians 1:5

Hebrews 10:23

Romans 4:17

Matthew 18:10-14 (the lost sheep)

Psalm 40:1-3