Why it's okay to sell my daughter or son into sexual slavery

Now that I have your attention, please let me admit that I do not agree that anyone should be sold, forced, put, etc. into sexual slavery; however, I want to explore how a father/mother gets to a point when he/she reasons that selling his/her child into sexual slavery is acceptable. I find that reasons can be categorized into three broad groupings:

1. Selling someone into sexual slavery is not a big deal.

1. Selling someone into sexual slavery is an act of desperation.

1. Selling someone into sexual slavery is accomplished with deception and misrepresentation.

I happen to accept that moral absolutes do exist, but I also accept that not everyone agrees with this. The idea of selling someone into sexual slavery is anathema to me, and I think no one should condone sexual slavery, but I know that some, regardless of other additional explanations, do not react as negatively (if negatively at all) to sexual slavery. Mira Sorvino visited Cambodia (video link) and reprimanded men who had sold their daughters into slavery, but it seemed clear that even if a translator had been present, the men might not have understood her distress or even felt shame at what they had done. For them, selling their daughters for sex is not a big deal.

In areas of the world where poverty is extreme, some parents sell their daughters and sons into sexual slavery out of desperation in order to allow the other members of the family to simply survive. Often poverty makes being "deceived" or not considering sexual slavery as a big deal easier, and it is likely that if the family was not so desperately poor, the idea to sell a child would never be entertained. Many times, though, fathers and mothers feel anguish over selling their child into sexual slavery, knowing full well the hell their child will experience, but they feel as if no other option is available, and at least the rest of the family will be able to live and not suffer as much for a while longer.

Sometimes parents are tricked into giving their sons and daughters over to sexual slavery, as reported in many news stories these days. A friend or relative promises to find a job for the child, but in reality, the child is sold without the parents' knowledge, and often when the parents eventually learn the truth, the child may no longer be welcome in the family. The friend or relative misrepresents their plans and so deceive the parents and child.

Made for Freedom strives to offer alternatives to families in these situations by providing dignified employment that will be a more attractive option compared to working as a sex slave. We advocate for the dissolution of the sex trade, convincing people that sexual slavery is a big deal and must be ended. We support healing centers that rescue and restore women and girls from sexual slavery and work to expose the lies and dishonesty of the sex trade. We also research how poverty can be relieved so that fathers and mothers will not live in daily desperation to care for their families. We not only speak against the sex slave trade, we actively work alongside others to bring it to an end. It is not okay for you to sell your daughter and son into sexual slavery, but we will still love you and your children and will help you learn that we are all Made for Freedom.