"He lies in wait like a lion in cover; he lies in wait to catch the helpless; he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net. His victims are crushed, they collapse; they fall under his strength. He says to himself, 'God has forgotten; He covers His face and never sees.' ARISE, LORD! LIFT UP YOUR HAND, O GOD. DO NOT FORGET THE HELPLESS." (Psalm 10:9-12)
Earlier this year, I joyfully read a new biography, Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce And The Heroic Campaign To End Slavery, written by Eric Metaxas. I was already thankful for William Wilberforce, because 200 years ago he had also been a leader of an influential London group formed to bring Jewish people to their Messiah and also back to the Promised Land. The new biography focuses on Wilberforce's strong Christian faith and tireless work to make slavery illegal in the British empire and beyond.
Not long after reading that biography, I received a call from a young Russian woman in desperate need. Somehow, she had heard about Leslie in Brooklyn who knows the laws and helps people and is with God. She had answered an American man's internet fishing for a Russian wife, and had arrived several months ago to marry him. This alarming practice is not uncommon, alas. They married, and at first things seemed OK, but it turned out that he is very abusive, threatening and immoral, and has taken all of her documents and confined her in the home more or less as a slave. I am still in contact with her, and ask for your prayers.
The young lady appears to be a possible human trafficking victim. This form of modern slavery comes in many evil varieties, including forced servitude and even something specifically called servile marriage. It is a huge and growing problem in the world, very profitably operating through large dangerous criminal networks and also much smaller individual enterprises. It usually involves forcing or deceiving a victim to enter into an opportunity that turns out to be a slavery from which there is no escape. People are literally bought and sold in a morbid supplier/consumer setup. One of the very largest sources of these slaves is Russia, and one of the very largest destinations is the USA, particularly New York.
Our federal government has a specific hotline number and website to help and inform trafficking victims and citizens (www.acf.hhs.gov/trafficking/ ) as well as safe places to which they can come if they want to be rescued and safely transitioned. Notice on the federal website that Russian is one of the language options. New York City also has a large non-profit agency with a special human trafficking victim branch, and there is an excellent new ministry organizing to help victims.
In the specific case of our lady, the local and federal agencies have been very responsive to us and willing to assist her. A main issue at first was whether or not she really wanted real help that would take her out of a bad situation into an unknown situation that, in her abused mind, might be just as bad or worse. It must be her decision, because her case at this point does not fit the criteria for an active intervention.
Our lady had an emotional investment in her abuser, even though things went terribly wrong very quickly (constant verbal abuse, manipulation and intimidation; confiscation of all of her documents; deception that our government is her enemy so as to frighten her and increase her sense of isolation and helplessness; forced servitude in the home all day every day; no opportunity to move about freely outside the home -- all very typical in trafficking situations). She desperately hoped he would change, but now realizes this is only a distant prospect. She is currently waiting for greater understanding of her legal options, and is more willing to choose outside help.
This young lady is just one of literally tens of thousands who have been brought to America through human trafficking -- modern slavery. As Christians, we need great compassion, wisdom and attentiveness. Especially we need to pray. Here are some specific prayers for our lady, and please remember the many other victims as well:
1. Assurance of salvation in Jesus (she has some religious background).
2. Immediate protection and wisdom for her and for us, especially since we do not know if he is part of a large ruthless operation or just an individual with more limited means of enforcement.
3. Safe opportunities and timing for her to communicate with us.
4. Guidance and strength about receiving help and pursuing legal remedies against a trafficker, which would also open the way for more government assistance and financial/restoration aid.
"'Because of the oppression of the weak and the groaning of the needy, I will now arise,' says the Lord. 'I will protect them from those who malign them.' And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times. O Lord, You will keep us safe and protect us from such people forever." (Psalm 11:5-7)
