Stop Sign

This is by no means a political post!

I stop at this sign every day when I come home from work and I’ve never taken the time to reflect on it’s meaning until today.

You see, this week, after a very long journey of writing, editing, and re-editing my novel TRAFFIC STOP: HUMAN DIVISION, the author copy finally landed in my hands in completed form.

This experience was like holding my newborn baby for the first time; Completely breathtaking and awe inspiring!

As I reflect on this 7 year quest drawing to a close and anticipate the upcoming promotion that will take place in the the next months and years, I realize this stop sign’s significance to my story and what I’ve attempted to portray with this novel.

Signs are only the message.

It requires the driver of the car to take action or choose not to.

The same is true for this novel that will be released soon. It will take more than me writing a novel to stop human trafficking.

If some people were distracted and blew through a stop sign, that puts all people on the road at risk for serious injury or death. We are all on the road together.

All drivers are responsible for the lives of others. We need to collectively take a stance against human slavery. Parents, Grandparents, and any legal adult are called to protect our vulnerable children in the United States and globally. We can work together to keep them safe. Youth who have already been abused could be rescued and healed. Those who remain innocent could avoid victimization of perpetrators who attempt to prey on them.

Believe me, there are people who are violent predators. Often a perpetrator has up to 10 victims alone. I have helped their victims piece their lives back together, one day at a time. These predators live all throughout our world, all throughout the United States of America, and within your very own neighborhoods. I pray, for your sake, these perpetrators who hurt and destroy do not live behind your closed doors…but they may be there too.

I hope above hope that you have been shielded from those people who intend to harm others based from their own pain and suffering. Please consider yourself blessed if that has been your experience, but know that to be human is also to know suffering.

And We are all human. We have all suffered something.

Imagine you are 2 or 5 years old. Or if you are 10, 14, or 17. How vulnerable were you then? Did you have the capability to protect yourself from the mind games some people play? Do you now?

I implore you to look right and then left (especially left because traffic does not stop) in all situations you are faced. I ask that you learn more about what makes a perpetrator tick and how to spot someone who has ill intentions for our youth. A snapshot of this is mapped out in my novel.

Just like we must stop at traffic signs to avoid mass chaos and unnecessary harm, we must all do our part to end human trafficking…because if any one of us are enslaved, we all are.

This novel was written with the intention to awaken the masses of this ever present and marginally undiscussed topic, to get our heads on a pivot as Ross Gehler yelled at Chandler Bing to do in the famous Friend’s episode (RIP Matthew Perry), and to do our part in prevention and/or intervention of our current and future children who might become ensnared into sexual slavery.

Now, I choose to speak for those who have no voice; Trafficked youth who are scared and don’t know what to do. Innocent youth who don’t know any better on how to keep safe.

I’m not asking you to rescue a child from the Columbia rainforest on an impossible one-man-mission; although, I am SO grateful some are willing/able to do so! My request of you is this: educate yourself about the signs of human trafficking and about the characteristics of sexually exploitative perpetrators, and make a call to 911 (our already knowledgeable legal heroes) to physically rescue a potential victim.

Be an everyday hero. Stop at the traffic sign. Be aware of your surroundings by looking all directions even if the sign says only look left. Prevent unnecessary harm. Call for help if you have the slightest suspicion. We all need to do our part.

You are my everyday heroes.

Thank you for supporting this effort!