Metta-Care: Human trafficking and slavery

Human Trafficking and Slavery

Governments and organizations need all the help we can give them to combat this horrific problem.  Whatever we are led to do in our own lives to help, our metta practice can be a huge support. First, it helps us take care of our hearts so that we aren’t overwhelmed or paralyzed by what we feel when we hear about this evil. Second, the dear ones who are caught up in slavery and exploitation need our metta and prayers for them.

The founding premise of this blog is that metta isn’t just to help us be more compassionate and good-hearted people, though it will certainly do that.  Metta has spiritual power to literally change things in the world—to heal bodies and to bring physical and social change in the world. This isn’t something you have to have “faith” in.  See for yourself. Work with your heart. Do the metta for others.  Stick with it.  Let it change and transform your very being. And notice what happens in your body, your life, and your community.

Loving-kindness practice isn’t a magic wand to instantly cure the world’s ills, but there’s more to existence than mere material cause and effect.  Love changes things. In any event, how can your heart and loving thoughts not go out those who right now are in hell?

Experts estimate that there are more than 27 million slaves in the world today. This is a greater number than at the height of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade.

The U.S. State Department estimates that 800,000 people are trafficked against their will across international borders every year and that millions more are trafficked internally.

John Miller directs the U.S. State Department’s Office for Monitoring and Combating Trafficking in Persons.

“Information on slavery is very inexact. But we believe that the majority of slave victims—in the neighborhood of 80 percent—are the female gender, and that around 50 percent are children. We believe that the largest category of slavery is sex slavery. This is not to minimize other large categories — domestic servitude slavery, forced labor in farms and factory slavery, child soldier slavery,” Miller said. (Source Radio Free Europe-Radio Liberty Website)

http://www.endhumantrafficking.org/

http://www.notforsalecampaign.org/

http://actioncenter.polarisproject.org/