Human trafficking is a global problem and one of the world's most horrific and shameful crimes. This act affects the lives of millions of people around the world and robs them of their dignity and freedom. Almost one out of every 150 people in the world is now being trafficked on any given day. The latest global estimates reported in 2022 show that human trafficking has increased by nearly 10 million people in the last five years. Traffickers dehumanize women, men and children from all corners of the world and force them into exploitative situations every day. While the best-known form of human trafficking is for the purpose of sexual exploitation, hundreds of thousands of victims are trafficked for the purposes of forced labor, domestic servitude, child begging or the removal of their organs. The statistics are overwhelming, but hope is not lost. The Tim Tebow Foundation is committed to advancing this fight for the millions who have been trafficked, exploited and/or who are at risk of becoming victims. Through direct services as well as partnerships with 12 other ministries, the Tim Tebow Foundation is currently fighting against human trafficking and child exploitation in more than a dozen countries around the world.
The foundation currently operates 8 safe homes, and partners in 34 more to support survivors as they heal and transition back into a life of freedom. This foundation is deeply committed to supporting survivors’ long-term recovery through communities of care, providing them with tools for physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual healing, empowering their liberation from the cycle of trauma in their lives and finding their new life of freedom. This problem is not only happening all over the world, but in our own backyards of York County, and it's time we stop waiting for someone else to do something about it and take the actions to save the lives of the victims and give them back their freedom. This is an issue that everyone knows is happening but no one wants to talk about it or do anything about it! I plan to raise awareness about the pressing concern of Human Trafficking and the mental turmoil that it has on victims and their families. It is not enough to raise awareness to this issue but to also educate people about what Human Trafficking is and how to detect it. In addition to raising awareness, I have started a GoFundMe account to raise 5,000 dollars or more to give money to the Tim Tebow Foundation to help with their mission of helping victims of human trafficking and sexual assault get their lives back and this money will also be put towards the funding of Operation Renewed Hope. This three-week surge of Operation Renewed Hope began July 17 and was the first US-based, multinational collaboration led by (HSI) Homeland Security and Interpol, working together with the International Center for Missing and Exploited Children in partnership with the Tim Tebow Foundation. HSI noted that “Operation Renewed Hope consisted of HSI special agents, victim identification specialists, computer forensic analysts and criminal analysts who worked side by side with domestic partners from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the International Center for Missing & Exploited Children in partnership with the Tim Tebow Foundation, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, the FBI and the Northern Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force alongside international partners from Interpol, Europol, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, Estonia, France, Germany, Ireland, Spain, and the United Kingdom.” Over a dozen victim contacts have occurred to date, and these will continue as law enforcement all over the world work together to find and protect these victims. Officials are now saying that “Operation Renewed Hope” is most likely the most successful operation of its kind.
By giving the funds to this operation, it can help to fund, support, train, and provide the technology to the rescue team so that they can get to the exploited children in need and those who are starving for hope. hrough this research and the funds that will be given towards the Tim Tebow Foundation, I hope to gain a better understanding of the mental toll that human trafficking has on people but also provide this organization with funding to reach these vulnerable people and restore hope into their lives.