The World Cup's Biggest SecretJess Ford - 6 Jun 2014

Later this month millions will flock to Brazil to participate in one of the world’s leading industries.

While its popularity is renowned across the world, its notoriety goes deeper than you may expect. It’s an industry that engages almost every country on the planet; captivating countless numbers of male and female clientele alike and making more money annually than Nike, Starbucks and Google put together. 

Sadly, though, this industry isn’t football. This industry is Human Trafficking...
 
With the World Cup and the mass influx of tourists it brings with it less than a week from arriving on Brazil’s shores, traffickers are preparing for a month of the highest demand they’ll encounter. And in business, when demand increases, so does the supply - and unfortunately sex-tourism is no different. 

It is estimated that 20% of Brazil’s population live below the poverty line. Many struggle to survive day-to-day in a country with one of the largest disparities between rich and poor. Yes, Brazil is widely known for it’s beautiful beaches, wonderous weather and crazy carnivals but hidden behind its beauty this enconomic imbalance is increasing and the poor are becoming evermore vulnerable to exploitation and violation. For many, the slavery of the sex industry is the only way out of the poverty in which they live.

On May 13th 1888 Brazil formally abolished slavery but over 120 years later it’s far from a thing of the past. It is estimated that somewhere up to 40,000 people in Brazil are still trapped by it today. Children as young as 12 are sold to multiple men every night of the week for less then we would pay for a cup of coffee. While their peers are fast asleep dreaming of their futures, these children are having their futures stripped from them; being forced to live in a reality no child should ever encounter. 

And all this to feed the greed of man.

So how do we, the armchair onlookers of one of the worlds greatest sporting events, engage in being forces for good against the evil of trafficking? 

The answer is simple. We get angry, we get heartbroken and we get on our knees and pray that God would be the greatest influence against this exploitative greed.  This World Cup let’s not be blinded by the goals and the glory but be alive to the suffering that’s hidden behind the celebration.

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy 

Proverbs 31:8-9

Join us this World Cup in speaking up. In praying for those we don’t see, whose names we don’t know, that our all loving and all powerful God would be with them. 

Let’s #PrayBrazil14

All images are used by permission in accordance with commons copyright license terms: Feature image is a derivative of the images 'Maracana Stadium' by www.bbmexplorer.com, 'Neymar of Brazil' by mitbbsnews1 'Torcedor' by paulisson miura and 'World Cup Protest 8' by Ben Tavener