NEW TO VOD! There is still slavery in the world today. The problem is that most countries either choose to ignore the problem or are economically dependent on the oppressive practice. Director Christina Zorich’s The New Abolitionists spotlights four Christian organizations dedicated to ending the epidemic of human trafficking. The documentary takes place primarily in Asia as it is considered the most trafficked region in the world, with over 11 million slaves.
The film opens with Zorich following an anonymous Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) combing Cambodia’s streets posing as sex tourists. These men arrange meetings with the city’s prostitutes and offer them a chance at freedom, including a safe haven at a girl’s home. Anyone who accepts help is given an education, counseling, and training in a skill that can help them earn a living wage.
“…four Christian organizations dedicated to ending the epidemic of human trafficking.”
Extreme Love Ministries is also located in Cambodia. Like the previous group, they give hope and shelter to sex workers while also focusing on preventative measures. This includes setting up at-risk families with micro-businesses and assistance in securing the proper paperwork for children to attend school.
Night Light International opened in 2005 in Bangkok, Thailand, and they offer support and services for anyone caught in the countries sex trafficking business. They’ve been able to enter “clubs” and “bars” and talk with girls. They offer to teach them English and have businesses of their own as an alternative to prostitution.
Lastly, there is The Tamar Project, which not only reaches out to the 35,000 prostitutes in Bangkok but also the 8,000 transgender “ladyboys” living in the city.
