And So We GO to London

During the summer of 2012 thousands of hopeful athletes will choose to travel from around the world to win gold in London at the Olympics. But every minute, of every hour, of every day, men, women and children are forced to travel around the world to make gold for someone else; they have been trafficked.

Even as the athletes prepare for their arrival in the United Kingdom in pursuit of their dream of winning gold, other men and women are being forced into coming to the country in search of a better future, only to find that for them there is only ever one winner – their trafficker.

It is our responsibly to take this opportunity to alert the world to the reality of this tragic crime; to inspire visitors gathered in this city for the Games - residents from thousands of towns and cities – to become aware and take action to stop this crime.

Although human trafficking and forced labour are ongoing problems in London and the UK, the London 2012 Games could make the situation worse. Past international experience signals a risk of an increase in human trafficking in the lead up to and during major sporting events. The mass influx of visitors could fuel a greater demand for cheap, temporary labour in jobs vulnerable to slavery. It is likely criminal gangs may use the Games to lure people to the UK for jobs that don't exist, only to exploit them elsewhere. Overseas workers making Olympic-branded products which Londoners and tourists will buy for the Games are also at risk of slavery. And it's not just labour trafficking that could be on the rise....

The eyes of the world will be on London as it hosts the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Sport can be a positive force in the lives of Londoners, but major sporting events have also been linked with increases in trafficking, prostitution and sexual assault in the past.

We are concerned that traffickers will seek to profit from the 2012 Games and would like the UK government to do everything it can to prevent this and reduce the risk to vulnerable women.

British Government official, Yvette Cooper, stated "Studies worldwide show that international sporting events, where people move across borders, are used by criminals under the cover of tourism to exploit women and children. The Government must wake up to the risk that traffickers will seek to profit from the 2012 Games and take action to make sure this event does not make the situation worse."

This information and more have inspired Creagon and I to be part of this London Olympics outreach. Would you consider praying for us as we assemble this team and investigate ministry opportunities? You can also donate to us for this outreach, and be part of making this trip possible. And you can even join us in London! Visit the YWAM Orlando website for more trip information and how to apply.

Join us this summer as we make slavery history.

Source information:

http://www.atalliance.org.uk/index.php/sex-trafficking/2012-olympics

http://ungiftbox.org/?dm_i=D5L,L6ME,1KM19A,1Q3VB,1

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23921738-olympics-will-be-magnet-for-sex-trafficking-gangs-warns-yvette-cooper.do

http://www.antislavery.org/english/campaigns/slavery_free_london/default.aspx