Emily Rachelle Writes

A quick note to my lovely readers before we commence with the review - after the finale of My Imaginary Boyfriend this past weekend, there will be no more Saturday posts for the time being. I'm cutting back to just Tuesday and Thursday regular posts. Stolen Woman by Kimberly Rae What would you risk? Amazon Page LibraryThing Page GoodReads Page Author Website Amazon Summary: Human Trafficking… Asha knew nothing about it before meeting sixteen-year-old Rani, stolen from her home and forced into prostitution in Kolkata, India. Asha must help this girl escape, but Mark, a third generation missionary, keeps warning her away from the red-light district and its workers. Will she ever discover why? And will they ever stop their intense arguments long enough to admit their even more intense feelings for one another? When Asha sneaks out one last time in a desperate attempt to rescue her friend, someone follows her through the night. Is freedom possible? Or will she, too, beco...

Did you miss Thursday's post about FEE and the Blinking Lights Project ?  Well go check it out!  I'll wait for you.  I also recommend refreshing your memory on my human trafficking blog posts . Now that everyone's up to speed: the giveaway!  Well, not yet, actually.  First, I want to share what came with the free DVD in the discussion pamphlet. Note sent with the DVD, also available on the initiative website : Have you ever seen a movie so good, so moving, that tears flow freely as the audience rises to its feet to applaud as the closing credits roll? That was often the reaction in theaters when director Michael Apted’s remarkable film, Amazing Grace , appeared in theaters in 2006.

Happy Fourth of July!  Today seemed like a great day to talk about freedom-related topics, yes? A couple of weeks ago, an organization called FEE was brought to my attention.   FEE , standing for The Foundation for Economic Education , was founded "to inspire, educate and connect future leaders with the economic, ethical and legal principles of a free society."  For more information about FEE and its history, stop by their website .  It's definitely worth your time. One way FEE is carrying out their mission today is through what they call the Blinking Lights Project .  I encourage you to stop by that page on their website - the story is brief but absolutely amazing.  Why "blinking lights"?  Well...

Good morning, my lovely readers!  Today I'd like to share a website with you: Slavery Footprint .  This interactive website is a place for people to learn about and begin to fight against modern slavery ( human trafficking ).  When you first enter the website, you can either learn about modern slavery and then take a survey or go directly to the survey. The survey is eleven questions long, starting with demographics - location, gender, age - then getting into the specifics of your lifestyle and material possessions.  Topics include food, medicine cabinet, and kids.  Several questions have the option to "fine tune" your answers for more accurate results.

Trafficking Myths (from the FBI's human trafficking prevention page ) "Myth: Trafficking must involve the crossing of borders. Fact: Despite the use of the word “trafficking,” victims can actually be held within their own country—anti-trafficking laws don’t require that victims must have traveled from somewhere else. Myth: U.S. citizens can’t be trafficked. Fact: They can and they are. Myth: Victims know what they are getting into or have chances to escape. Fact: They’re actually duped into it and may not even think of escaping because of threats against them or ignorance of the law. Myth: Victims are never paid. Fact: Sometimes they are paid, but not very much. Myth: Victims never have freedom of movement. Fact: Some victims can move about, but are coerced into always returning, perhaps with a threat against their families back home." The same page offers tips for identifying human trafficking victims - which could be of any age and nationality...

Update: Since writing this post, I've discovered a website called Slavery Footprint that lets everyday people take up the fight against modern-day slavery.   Check it out today! Yesterday, I posted a review on a little book called Rescuing Hope   by Susan Norris .  While all of the below information can be found on her website and in the back of that book, I felt like I should share some organizations you can join with to fight human trafficking.  I am trusting Susan Norris here and cannot personally vouch for all the links.  This is a sensitive and gritty subject, so browse with caution. I highly recommend that anyone interested in educating themselves on or taking action against human trafficking start by reading Susan's book, Rescuing Hope .

To my younger readers, please note that this book and therefore this review is considered PG-13 and should be read with caution and parental guidance. Rescuing Hope by Susan Norris Hope is as familiar as the girl next door.  Like any young girl, she has dreams for her future, none of which include being trafficked. Amazon Page GoodReads Page LibraryThing Page Author Website Amazon Summary: Every two minutes, evil strips innocence from a child and sells her into slavery for sex. Not in a third-world country, but in the United States of America. Before you take another breath, the next victim will be tricked or taken from her family by a profit-hungry criminal.  She could be a neighbor. A friend. Your sister. Your daughter. You. At fourteen, Hope Ellis is the all-American girl with a good life—until the day she tries to help her mom with their cross-town move by supervising the movers. When they finish, one of the men returns to the house and rapes her. He...