The description of the movie Thelma & Louise states “An Arkansas waitress and a housewife shoot a rapist and take off in a ’66 Thunderbird.” As last week closed on International Women’s Day I watched the 1991 movie starring Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis. I was thinking about the irony of its then message as we celebrate women now.  The movie was relevant then and now perhaps even more so.

The film displays aspects of issues faced by women and girls related to sexuality and their inherent value separate from their body parts. Early in the film we see the main characters get caught up in a series of missteps that cause them to make permanent decisions to temporary situations. The film is replete with misogynistic references. Their reactions are out of frustration and hopelessness. How much has changed for women and girls since 1991?

Women and Girls

Today are women and girls more likely to have discovered who they are and where they fit in society? Who are their role models? Who are their guides? Where can they find support?

The plight of women and girls is not a male or female issue this is an issue for all genders.

Many girls and women have thought about using sexuality as a tool, thinking they had no other choices or that they could profit from it rather than being victimized by it. I was one of those girls. I remember thinking about using sexuality for my gain. I thought about using the attention getting, physical, attributes that were mine, to control my environment. My thoughts never came to fruition.

Facts and Figures

The Covering House documents the following:

• Human trafficking generates $9.5 billion yearly in the United States. (United Nations)
• Approximately 300,000 children are at risk of being prostituted in the United States. (U.S. Department of Justice)
• The average age of entry into prostitution for a child victim in the United States is 13-14 years old. (U.S. Department of Justice)
• A pimp can make $150,000-$200,000 per child each year and the average pimp has 4 to 6 girls. (U.S. Justice Department, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children)
• The average victim may be forced to have sex up to 20-48 times a day. (Polaris Project)
• Fewer than 100 beds are available in the United States for underage victims. (Health and Human Services)
• Department Of Justice has identified the top twenty human trafficking jurisdictions in the country:” Houston
• El Paso
• Los Angeles
• Atlanta
• Chicago
• Charlotte
• Miami
• Las Vegas
• New York
• Long Island
• New Orleans
• Washington, D.C.
• Philadelphia
• Phoenix
• Richmond
• San Diego• San Francisco
• St Louis
• Seattle
• Tampa  (Department of Justice)
• One in three teens on the street will be lured toward prostitution within 48 hours of leaving home. (National Runaway Hotline)

According to these statistics when I was a teenager growing up in Los Angeles I was a prime target for human trafficking. Because of God’s grace I was not the one in three on the streets. Although I have had my Thelma & Louise moments. It took time for me to arrive at an understanding of my human rights. While all of the scars have yet to heal, I am thankful for coming this far.

I appreciate the prayers of my grandmother, the teachers that encouraged me, the rays of light that aided my walk out of the dark maze of self-loathing and bad choices in which I found myself entangled.

The choices made by Thelma & Louise are being made in 2014.

As we celebrate International Women’s Day and watch movies like Thelma & Louise, what is it that we can do to improve the lives of women and girls today? How can you impact the numbers related to human trafficking?

Can you recognize someone’s pain, or offer a listening ear? Can you refrain from laughing at a joke that berates women? Can you invest in a young girl’s self-esteem? Can you offer support to legislation, which recognizes the value of women? Can you make a donation to an organization working to retrieve those precious women and children from the street?

Be part of the solution. “Every day, billions of women and girls are denied their human rights. Building a brighter tomorrow starts with doing more for those women and girls today.”

Take Inventory and Take Action!

Love,

Deborah

“Lighting the path to loving your neighbor as yourself.”