1) What countries does WAR, Int’l work in?
2) How do you rescue women? Is rescue enough for at-risk women?
3) How many women does WAR, Int’l help in their safehouses and programs each year? What is a
4) Does WAR, Int’l pursue the prosecution of or other action against the trafficker?
5) Does trafficking happen in the US? What is the government doing about it? What is being done in
6) What are the three kinds of products that WAR, Int’l has?
7) Do all of WAR, Int’l programs sell products?
8) How much of the money from the product sales goes to the women? Who is WAR, Int’l financially accountable to? What is the financial break down? How are funds raised and delegated within WAR?
9) How does someone give to WAR, Int’l? Can I use my business here in America to help WAR, Int’l?
10) How can men be involved in the organization?
11) Is WAR, Int’l a “religious” organization?
12) Where is WAR, Int’l located?
13) How many staff do you have working stateside and overseas?
14) How can I get involved?
1) What countries does WAR, Int’l work in?
WAR, Int’l has programs and partnerships in over 40 countries including, India, Cambodia, Nepal, Kosovo, Thailand, Burma, Uganda, South Africa, Sudan, Bangladesh, Philippines, Paraguay, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Peru, Kenya, Rwanda, Nigeria, the Dominican Republic, the United States, Middle Eastern nations, Central Asian nations and more.
2) How do you rescue women? Is rescue enough for at-risk women?
WAR, Int’l takes a multi-pronged approach to rescuing women.
- Outreach: Our preferred method is outreach. In this way, WAR, Int’l partners form a relationship with at-risk women and use that relationship to offer a way to work with dignity. We have found that by using this method, the percentage of women who return to the streets is much lower because of the trust and relationship formed. This method puts the emphasis on the woman, offering her a safe place to come when she is ready to make that decision. Typically, rescuing a woman is the easiest task we face while job training and healing are the long-term goals that are more difficult to achieve.
- Emergency Interventions: This is often needed for trafficked or at-risk children who need immediate care. The Emergency 911 fund was established for this reason. Through the use of this fund, we can assist women and children in imminent danger.
- Police Raids: Another way that women are rescued is through police raids. The advantage of a police raid is that it is a more effective way to rescue women or underage children who may be closely guarded by their traffickers. A raid also has the goal of apprehending and prosecuting the trafficker. However, while a police raid may deal with the trafficker, it does not ensure that the victims will receive posttraumatic care. Given the choice, we prefer to focus on the method that gives the victim the greatest care.
- Prevention: WAR is involved in many preventive programs, such as orphanages, microenterprises, vocational training, scholarships, etc. These programs enable women to support themselves and therefore reduce the risk of being tricked into slavery or resorting to prostitution to support themselves and/or their family.
Rescue is absolutely NOT enough. Statistics out of Cambodia indicate that ninety percent of women who are rescued, but who do not receive job training, are re-sold (IJM). Rescuing a woman is invaluable, but many questions follow it. What can I do? Where can I go? Who can I trust? Who will help me? The women have an incredible amount of healing to do as they struggle with issues such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, AIDS/HIV, STDs, or injuries from physical assault. Rescue is not enough. The women must have holistic healing and support. The biggest challenge is to add value to the way they view themselves and the way they are viewed in their culture.
3) How many women does WAR, Int’l help in their safehouses and programs each year? What is a safehouse exactly? Are the safehouses safe? Are there local safehouses that WAR, Int’l partners with?
- The number of women helped each year changes constantly. Safehouses range from ten to two hundred women each at any given time.
- A safehouse is just that—a safe house. The safehouses that WAR, Int’l partners with provide job training, education, counseling, therapy, employment, discipleship, medical services, and spiritual mentoring for the women. A safehouse is a place where women can heal, have their lives restored, and reclaim their dignity. The safehouses that WAR, Int’l partner with are both residential and non-residential.
- The safehouses are generally very safe. There is a male presence at every home to meet men visiting for the wrong reasons and to give a visible male presence in mostly male cultures. Our homes blend in with their surroundings and do not have signs making them known as safehouses. Sometimes, they are seen as businesses that help women and a woman may be referred by locals who know that she is in trouble. Whether a woman goes directly to a safehouse depends on the situation of the woman running. If her abuser is looking for her, she will be sent to a safehouse far from their reach.
- WAR, Int’l does not list the true names of our partners for their protection and at their request. The safehouses are advertised as “businesses” to the local community, which is essentially what they are—businesses that exist to help women regain their lives, heal, and work with dignity.
4) Does WAR, Int’l pursue the prosecution of or other action against the trafficker?
If a victim chose to press charges against her trafficker, WAR, Int’l would support her completely. However, WAR, Int’l focuses on caring for the victim, rather than prosecuting the perpetrator. Organizations such as the International Justice Mission deal with the prosecution of perpetrators.
5) Does trafficking happen in the US? What is the government doing about it? What is being done in the United States?
- Trafficking does occur in the United States.
- Between 40-50,000 are trafficked through the US each year (CIA)
- An estimated 300,000 American children are at risk of trafficking (US Department of Justice)
- 12-years-old is the average age of entry into prostitution (Attorney General)
- Reported trafficking cases in all 50 States (US State Department)
- 1 out of 5 pornographic images is of a child (US Department of Justice)
The face of trafficking in the USA is children and it is well hidden. Boys and Girls alike are sold on the internet to Americans, from their own homes and often by their own parents or guardians. High School girls are trafficked by their classmates and boyfriends, too ashamed to tell their parents or teachers.
- The U.S. government signed the Trafficking Victims Protection Act in 2000. This act emphasizes the prevention of human trafficking through education and awareness; the prosecution of traffickers through increased legal enforcements; and the protection of victims by providing more services, creating a special T-visa for them. However, these services are dependent on the victim’s cooperation with law enforcement to prosecute the trafficker.
- The Dept. of Health and Human Services launched the Rescue and Restore campaign, which distributes materials in order to raise awareness of trafficking and supports various local anti-trafficking coalitions. Homeland Security also works closely with our office to follow up on leads, tips, and evidence that come to our attention through a number of ways.
- Outside of government activity, there are 30-40 national coalitions that are teaming up to fight trafficking in their community. The Polaris Project, the Salvation Army, Shared Hope International, Standing Against Global Exploitation, and WAR, Int’l are a few examples.
6) What are the three kinds of products that WAR, Int’l has?
- Preventive Product: These products are made by and solid in support of vulnerable women, helping them work with dignity and safeguard them against trafficking. Generally, our preventive programs focus on women who are targeted by traffickers, such as widows, orphans, and girls who have been abandoned, raped, or have had a sibling sold.
- Curative product: WAR, Int’l also carries curative products, made by women rescued from a risk situation and now employed with dignity. For example, in Thailand, safehouses train rescued women in jewelry or card making or sewing. Their products are sold in the United States, allowing them an alternative way to earn an income.
- Supportive Product: Some of WAR, Int’l’s products are sold to support and expand WAR, Int’l’s projects, allowing us to reach more women worldwide. The money raised is used in the area of greatest need: new programs, emergency funds, etc. An example of supportive products would be the sale of books or donated goods.
7) Do all of WAR, Int’l programs sell products?
No, WAR, Int’l is involved in many more ways; selling product is only one aspect of our multi-faceted approach to helping women. We also provide micro-loans, professional skill development, vocational training, goats for impoverished women, clean water, medical aid, emergency rescue, support and counseling for wounded women, and more.
8) How much of the money from the product sales goes to the women? Who is WAR, Int’l financially accountable to? What is the financial break down? How are funds raised and delegated within WAR?
WAR, Int’l seeks to be as cost-effective as possible. 90% of profits from the product made by an at-risk or rescued woman go directly back to them and their programs. 10% goes to the handling charges. WAR, Int’l is financially accountable to the board of directors, our donors, and community. WAR, Int’l is accredited by the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA). Designated donations go directly to the designated program. Undesignated donations go the program with the most need at the discretion of the president and the board of directors.
9) How does someone give to WAR, Int’l? Can I use my business here in America to help WAR, Int’l?
- Donations can be taken online or through the mail (please address checks to WAR, Int’l and mail to 2790 44th St. SW, Wyoming, MI 49519). We also have an alternative giving magazine, where you can chose to give a scholarship to a rescued woman, so she can work with dignity. In addition, WAR, Int’l also has some need for donated items, such as special occasion dresses, school supplies, Baby’s onesies, used crayons, and more.
- There are a number of ways that businesses can get involved in this fight. If the business has storefront, consider hosting some of our product made by rescued women. Doctor’s offices, spas, school stories, summer camps, etc. have also hosted product. Other businesses or individuals have contributed a portion of their profits to WAR, Int’l. Or, consider donating your professional skill—we have drawn upon businessmen and women to help make business plans for WAR, Int’l’s projects, or have brought a variety of professionals to help assist overseas and domestic issues, including lawyers, medical professionals, teachers, jewelry designers, cake decorators, photographers, videographers, writers, etc.
10) How can men be involved in the organization?
As WAR, Int’l grows, we realize the need for men’s involvement. The risks that women face cannot be eliminated without the help of the husbands, fathers, and sons that we love and respect. Men are welcomed to join us at our volunteer center, offer their professional and vocational skills, attend educational events, and shop our WARChest Boutique which offers a small variety of men’s products.
11) Is WAR, Int’l a “religious” organization?
WAR, Int’l is a 501(c)(3) with many Christians on staff who are passionate about women’s risk issues. We are non-sectarian in whom we help. We serve men, women, and children across religions: Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, atheists, Orthodox, and Christian and do not require anyone to agree with a certain faith or attend our worship services, which are offered in our safehouses but are non-compulsory. For more information about any religious affiliation contact info@warinternational.org
12) Where is WAR, Int’l located?
WAR, Int’l’s headquarters are based in West Michigan.
2790 44th Street SW
Wyoming, MI 49519
We currently have 3 WARChest Boutiques located in Rockford, MI; Wyoming, MI; and Naperville, IL.
13) How many staff do you have working stateside and overseas?
WAR, Int’l, currently employs a small, but growing full-time and part-time staff domestically. In addition, over 20,000 volunteer hours are served each year.
Safehouse staff varies from location and is dependent upon their own growth and need with the community. WAR often provides recommendations or ability for additional staff members.
14) How can I get involved?
See our Get Involved page or call (616)855-0796 for information about using your time, talent, and treasure to help at-risk and rescued women in the US and overseas.