Safer Internet Day

February 11, 2025

In the European Union – and increasingly around the world – the second Tuesday of February is celebrated as Safer Internet Day. This year, it falls on today, February 11. We are marking today because of the increased impact that the internet has had on trafficking and anti-trafficking efforts in recent decades. Increased accessibility to pornography, anonymous purchasing, and lack of evidence trails have all contributed to the increase in traffickers’ use of the internet to do their business.

There are two major factors that make fighting the use of the internet in trafficking more difficult to fight than other venues traffickers use for business. First, the anonymity of the internet not only gives traffickers a sense of security that they will not be caught, but it makes it much easier for them to impersonate a friend or acquaintance of their target. In addition, one of the biggest concerns for those who fight online trafficking is the high rate of evolution of apps and ways to connect. If a communication app or set of advertisements is flagged and taken down, it can be replaced in just hours. Teaching your children and those in your circles how to be safe on the internet is a constantly evolving process and requires flexibility and resilience.

It is important to note that “internet trafficking” by no means takes place solely in an online limbo. The real, physical violence and trauma to trafficking victims who were groomed or blackmailed via the internet is not diminished by the fact that their process of entrapment – often grooming or blackmail – began online. Concerns about children’s internet safety are growing in universality. In the United States, for instance, there have been attempts in recent years to protect children via legislation at the federal level. The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) was first introduced in 2022 and passed the Senate. It did not achieve a needed majority in the House of Representatives. As a result, there is more work to be done.

Like other trafficking risks, solving the problem of unsafe internet is an issue that needs to be fought on a communal level. Although it can be difficult to talk to children about internet safety, restrictions are necessary to keep them safe from an internet that is not. “I’m a good kid,” they may protest, “don’t you trust me?” It may be helpful to emphasize that of course you trust them, but you do not trust the predators lurking online – and neither should they. Ensuring that your community, your children, and the children in your circles are as informed as possible is one of the most important things you individually can do in order to build the necessary circles of protection. Take time to set up parental controls, establish a culture of openness with online activities, and be a non-judgmental listening ear for your children when they come to you with questions or concerns.There is no better time to begin than today.

CALL TO ACTION~
~Attend Women At Risk, International’s (WAR, Int’l) Civilian First Responder Training Conference, learn more here.
~Attend or host one of WAR, Int’l’s S.T.A.N.D. Classes, learn more here.

Year in Review | 2024

By Becky McDonald, Founder & President
-January 2025

2024 IN REVIEW

Dear WARriors:

The “dirty little secret” of 150 years of government and ministry abroad is a gigantic welfare system where dependency hostility is real. We’ve fed fish to the starving but never taught them to fish! You CANNOT rescue someone, pat them on the head and say, “Nasty little life there…go do something nice.” Over 90% of Cambodians rescued and sent home without job training get RESOLD. You MUST empower work with dignity, or they’re re-scammed. We passionately help rebuild lives a day at a time at their own pace. If you’re starving, I’ll feed you a fish. BUT, may I PLEASE teach you to fish, make fishing poles, and sell your fish and fishing poles?

WAR is passionate about the 200+ projects and programs we partner with. One of our favorite questions is, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Whether they are 2, 12, or 52 years old…we want them to DREAM and make that dream come true! One woman recoiled saying, “I’ve learned never to dream!” I said, “Start now!” This year that turned into GOATS! Yep! Inside the WAR program world, G.O.A.T. actually stands for GIVING OPPORTUNITIES AND TRAINING, which is about animal husbandry of goats and chickens. Much of our time this year was spent in Zambia, experiencing a famine and the worst drought in history. Walking by 2 freezers in our buildings there, I decided on the spot to buy goats…85 to start! If we couldn’t grow corn, we’d eat meat! The WAR family rallied. Our Zambian staff are dreaming of having 2 million goats! Seriously!

Goats aside…A quick look at “work with dignity” is a dazzling array of skill training that we’ve done!

• Sewing, Knitting, Weaving ~ In former British colonies sewing is a real income, making 10 times a daily labor man’s job if a woman is industrious…WHILE she watches her kiddos at home.

• Agricultural Training ~ Along with the animal husbandry, we train women (and men watch and learn) how to grow gardens, do drip irrigation and make their own food to eat AND sell.

• Jewelry Making ~ Shoppers KNOW our high-end jewelry, real stones, pearls…beautiful gifts. Shopping for these literally jumps you in the trenches with us, lifting lives to work with dignity.

• Bakeries, Coffee Shops, Culinary Training ~ From Asian bakeries that supply royal families to coffee shops and 5-star hotel culinary training…we help men and women to dream this dream.

• Scarves and Clothes ~ From Pakistan to India to Thailand, we have the most incredible silk, embroidered, pashmina, cashmere, cotton and more scarves for every taste.

• Spa Products ~ Begun to help a tiny American girl, sold by her father to politicians, we launched a full line of spa products made by rescued and at-risk Americans.

• Micro-Businesses ~ From a Ugandan nuts and bolts kiosk, to produce grown and sold by widows, selling door to door, woman to woman, to sales of every kind…our women are flourishing in their own businesses.

• Education ~ From teaching Braille, to culinary schools, to doctors, lawyers, engineers, art, teachers, cosmetology, physical therapy, counseling…you name it…if a survivor dreams it, we make DREAMS a reality.

• Toys ~ My favorites are the kids toys from a croaking frog (for real), to finger puppets (I have 1 of each), to owl backpacks, to amazing baby llama fur, to tiny miniatures, and so much more!

These are just a few ways we helped survivors rebuild their lives to WORK WITH DIGNITY in 2024, in addition to wrap-around trauma informed rescue, aftercare, and healing:

Rebecca McDonald
Founder & President

Host a Pop-Up Boutique, Save a Life

January is Human Trafficking Prevention & Awareness Month.

As part of the January Campaign of Women at Risk, International (WAR, Int’l) to bring awareness, here is the second blog article in the series.

(Keep scrolling to learn special offer.)

WAR, Int’l events are more than shopping at our pop-up boutiques to empower at-risk and rescued individuals or presentations to learn ways to fight trafficking. They have birthed stories of rescue. Here are two of those stories.

A Little Girl Saved

Our hostess shared the following story: “Pamela, an event attendee, came up to me tonight at our meeting and told me that she is an officer of the court. Pamela said that after our WAR, Int’l presentation, she remembered the signs of trafficking discussed and she remembered a man with a young girl in court. The man had the passport and did all the talking while the girl held her head down the entire time. Pamela was able to get a message to the judge. After questioning them, the court confirmed the girl was being trafficked. Your presentation was used to save someone! Thank you for all you do!”

A Pop-Up turns into a Rescue

At WAR, Int’l we often say, “one call can save a life.” While this usually brings to mind emergency calls or hotline tips, sometimes a simple call about hosting an event can also lead to rescue.

Valerie from Atlanta made such a call. Many years ago, she attended a women’s conference where WAR, Int’l Founder and President Rebecca McDonald spoke about Atlanta’s trafficking crisis. Inspired, Valerie kept a WAR, Int’l brochure tucked in a book & forgotten… until six years later, when she rediscovered it. Feeling prompted to act, she contacted her women’s ministry leader and arranged to sell WAR, Int’l products at a retreat.

When asked to speak about trafficking at the event, Valerie agreed. She also sponsored a young woman who couldn’t afford to attend. During Valerie’s talk, the sponsored woman bravely shared her ongoing story of abuse, addiction, and exploitation. She confessed she was being trafficked and used to recruit others—and she wanted out.

The women surrounded her with prayer, hope, and practical help. Ministry leaders found her a safe place to stay and connected her with resources for her journey to freedom.

In rehab, supported by Valerie and others, the survivor thrived in the program, even expressing a desire to help others escape exploitation someday.

SPECIAL OFFER | February through July 2025

Contact the WAR Chest Boutique at 616-530-1234 or info@warchestboutique.com to book your VIP Boutique Party.

Contact us today at 616-855-0796 or Party@WARInternational.org to host a pop-up boutique!

LEARN MORE HERE.

Myths that Perpetuate Trafficking

January is Human Trafficking Prevention & Awareness Month.

As part of our January Campaign to bring awareness, Women At Risk, International (WAR, Int’l) here is the first blog article in the series.

Myths that Perpetuate Trafficking (and Facts that Break Chains)

Today, at least 50 million people are enslaved by the evil that is human trafficking. Though it is frequently punishable by law, the horrific realities are often hidden behind closed doors. To make matters worse, the shadowy nature of human trafficking contributes to many misunderstandings which allow the industry to thrive. In the spirit of National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, here are a few myths that confuse and hinder the efforts to combat human trafficking in our own communities, nationally, and across the globe.

It is of note that this is not an exhaustive list.

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Myth: Human trafficking only happens in impoverished countries overseas.

FACT: Human trafficking exists in nearly every country, including in the “Land of the Free.”

Human trafficking has become the most pervasive criminal activity in the world, and it happens in nearly every country across the globe. According to the International Labor Organization, the Asia and Pacific region has the highest number of victims at 29.3 million, over half of the global total. In the Americas, human trafficking victims are primarily women subjected to sexual exploitation. While human trafficking is a global problem, this does not preclude it from being an American problem. In 2017, human trafficking was reported in every single U.S. state. There are at least one million victims of modern slavery in the United States and an estimated 15,000 to 50,000 women and children are trafficked for sex each year. Individuals are enslaved in our communities, and we are not absolved from fighting for them.

***

Myth: Sex trafficking is about sex.

FACT: Human trafficking is an industry, and sex sells.

The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 defines sex trafficking as “the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for the purposes of a commercial sex act in which the commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud or coercion” (emphasis added). The emphasis on “commercial” is crucial—human trafficking begins when enslaved victims are coerced, used for profit, and estranged from the money they “earn.” Efforts to curb human sex trafficking often focus on the seemingly uncontrolled desire for sex, steering activism away from the root of the problem. The problem is not that sex is desired, but that the desire for sex is exploited to make a profit at the cost of vulnerable individuals. Sex trafficking is only one vein of human trafficking and each form shares one thing in common: traffickers monetarily benefit from the exploitation of others.

***

Myth: Human trafficking is a “male” problem.

FACT: Human trafficking is a “heart” problem. Women are complicit, too.

Society often presents a picture that trafficking is perpetuated by men, hungry for sex and power. The reality, though, as presented above, is that human trafficking is primarily aimed at monetary exploitation. Women have a role in this, too. One study conducted by the United Nations found that 60% of traffickers are women. In many cases, brothel keepers, or “Madams,” are women that oversee the prostitution of other women under their “care.” It is likely that female traffickers are as common as male traffickers, and they often operate together in the context of abusive, hierarchical relationships. Female sex traffickers are often “supporters,” “bottoms,” or “partners in crime.” Often victims of trafficking themselves, they are frequently exploited to perpetuate the cycle of violence by grooming new victims, handling cash, and “advertising.”

***

Myth: Rescue is enough.

FACT: Rescue is only the beginning of a long path towards healing.

Trafficking destroys lives. Victims often exist in a state of social death, having lost their identity as an individual and becoming only what their masters and consumers want them to be. Some survivors, rescued out of slavery, have presented PTSD more severe than that of veterans. Trauma does not dissipate in the hours, days, or even months after a survivor is released from her chains. Arguably, after rescue comes the hardest, messiest work. Just as important as seeking liberation from bondage is coming alongside women as they heal, regain their sense of worth, and work towards building a new life for themselves. If aftercare is ignored, the cycle of violence continues. With nowhere else to go, women often fall back into exploitation. Because of this, WAR, Int’l is committed to breaking chains, establishing circles of protection such as safehouses, and providing vocational training that leads to restored dignity.

Join us in facing the reality and breaking the chains of modern slavery!

Attend a Civilian First Responder Training to learn how you can rise up against trafficking.

Host a pop-up boutique to educate your community and support survivors on their healing journeys.

Read Part Two in the series here.

Read Part Three in the series here.

Invest In Women

March 8th | International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day is a global celebration of women’s social, economic, cultural, and political achievements. It is a day to recognize the progress we have made and also to acknowledge the work that still needs to be done to create a more equal and just world for all women. This day is not just about celebrating women, but also about coming together to support and empower one another.

As we continue to face challenges and obstacles, it is important to stand in solidarity and work towards a future where women are valued and respected in all aspects of life. Let us use this day to reflect on the progress we have made, and to inspire one another to continue making positive changes for women. The theme for 2024 is Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress.

Work of Women At Risk, International

At Women At Risk, International (WAR, Int’l), we are dedicated to supporting and empowering women on a daily basis. Through our collaborative efforts with safehouses both internationally and domestically, we strive to rescue, restore, and empower women who are wounded or at risk by providing them with a secure environment to heal and grow. Our approach is to offer culturally sensitive, value-added intervention projects as well as counseling, education, skills training, and more, to ensure their holistic well-being.

Furthermore, we have created and nurtured relationships with our global and local partners who offer vocational training centers and microenterprises to create opportunities for rescued and at-risk women to earn a living with dignity. By empowering them to support themselves safely and independently, we aim to prevent exploitation and promote self-sufficiency.

Encompassed Creations | Our U.S. Training Center

Precious wounded women and children have walked through the doors of our international headquarters—weary and in need of a safe haven. Our U.S. Training Center (USTC) provides them with a fresh beginning in a holistic program offering counseling, skills training, scholarships, employment, and much more. As women learn to design and create beautiful products within a nurturing community, they are also learning to redesign their lives and dream again. Working with dignity empowers them to provide for their children, learn skills, build a resume, and change their futures.

When you purchase jewelry, candles, spa products, and other items handcrafted by our artisans, you invest in our own communities, helping us rescue, restore, and empower in “the land of the free.”

Invest in the Lives of Women

As you consider how you can invest in the lives of women around the world, here are three ways to make a difference:

1. Link arms with your friends to co-host a WAR Chest Pop-Up Boutique!

Learn more here or simply email party@warinternational.org us today.

2. Volunteer at our headquarters or at events!

Sign up here or simply email volunteer@warinternational.org us today.

3. Donate to our 911 Rescue Fund to help facilitate rescues here!

Read stories of rescue here.

We wish all women around the world a very happy International Women’s Day!