Yes, YOUR Church Has a Sex Trafficking Problem

Photo by Robin Pierre on Unsplash

We may think, ya, but not our church. But listen to the story of Carya and in my own research and work with survivors…I've met with survivors that have been recruited in church. I have met survivors that have run into buyers in their church who were worship leaders, they were deacons, there were church Sunday school leaders, things like that. And of course, similar to Carya, I've known plenty of individuals who've experienced familial trafficking, and they attend church every Sunday. So, we cannot turn a blind eye to the fact that there are stories like this happening. And, finally, one of the things that I think the church has done a little bit better to address is that p*rnography is common.

P*rnography fuels the commercial sex industry. ¹

On the Safe to Hope podcast, 2025 series we’ve been talking to, and talking about, a storyteller who experienced significant and devastating abuses on multiple levels. The last episode, airing on April 8, described the horrific circumstances of familial sex trafficking. Carya, our storyteller, also discussed the presence of camaras, photographs, and one of the ways in which those pictures contributed to her abuse.

It would not be at all surprising to me if church leaders have opted out of listening to this season. There may be many who are saying the very thing our expert contributor, Dr. Heather Evans, mentioned above, “Not our church,” meaning, “sex trafficking isn’t happening here!” So no need to listen to the salacious details of sexual assault. My question for those who might want to dismiss this Safe to Hope series as irrelevant to their own church environment and life is, are you or any other leader on your church or Christian organization staff looking at p*rn?² Is there anyone in your church body or organization who struggles with p*rn? If you answer “yes” to either of those questions, your church has a sex trafficking problem. The supply and demand of p*rnography is what drives the trafficking industry and, if you or others in the church body are using p*rn you are supporting the entire operation.

What if…. What if the church led the way in eradicating p*rn, thereby defunding the trafficking industry? What would it look like for Christ’s body to lead the charge? Perhaps consider some of the following suggestions.

^“For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household.” (1 Pet. 4:7) The humility, honesty, and transparency of those with visibility in the “household of God” is so helpful to leveling the playing field. When leaders confess sin, genuinely and with evidence of faithful repentance, the rest of the body can feel safe confessing their own. Speed of the team is the speed of the leader, so they say.

“God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance.” (Rom. 2:4) Introduce the followers in your church or organization to a God who approaches sinners with compassionate, gentle, consideration. We may prefer to present a god who hits sinners over the head with a bat, but that’s just now how our God operates. What does repentance look like when a “kind” Shepherd leads us to it?

“The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife.” (1 Cor. 7:3-4) Teach mutuality in intimate relationships. If the need-meter shifts in either of two directions (husband or wife), the atmosphere in the bedroom will be one of “taking” rather than “giving.” By emphasizing “need” the ground is made ripe for the allure of p*rn. And, since the taking can never be enough, the “need” will never be satisfied and, in fact, it will grow increasingly dissatisfied.

“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. (Gen.1:27) Rethink, research, and reinterpret the current thinking on a doctrine of woman in your church or Christian organization. Is it too far of a stretch to believe that our current understanding of the “who” and “what” of a woman in Christian circles has caused a gulf so wide that it is impossible for men to respect them?³ And if women are not seen as fellow human image bearers, they are diminished to little more than their bodies. Disrespect is a key posture for those who have no problem objectifying the female body.

Sadly, and obviously, we likely won’t see the sin of p*rnography destroyed before Christ returns. Neither will we see any other sin obliterated. That doesn’t mean we don’t seek ways to choose life rather than the death of any addiction! The church, the entity given the power over sin to defeat it, should be on the cutting edge of trying to free the prisoners caught in this web of sex trafficking and abuse. We may not be able to storm the hotels, or the homes, or the churches where it’s happening, but we surely can begin by taking our own hearts captive, and then look for ways to enter into the enemy’s strongholds and rescue one another.

1. Dr. Heather Evans, Safe to Hope April 22, 2025, https://helpher.help/podcast-2/ Even if the p*rn you use is free, or generated by AI, the demand still fuels the industry.

2. Studies show both men and women may struggle with p*rn, but it appears scientific materialism has entered into the discussion. Do you have guilt for engaging with p*rn? It’s not your fault. “Believing that you are addicted to p*rn and telling yourself that you're unable to control your p*rn use hurts your well-being. It's not the p*rn, but the unresolved, unexamined moral conflict.” Just eliminate the unrealistic moral standard and you’ll be ok. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/women-who-stray/201808/science-stopped-believing-in-p*rn-addiction-you-should-too. This neglects to take into account what even the marketing industry knows well (and uses to impact our purchases). “Supernormal” refers to an exaggerated (i.e. “super”) version, or amount, of a “normal” thing...Supernormal stimuli such as p*rn can trigger measurable changes that can influence our lives in unhealthy ways…Our brains change themselves. Our expectations, responses, and preferences can adapt to exaggerated stimuli…p*rnography can shape how we view sexual situations by overwhelming our brain’s natural processes.” https://fightthenewdrug.org/how-p*rn-can-change-the-brain/

3. One of the newest trends for sexually active teens and young adults is the use of strangulation during sex. Where do we think that idea originates? And why does anyone think it’s ok? In cases of domestic violence a significant red flag for the relationship is when the perpetrator puts their hands around a victim’s neck. That action indicates, “I have the power and, given desirable circumstances, I will use it to harm you.”