Destiny Rescue hosting concert Sept. 14 to educate, motivate public
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David Slone-dslone@timesuniononline.com
SYRACUSE – Human trafficking is one of the fastest growing crimes in the world, according to Destiny Rescue Chief Operations Officer Peter Everett, Syracuse. Destiny Rescue, a Christian aid and development organization recognized internationally, is not only trying to save women and children from sexual slavery, but also end the practice. In an effort to end child sex trafficking and make people more aware about it, Destiny Rescue is hosting a concert at the Wagon Wheel Theatre, Warsaw, Sept. 14. It will feature well-known Christian artist Shawn McDonald and trafficking survivor Chong Kim. Special guests will include Warsaw’s own Nick Stanton and Art 4 Abolition. According to U.S. Destiny Rescue CEO Barbara Everett, Syracuse, the organization was started in 2001 by Australian Tony Kirwan in response to his experiences in Cambodia. “Our mission is to rescue the sexually exploited, restore the abused, empower the poor, protect the vulnerable and be a voice,” she said. The rescue work is done by relationship building. She said teams will go into red light districts in the country where they are working. Peter said team members will go into brothels and meet the youngest girls. They will get to know them and build a trust with them until the girls are ready to leave. Barbara said rescuers work in teams for accountability purposes. They stay in common areas, and rescuers never are inappropriate with the exploited but treat them with respect. “Once we get a girl out, obviously the first objective is to get them in a safe place,” Barbara said. Then the victims are given physical, emotional and psychological help. They are provided with clothing and shelter. If a victim is under 15 years old, they are provided with education. Those over 15 are given an opportunity to work. Destiny Rescue provides the victims with job training. Those rescued make “Rescued Jewelry” and other items like bags, aprons and wallets in Thailand and Cambodia. Those items are then sold so Destiny Rescue can continue to save more people from sexual slavery. Peter said the girls are paid a wage and learn how to budget their money. They are given training in money management and taking care of their family. The end goal, said Barbara, is to help the rescued become self-sustaining.Millions of women and children need to be rescued from human trafficking, Peter said. Destiny Rescue has dozens of safe homes throughout Mozambique, Thailand, India, Cambodia, Laos and Burma, he said. “Rescue, restoration and prevention are the three main areas we work in,” he said. “We have over 1,000 children rescued from high-risk areas for children.” The organization educates and helps the children so they don’t have to experience the horrors of being abused and trafficked in the world, he continued. “The main thing is to stop the cycle of poverty,” said Barbara. “The number one key for people is to be aware of what’s going on in the world,” said Peter. “The next step is to give them tools to help them do something about it,” Barbara said. “We think every single person can do something. If they can’t give money, then they can have a voice.” At the Sept. 14 concert, Chong Kim will use her voice to tell her story of how she escaped and survived human trafficking in the U.S. from Texas to Las Vegas. Peter said Hollywood just finished a film about her story tentatively titled “Eden.” Barbara said the whole night Sept. 14 will be a production orchestrated to give people an opportunity to hear about the work Destiny Rescue is doing and how they can help. “We’ve expanded really fast, especially in the last 12 months,” Peter said. “We have a staff of 200 working for us globally. All have different skill sets. It is the variation of different skill sets that can bring changes to the lives of those kids.” Another way Destiny Rescue plans to help fight the crime is through a new program called “Trafficking Trespassing Unit Initiative.” It will be implemented in youth groups and colleges. He said human trafficking does happen in the U.S. “We want to create safe communities across America,” Peter said. Part of that program will be to educate people about human trafficking across the world and in the U.S. Those involved will learn how to spot victims of the crime, as well as how to keep from becoming victims themselves. They will have the tools to also raise money for Destiny Rescue. The motivation is to do more than talk about stopping human trafficking, but also to take action. Grace College will be the first college involved in the program, Peter said. That will be announced later this month. Tickets for the End Child Sex Trafficking Concert Sept. 14 at the WWT are $18. They can be purchased online at wagonwheeltheatre.org or by calling 866-823-2618. Doors open at 6 p.m., with the show starting at 7 p.m. For more information about Destiny Rescue, visit the website destinyrescue.org or call 574-834-1109. For the Destiny Rescue store to purchase items made by those who were rescued, visit destinyrescueshop.org
