DV in the Arts, pt. 12

My DVITA missive this month is more lengthy than usual so please bear with me. The mission of sheltering and helping those fleeing Domestic Violence (DV) has been the mission for Sojourn for over 50 years and recently, Human Trafficking has appeared in our realm. It shockingly has similar traits to DV.

According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, Illinois has recorded more than 3,100 identified human trafficking cases involving over 6,200 victims since data collection began in 2007. The hotline has also received more than 10,450 signals from Illinois alone, including calls, texts, online reports, and other communications related to suspected trafficking situations. (National Human Trafficking Hotline- https://humantraffickinghotline.org/en/statistics/Illinois)

Advocates caution that these numbers likely represent only a fraction of actual cases, as trafficking is widely considered one of the most underreported crimes due to fear, trauma, manipulation, isolation, and survivors not immediately identifying themselves as victims. Both of these issues are inexorably intertwined, and I feel it's a logical next step in my subject matter for DVITA.

This month's DVITA is centered thus on trafficking as the subject. It led me down quite a path and into a realm of music I had no idea existed as a subject matter.

Like domestic violence victims, survivors of trafficking are often isolated from support systems and made dependent on another person for housing, transportation, money, food, emotional validation, or survival needs. Fear, shame, threats, trauma, and manipulation can create barriers that make leaving extremely difficult. Many survivors do not identify themselves as victims immediately because the exploitation may be tied to emotional attachment, fear of retaliation, concern for children, addiction, homelessness, immigration concerns, or lack of safe alternatives. With that said, here are three songs that stuck.

Tauren Wells' "All Gods Children" is about what leads into the life of being trafficked. Tauren Gabriel Wells (born April 7, 1986) is an American Contemporary Christian music singer-songwriter and pastor from Houston, Texas. Wells was the frontman of former Christian band Royal Tailor and toured with the contemporary Christian rock band Casting Crowns. Proceeds of the sales of this song support the Tim Tebow Foundation's Anti-Human Trafficking ministry.

"For Those Who Can't Speak" is a powerful rallying song from mainstay Tenth Avenue North and hip-hop artists KB and Derek Minor. This song is a reminder and anthem to use voices to create change and bring awareness to end human trafficking. The song calls to the people still in modern-day slavery and how we, as believers, shouldn't be afraid to raise our voices against it.

Then there's my pick- "Passport" by the Trampolines.

"Passport" is a heartbreaking song that tells the story of a 13-year-old girl who was tricked and trapped into human trafficking far away from home, a story that is sadly true for many. The song brings an awareness to the matter in a way that immediately weighs heavy on listeners. The lyrics tell the story of how so many are trapped and the longing to be free and know what love truly is beyond the prisons they find themselves in. Now check this out-

The Trampolines also walk the walk- they actually rescue and work with survivors to get them back to a better life.

Have a listen and share your thoughts. Click here Passport