Death at 7 AM
If you think education is expensive, then try ignorance.
#Satirical | #Education | #Life support machine | #Mama Sikira |#Editorial Press
If you think education is expensive, then try ignorance
Satirical
At a hospital's intensive care unit, (I.C.U), patients always pass away in the same bed at 7 am every morning regardless of their condition.
This situation puzzled medical staff, so a group of medical doctors observed the bed secretly and waited for the fateful hour. Some held crosses and prayer books to ward off evil influences.
While the less superstitious ones held cameras, tablets, and smartphones to capture every moment of this hour.
At exactly 7 am, the door to the ward slowly opened, and behold, Mama Sikira the cleaner who usually starts her duties at 7:00 am, came in and disconnected the life support machine from the main power source and plugged in her Nokia phone charger.
If You Think Education is Expensive, Then Try Ignorance.
#Satirical | #Education | #Life support machine | #Mama Sikira |#Editorial Press
Black Women and Fibroids: Why Are the Rates So High?
If you’ve been told you have fibroids, you’re not alone. It’s a common condition for all women — with 8 out of 10 developing fibroids by the age of 50. But Black women are three times more likely than white women to get uterine fibroids.
Written by Bernadette Anderson, MD, MPH | Reviewed by Karla Robinson, MD for GoodRx Health
Drazen Zigic/iStock via Getty Images Plus
Written by Bernadette Anderson, MD, MPH | Reviewed by Karla Robinson, MD
If you’ve been told you have fibroids, you’re not alone. It’s a common condition for all women — with 8 out of 10 developing fibroids by the age of 50. But Black women are three times more likely than white women to get uterine fibroids. Let’s take a closer look at why Black women are at risk for fibroids and what you can do about it.
What are fibroids?
Uterine fibroids are noncancerous growths that develop from the muscle of the uterus. They’re more likely to develop during your childbearing years. Fibroids are a common cause of removal of the uterus (hysterectomy) and can be a significant health concern for many women.
There are four different types of fibroids based on their location within or on the uterus:
Intramural fibroids grow within the muscular uterine wall. These fibroids are the most common type.
Submucosal fibroids develop just underneath the inner uterine lining. They can lead to heavy menstrual bleeding and complications.
Subserosal fibroids appear on the outer surface of the uterus. They can press against nearby organs, causing pain or discomfort.
Pedunculated fibroids resemble a mushroom. They're connected to the uterus by a stalk or a stem and can be either submucosal or subserosal.
Why are fibroids more prevalent in Black women?
Experts do not know the exact cause of fibroids. But it’s clear that fibroids are much more common in Black women than white women. Several reasons may explain this difference. One factor is the prolonged stress from experiencing racism and discrimination. It can negatively affect health and increase the risk of fibroids in Black women.
Genetics and hormones may also increase your risk for fibroids. Hormones like estrogen can cause fibroids to grow. Some risk factors increase your lifetime exposure to estrogen, like if you:
Get your first period at an early age
Don't have kids
Go through menopause at an older than the average age (45 to 55)
Research also shows that certain genetic mutations (changes) are common in women with fibroids. If your mother or sister has fibroids, there's a higher chance that you might get them too.
Differences in outcomes for Black women with fibroids
The impact of fibroids on Black women is a complex issue. Black women are more likely to have fibroids than women from other racial groups. And it’s also harder to get the diagnosis and the right treatment.
Research has shown the following differences among Black women who have fibroids:
Earlier onset and increased severity: Black women often get fibroids at a younger age. And their fibroids tend to be bigger with more severe symptoms.
Delayed diagnosis and treatment: Fibroids are found and treated later in Black women. Low income, limited access to healthcare, and biases from health providers play a role.
Personal health history: For some of the reasons listed above, Black women tend to have health problems other than fibroids. Obesity, diabetes, and hypertension might make treating fibroids more complicated.
Effects on fertility and pregnancy: Fibroids can affect a Black woman's reproductive health — making it harder to get pregnant. And there can be more complications during pregnancy including a surgical delivery and premature birth.
Financial impact and quality of life: Fibroids can lead to missed workdays, low productivity, and decreased quality of life. And this can worsen existing health and money challenges.
What are the symptoms of fibroids?
Fibroids can greatly affect your quality of life and health. Some common symptoms of uterine fibroids are:
Fatigue
Pelvic pain and pressure
Frequent urination
Constipation
Backache
Pain during sex
Infertility or recurrent miscarriages
The symptoms of fibroids can range from mild to severe. If you’re having symptoms of fibroids, let your healthcare provider know. They can confirm the diagnosis and come up with a proper treatment plan for you.
What should you do if you think you have fibroids?
If you think you're having symptoms of fibroids, make an appointment with your provider. They can do a pelvic exam to help make the diagnosis. They may also order other tests to evaluate you for fibroids like an ultrasound.
Your fibroid treatment options will depend on factors like:
The size
The location
Your symptoms
Your desire for childbirth
Your healthcare provider may offer options to just monitor the fibroids. If you’re having severe symptoms, they may recommend medication, minimally invasive procedures, or surgery. There’s a wide range of treatment options, and they greatly depend on your personal circumstances. So talk to your provider to find an approach that works best for you.
References
Agyemang, P., et al. (2014). Obesity and Black women: Special considerations related to genesis and therapeutic approaches. Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports.
Borah, B. J., et al. (2014). The impact of uterine leiomyomas: A national survey of affected women. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
GoodRx Health has strict sourcing policies and relies on primary sources such as medical organizations, governmental agencies, academic institutions, and peer-reviewed scientific journals. Learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate, thorough, and unbiased by reading our editorial guidelines.
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What Happens to a Bank Account When Somebody Dies?
A commonly overlooked aspect of estate planning is what happens to a bank account when someone dies. How the account is handled depends on whether a beneficiary has been named and the account type.
Yahoo Personal Finance· Getty Images
It depends on whether or not they named a beneficiary.
No one wants to face their own mortality. Maybe that’s why, according to a Gallup poll, less than half of U.S. adults have a will that describes how they want their estate handled after their death. The problem: Without a will, settling the estate of a deceased person can be more complicated.
A commonly overlooked aspect of estate planning is what happens to a bank account when someone dies. How the account is handled depends on whether a beneficiary has been named and the account type.
What happens to a bank account when someone dies (with and without a beneficiary)?
When someone passes away, their bank accounts — including checking, savings, or money market accounts — become part of their “estate,” a legal term referring to the deceased's possessions and assets.
Their estate will enter probate, the process that recognizes a will and appoints an executor to manage the estate and distribute the assets. On average, probate can take six to nine months to complete, so not being able to withdraw money from the account can be a significant hardship for loved ones who need money to cover the deceased's final expenses.
If the deceased person has a will, their assets are distributed according to their wishes. But if there isn't a will or the will doesn't explicitly mention the bank accounts, state laws, and account structure determine how the accounts will be handled.
If there is a beneficiary
An account holder can name a beneficiary on bank accounts and give them payable-on-death status. If that arrangement is made before the account holder's passing, ownership of the account would immediately transfer to the beneficiary. Because of this structure, payable-on-death arrangements aren't subject to probate, making it easier to access the money in the account.
Savings accounts, checking accounts, and certificates of deposit (CDs) can have payable-on-death beneficiaries.
If there is no beneficiary
If there is no beneficiary named at the time the account holder dies, the account will be frozen, and the account will enter the probate process. During that time, the money in the account is inaccessible until the probate process is completed and an executor distributes the estate.
If it's a joint account
The way joint accounts are handled depends on the account agreement and the laws of the deceased's state. Usually, joint accounts include the right of survivorship, in which case the surviving person automatically becomes the owner of all the funds in the account (regardless of who contributed the money), and the account doesn’t become part of the probate estate. However, the surviving joint account holder will need to provide a death certificate or similar documentation so the bank can verify the death and update its records.
If the deceased's state doesn't have right-of-survivorship provisions, the funds in the account are distributed through the estate during the probate process.
If there isn't a will
During probate, the courts will review the legitimacy of the will. In the meantime, the account is frozen. If the will is found to be valid, the executor will handle the distribution of the estate's assets.
Without a will, the estate is handled according to state laws, which vary by state. Generally, the surviving spouse is given first priority in the distribution of assets. If there is no surviving spouse, the assets are given to any children or other family members. With large families with multiple people claiming a portion of the estate, the probate process can be very complex and take a significant amount of time to resolve.
Bank account insurance
Deposit accounts opened with federally insured bank accounts or credit unions are backed by either the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF). Deposits are backed up to $250,000 per institution, per account holder, per ownership category.
When someone dies, the FDIC and NCUSIF will continue to insure the bank account as if the deceased were still living for six more months from the date of their passing. After that, account insurance may be impacted by the coverage limits. For example, if a child inherits the account and the funds bring their total balance to over $250,000, the difference may not be covered.
How to claim a bank account belonging to a deceased person
Now that you know what happens to a bank account when someone dies, you can come up with a plan to handle a loved one's assets. If a relative passes away, follow these steps to manage their bank account:
Make sure you have the authority to move forward: When someone dies, their bank account is inaccessible unless you're a joint owner or named beneficiary with payable-on-death status. Otherwise, you'll need to wait for the probate process to be completed and for the court to give you the legal authority to access the account. To withdraw money or close the account, you'll need to be the legal executor or trustee or be granted permission by the probate court.
Collect documentation: To make a withdrawal or close the account, the bank or credit union will require documentation of the deceased's death and your authorization to manage the account. You'll typically be asked for the following:
A copy of your identification, such as a driver's license or passport
Proof of death of the deceased, such as a certified copy of their death certificate
Documentation about the account, including the account number, the legal name of the deceased, and their Social Security number
Proof of your authority to manage the estate, such as a confirmation of your executor status or a Letter of Administration issued by the court
Contact the bank or credit union: Once you have the necessary documentation and details, contact the bank or credit union in person or by calling their customer service line. After reviewing the necessary documents, the bank will close the account. If there is money in the account at the time of closure, the bank will transfer the funds to the account beneficiary or named heir.
Dealing with the death of a loved one can be emotionally draining and logistically challenging. But, having a clear understanding of the legal process and what steps need to be completed can make a difficult time less stressful.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
What is a bank account beneficiary?
The beneficiary on a bank account is the person named to receive the account’s funds if the account holder dies. After death, the beneficiary receives immediate access to the money.
What happens when someone dies without a will?
When someone dies without a will, they are considered to have died “intestate.” This means the probate court is responsible for determining how their assets will be distributed.
Can an executor use a deceased bank account?
Yes — the executor is responsible for liquidating the account and distributing funds according to the will. However, the executor is not allowed to spend the money for their own personal needs.
Who gets money if the beneficiary is deceased?
If the primary beneficiary on an account is deceased, the funds will be distributed to any contingent beneficiaries. If there aren’t any, funds are distributed according to state laws.
Change Your Lifestyle, Reverse Your Disease
I commend this video to you. It's very educative, worthy of every minute you will spend watching it.
Dr. Chidi Ngwaba! Restoring Health, Reversing Disease Award-winning Health and wellness expert. Media Medic and Commentator.
Restoring Health, Reversing Disease Award-winning Health and wellness expert. Media Medic & Commentator
Dr. Chidi Ngwaba
“Change Your Lifestyle, Reverse Your Disease.”
Dr. Chidi is a British physician specializing in reversing Lifestyle Diseases such as Hypertension, Diabetes, Autoimmune Diseases, and many more. Trained in surgery, General Practice, Emergency, and lifestyle Medicine to high levels, and educated at Cambridge, UCL, Kings' & Johns Hopkins.
HOPE for AFRICA!
Health News in Video
Health News in Video
Prostate Enlargement and Cancer
Informational: Prostate enlargement and cancer: How to avoid it!
Video courtesy: blackChat
How to avoid it!
Video courtesy: blackChat
Informational: Prostate enlargement and cancer: How to avoid it!
Video courtesy: blackChat
“A Consultant Urological and Robotic Surgeon, Prof. Kingsley Ekwueme, through the use of laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, men will no longer die of prostate cancer.”
Professor Kingsley Ekwueme, a British Nigerian, is a consultant urologist with a special interest in the minimally invasive surgical treatment of urological cancers using Robotic and Laparoscopic techniques.
A Consultant Urological and Robotic Surgeon, Prof. Kingsley Ekwueme, through the use of laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, men will no longer die of prostate cancer.
Ekwueme who is the clinical lead surgeon for Urology at Glan Clwyd Hospital in Wales, UK, said it was the commonest cancer in men, adding that a laparoscopic surgery would not lead to impotency and blood loss.
Experience the latest cutting-edge method for prostate surgery!
There is no opening of the body, no blood spill, no damage to the veins, no long stay in the hospital. Just one night admission only.
The traditional method of treating prostate cancer in Nigeria involved open surgery, which resulted in significant blood loss and required patients to spend many days in the hospital. However, with the introduction of our innovative procedure, patients no longer need to undergo such invasive surgery. This new approach, which I have brought to Nigeria along with my British assistants, offers a more advanced and less invasive treatment option for prostate cancer.
One of the main issues with prostate cancer treatment is that, in addition to blood loss and many days in the hospital, men may become impotent and experience urinary incontinence.
‘My goal is to ensure that no man succumbs to prostate cancer, and I am committed to reshaping this outcome ~ Prof. Kingsley Ekwueme.
Dear Friends
Photo credit: LA TimesWhile many countries have stemmed the tide and turned the corner on COVID-19, the United States, is a vortex of death and economic depression.
What is a public health issue has become heavily politicized, we cannot even agree on the life-preserving measures of wearing a simple cloth-mask.
The truth is self-evident
Today, in America, it’s all gone to hell, and the agent provocateur of this ‘American carnage’ is Donald J. Trump.
The U.S Gross Domestic Product (GDP) showed in the extraordinary second quarter, April through June of 2020, skid to an annualized rate of 32.9%. A historically poor showing in at least 145 years. That 32.9% percent represents the loss of a third of the economy.
With 157,000 deaths (still counting), California, Arizona, Texas, Florida, and Michigan, intensifying outbreaks have forced authorities to dial back their reopening plans and restrict business activity once again.
It must be exhausting with millions of infected and the lack of cohesive national strategy, America has become a global laughing stock.
The United States of America is now one giant cage where none of us can leave because no other countries will allow us in.
While many countries have stemmed the tide and turned the corner on COVID-19, the United States, is a vortex of death and economic depression. The truth is self-evident.
The patchwork quilt of state, local, and federal directives has left the general public bemused and bewildered.
What is a public health issue has become heavily politicized, we cannot even agree on the life-preserving measures of wearing a simple cloth-mask.
Not only the CDC, bullied into compliance with the White House, water down guidelines.
As I watch the deadly havoc visited on states like Florida, Texas, and Arizona, my thoughts wander to my dislike of craven politicians sacrificed public health to curry presidential favor.
Each of us has the moral obligation to stand up, speak up, and speak out ~ John Lewis.
Faced with a national emergency our country and leadership have reacted with one accord and vision.
These politicians knew better. A measure of how far we fall as a nation, and a scathing indictment the damage Trump has done to America as a union. Trump despises expertise. Even gone as far as to attempt to smear public health officials …a government that traffics in conspiracy theories, untruth, and unproven wonder cures.
Dear friends abroad, you don’t even want us to visit you right now you bare no blame, after all, we’re number one for all the wrong reasons. Meanwhile, I hold out hope for a better tomorrow and until I will day-dream of Paris and exotic locales.
Healthcare Insecurity and Potentially Even Financial Ruin
African Americans and other minorities do not fare well under the current system.
Millions of Americans are uninsured, while others have paper-thin policies that give even less coverage. For those with insurance, skyrocketing premiums and bureaucratic ineptitude are equal sources of frustration for many. We are all one illness or catastrophic accident away from healthcare insecurity and potentially even financial ruin.
By Angela Brooks
African Americans and other minorities do not fare well under the current system
By Angela Brooks
We are never so vulnerable in life than when we are ill or infirm. When sickness and all his friends visit you or a loved one, it can be a severe test of a person’s internal fortitude. We have arguably the most advanced medical system; however, it is a far cry from being the best. The Bitterest Pill!
Millions of Americans are uninsured, while others have paper-thin policies that give even less coverage. For those with insurance, skyrocketing premiums and bureaucratic ineptitude are equal sources of frustration for many. We are all one illness or catastrophic accident away from healthcare insecurity and potentially even financial ruin.
African Americans and other minorities do not fare well under the current system. High infant mortality and a large number of black women die from cancer are problems that continue to bedevil our communities.
Two recent personal experiences have opened my eyes to the vagaries of the medical establishment. First, one morning I woke up in exquisite agony, I could barely crawl let alone walk. It was the kind of pain that only the Marquis de Sade could love.
My pile of bones made it to my HMO, where I was treated by another cookie-cutter doctor, not of my choosing. He nonchalantly ignored my pain then sent me home with a low dosage of Motrin. Presumed, I was not deemed worthy enough for opioids - days later, I returned in even worse shape, whereby an x-ray revealed a severe strain of a hip flexor muscle. It took me eight weeks to recover.
My next example was a matter of life and death. A close relative diagnosed with a brain tumor. The news was devastating, worse still a feckless HMO, suggested hospice care and sent their patient home to die. As my relatives' health declined harrowing days and nights, I spent in filthy and crowded emergency rooms populated by the homeless and drug abusers. Fortunately, my family provided not only a strong support system and advocacy but also sought more medical opinions, which may very well have saved a life.
It galls me that 'bean' counters and HMO doctors so easily wrote off a life
We deserve better. Good healthcare should not be a province of only the wealthy it should be a fundamental right. The for-profit pyramid of drug and insurance companies are at the heart of what is rotten with our healthcare system.
In a pivotal election year before people vote, only hope that they remember certain salient facts - only one party wants to gut Obama Care, which includes protection for those with preexisting conditions.
Healthcare is a right that should not be the purview of the rich and powerful. My recent personal experiences have made me realize that we are all within a scintilla of a medical emergency, and we can only hope there is an adequate safety net to catch us if we fall.
A Plea From Planet Earth
My Amazon is a blazing inferno–its opulent forest exploited for insatiable desire for wealth. Polar Bears are growling as the ice caps melt and the glaciers vanish. Sea levels are rising, putting your coastal cities in jeopardy. Hurricanes like Dorian, Katrina will be remembered in time as mere Childs play.
It is the very nature of entropy to lead to an eventual state of decay. I have survived the millennia and the ravages of time. Dinosaurs, empires, and false Gods have long turned to dust. I have provided life and relief for entire species yet; mankind you are doing your best to destroy me and therefore yourselves.
On fire
It is the very nature of entropy to lead to an eventual state of decay. I have survived the millennia and the ravages of time. Dinosaurs, empires, and false Gods have long turned to dust. I have provided life and relief for entire species yet; mankind you are doing your best to destroy me and therefore yourselves.
My Amazon is a blazing inferno–its opulent forest exploited for insatiable desire for wealth. Polar Bears are growling as the ice caps melt and the glaciers vanish. Sea levels are rising, putting your coastal cities in jeopardy. Hurricanes like Dorian, Katrina will be remembered in time as mere Childs play.
Driven by hubris, and corruption, many of you deny the evidence of your own eyes
Mankind, you poison my oceans with toxic chemicals and mountains of plastic, whales beach themselves to die unable to live in their natural environment. Air and land are contaminated. Poisons seep into soil and water supplies. Record high temperatures across the globe portend serious issues ahead as portions of your world become uninhabitable. Therefore the consequences will be disruption and mass migration as resources become scarce.
Mankind the time to act is now, put your collective hearts and minds on this task of saving us all.
You can be heroes for this generation and countless others that follow. Or, be known as an "indolent" species who did nothing while their planet died.
RELATED
Teenage climate change activist Greta Thunberg on Monday opened the United Nations Climate Action Summit with an angry condemnation of world leaders for failing to take strong measures to combat climate change. Thunberg, visibly emotional, said in shaky but stern remarks at the opening of the summit that the generations that have polluted the most have burdened her and her generation with the extreme impacts of climate change.
My senses are in digital overload assailed by a myriad of sounds from all directions
Stop the world, I want to get off!!
Stop the world, I want to get off!!
Every hack, opportunist, and pseudo-celebrity has a digital mainline to your heart and soul. Insidiously they steal your privacy-shape-tastes and political opinions. Jangling ring tones and loud talkers commanding unwanted attention while strolling furiously through the mall. I swore that would never be me. Promise broken ...it turns out you can be found anywhere. As I scrambled to cut off my blaring Mozart ring tone, disconcerted by the unwanted summons I ducked into a corner for privacy only to realize it was the dreaded phone predator, also known as the telemarketers.
Eating at an antiquated Denny’s replete with ripped faux leather seats I observed the digital zombies around me. The art of conversation was surely dying, very few tables, fully engaged. Harried moms and dads, kids engrossed in texting, tablets, and even laptops. At the malfunctioning checkout register, I endeavored to make the pimply faced cashiers' life easier by handing over forty dollars and a dime. I watched as his face dissolved in confusion and his mind disappeared into a black hole. God, how did we survive before all this technology? After an awkward pause in which I saw the kid perform mental gymnastics, Simone Biles would have loved a manager stepped in to put him out of his misery.
Recently a teacher friend lamented the fact that her students writing skills were so non-existent. The texting era has ushered in a new level of laziness leaving us a video game kids barely able to string a sentence together.
Does the TV season ever end? You used to be able to count on a regular schedule. However, that is no longer the case. Mid-season breaks and replacements and a fusillade of new shows on networks such as Netflix. Marital bonds suffer as couples binge watch and bicker if a spouse sneaks a peek at the next: “Ozarks” episode. Bleary-eyed coworkers limp into work devastated by an endless loop of viewing ...with endless streaming across numerous platforms and devices we are losing sight of our common humanity as we splinter into digital spheres. Next thing, Artificial Intelligence. AI! I think I know how this movie ends.
Patient Care
The first thing you do is to ask me for my driver’s license or any legal form of identification as if I would lie and give you the wrong information! Can’t you see I'm coughing up a storm, my face is swollen my eyes red and watery, and you offer me a mask! I wouldn’t give you ‘cooties’ you have people who are sicker than I am, how about the gentleman in the corner vomiting. I don’t see him with a mask, and why is the nurse behind a glass wall! Sick as I am, I’m done. I have an emergency and this, the kind of response I get from the waiting room.
Emergency departments (EDs)
A bird’s eye view into the Emergency Room
Wow, the emergency department is packed today with such high acuity! Bed 'A' is a 45-year-old patient having a myocardial infarction- a heart attack. Poor baby in Bed 'B' crying with no tears she is so dehydrated. Everybody seems to have an emergency with the outbreak of the flu virus. Bed 'D' diarrhea and vomiting 80 years old, and, only MD on-call 2 mid-levels or physician assistants in the emergency department.
Hospital emergency departments (EDs) also known as an emergency room (ER) play a vital role in the acute health care system. ED /ER provide emergency medical and surgical care for patients with acute illness and injury, and access to the health system. When checking into the emergency department, it is important to provide legal identification. Accessing electronic medical record from every medical provider makes it easy to provide optimum care.
The emergency department recognizes that every person walks through its door has an emergency and order to provide efficient care, the emergency department must triage and prioritize its patient care by acuity or threatening illness or injury. You have the right as a patient to know what plan of care. You also have a right to be protected from acquiring any other disease while in care in the emergency department. Being offered a surgical mask is a way to protect you from droplet virus that is in the air.
Psychological, physical and social trauma
Human Trafficking is a very important issue facing every nation in the world. It is a crime that hides in plain sight. Thousands of people become victims each year. In many cases, trafficking victims are lured into the system with the promise of legitimate jobs, while others are kidnapped or entrapped in a myriad of ways.
Human Trafficking
A Real Epidemic
According to Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000, human trafficking is defined as: “(A) sex trafficking in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such act has not attained 18 years of age; or (B) recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage or slavery.”
Trafficking victims lives become less their own and, they are bought and sold as a commodity –a form of modern enslavement and extreme exploitation. Human trafficking is a clear need that requires God’s power for any adequate change to occur. Concerned Methodist Church members sponsored by CAL-PAC United Methodist Abolition Task Force in Northridge California were privileged to have participated in a North District Workshop on human trafficking ...Faith Initiative to Abolish Trafficking.
According to the US Department of State Trafficking in Persons Report, the number of adults and children currently in forced labor, bonded labor, and forced prostitution is 20.9 million. Worldwide, 3 per 1,000 people are victims of human trafficking. Seventy percent of the worlds poor are women and girls, most of whom live in developing countries with limited options available. Women make up 55 percent of the 20.9 million trafficked adults and children.
Fact Sheet: Human Trafficking – A fact sheet about human trafficking and victim assistance
Traffickers take advantage of vulnerable persons with false promises. The current global economic system continues to reward wealth and exploit the poor. A crime fueled by global poverty, inadequate education and opportunity, ethnic discrimination and societal inequity. Trafficked men and women can be found in all types of establishments and locations, in rural, suburban and urban settings in the United States and countries around the world. Mostly exploited by the service industries in factories, and sweatshops.
What can society and the church do to help?
The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church, 2012 reads; “United Methodists deplore all forms of commercialization and exploitation of sex, with their consequent cheapening and degradation of human personality. To lose freedom and be sold by someone else for sexual purposes is a form of slavery and we denounce such business and support the abused and their right to freedom.”
We call for strict global enforcement of laws prohibiting the exploitation or use of children by adults and encourage efforts to hold perpetrators legally and financially responsible. (111-112)
Further, The Books of Resolutions of The United Methodist Church and the United Methodist Women Social Policy Statement on Human Trafficking addressed the issue respectively as follows:
“Therefore, the United Methodist Church, through education, financial resources, publication, lobbying, and the use of every relevant gift of God, shall join in the active battle against the modern-day enslavement of humans for commercial sexual exploitation” ~ Resolution 6023.
“Human trafficking is a crime fueled by global poverty, inadequate education and opportunity, ethnic discrimination and societal inequity between men and women and by the demand for cheap labor and cheap sex. It’s a crime that transcends cultures, class, and geography.”
Even those who have no religious beliefs should be concerned about victims of human trafficking out of pure compassion for their suffering and should help work to free them and soothe their wounds …together we can and we must commit ourselves so they may be freed and this horrible trade can be put to an end ~ Pope Francis, The Vatican. Pope Francis believes that human trafficking takes away a persons dignity, diminishing them and withdrawing them from the justice they deserve.
REMEMBER VICTIMS DON’T USUALLY IDENTIFY THEMSELVES!
Be an advocate for the passage of a safe harbor law in your State. Contact your local law enforcement agency about human trafficking in your community. If you think you have come into contact with a victim of human trafficking, call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center. The NHTRC can help you identify and coordinate with local organizations that protect and serve trafficking victims. Calls to the hotline are STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL. Operators are available 24 hours a day with interpreters for up to 170 languages.
1-888-3737-888 – National Human Trafficking Hotline
1-800-799-7233 – The National Domestic Violence Hotline
1-800- RUNAWAY or TEXT 66008 – The National Runaway Safeline
1-202-488-5660 – The United Methodist Women Washington Office of Public Policy to be connected to a human trafficking team member
END HUMAN TRAFFICKING, JOIN THE FIGHT! The Abolitionists Task Force of the Cal-Pac United Methodist Church
'SILENCE IN THE FACE OF EVIL IS ITSELF EVIL
GOD WILL NOT HOLD US GUILTLESS
NOT TO SPEAK IS TO SPEAK
NOT TO ACT IS TO ACT’ ~Dietrich Bonhoeffer