ZOE International is excited to participate in the 2021 Race Across America. For 39 years, the Race Across America (RAAM) has become a global event, challenging ultra-cyclists from over 35 countries to push their physical and mental limits to the utmost. In addition, RAAM has become a huge platform for cyclists to raise funds for charities that they hold close to their hearts. Each year, RAAM cyclists raise over 10 million dollars in donations that are dispersed to multiple charities.
In 2019 ZOE International entered an 8-man cyclist team into RAAM and placed 3rd in their division and raised over $175,000 for ZOE!
Cyclists in a huddle
In 2021, we are doing it again! On June 19, 2021, eight ZOE team cyclists and 12 crew members will set out on a non-stop, 3,000-mile transcontinental relay race from California to Maryland with the goal of raising $250,000 for ZOE. We have the cyclists and our support team ready to go, but we need your help. We can’t do it alone!
Current corporate sponsors for ZOE’s RAAM team are Breeo, Country Lane Gazebos, Weaver Construction, Lapp Structures, Sensenig’s Feed Mill, Select Carpentry, Earthsource, Fisher Brothers, Eagle Rental, Urban Southern, TLS Carpentry, US Boiler Company, Lancaster Bike Shop, and Bicycle Barn. Funds raised will support the costs of participating in RAAM ($70,000) for items like entrance fees, uniforms, fuel, and
rental vehicles.
photo of brad and ZOE cycling team
Any additional monies raised over the cost of expenses will be donated to ZOE International to help rescue more children who have been trafficked and care for and restore the rescued children entrusted in ZOE’s care.
More information about RAAM sponsor benefits and the cycling fundraising pages can be found on our website.
In 2013 Brad Ortenzi and his wife Lori felt they were being called into ministry, but didn’t know exactly what that would look like. “At that time, I was working with the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Child Pornography Unit in Pennsylvania, of which I helped to start,” shared Brad. “I had worked a lot of child sex crimes in my career, but not at this level. My heart began to break for kids even more so than it had before. I was working online acting as a pedophile and getting child pornography from pedophiles. Or I would be online chatting with the bad guy, as a child, and the bad guy was trying to entice me for sex. I would get the child pornography and have to view it to document the affidavits.”
Brad’s heart was breaking for these kids who had been sexually exploited while in the background of his life he was being called to ministry. One day he heard about ZOE and their mission to rescue kids and reached out to the founders, Mike and Carol.
“Mike and Carol invited us to Thailand to see ZOE first-hand, and it was there that I experienced a life-changing event,” shared Brad. “One night in Thailand while we were participating in a prayer session with the kids, ZOE staff, and missionaries, one of the children came up and laid her hands on me and started praying for me. I just broke down. God spoke to my heart and said, ‘you have been chasing after justice your whole life, well this is what my justice looks like.’ My heart to God was like, whatever this is, I am in. I want a part of this. I want to use my investigative skills to help kids
and add to that the spiritual side of healing
and restoration.”
After this life-altering experience, Brad and Lori went home from this missions trip with a new purpose and direction for their life. They went back home and took an early retirement. In November 2014 they sold their house and their cars and returned to Thailand as full-time missionaries with ZOE.
Director of ZOE Child Rescue Thailand
“I was being called to be the Director of ZOE Child Rescue in Thailand that was established in 2004,” said Brad. “I managed five teams. ZOE’s philosophy with missions is, you are there to work yourself out of a job. We are there to bring our experiences and skillsets of who we are, to pour into the Thai nationals, so that we can eventually back out and have them run what we’ve started. The training consists of discipleship, leadership and development.”
For five years Brad held this position at ZOE Thailand. “I enjoyed pouring into the Thai staff,” said Brad. “They were all so loving, caring, hard-working, and passionate toward the kids. I was honored to help build the structure of five teams and overjoyed to watch them run with it and make it even better.”
Prior to going into police work, Brad served in the Marine Corps for four years and then worked 20 years as a detective in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. “Those five years in Thailand were by far the most remarkable and memorable years of my career,” said Brad.
Eastern USA Regional Director, ZOE International
In 2019, Brad and his wife Lori left Thailand and moved back to the states. “Before moving back, I spoke with Mike and Carol to inquire about the possibility of expanding ZOE on the East coast,” said Brad. “We were all in to begin networking and building donor relations and I became the Eastern USA Regional Director for ZOE.”
Lancaster County Human Trafficking Task Force
Photo of Brad Ortenzi and task force
Through the east coast expansion efforts, Brad began speaking on some Human Trafficking panels and connected with Lancaster County’s Assistant District Attorney that he worked with on the Child Porn Unit. She expressed that she needed someone with Brad’s skills to come on board the County Task Force and help coordinate and put it together.
“In 2020, the Founders of ZOE agreed to donate my time to Lancaster County for me to serve as the Coordinator for the Human Trafficking Task Force,” said Brad. “As the Coordinator, I research other task forces in Pennsylvania; look at how they are structured and what is and isn’t working, and research best practices. I have been taking that research to the District Attorney’s office, and giving her my suggestions on how we should proceed. I have since created a draft and structure of the task force using a little bit of what’s working in other states, and also what is working in ZOE Thailand and Los Angeles. I have also been working to collaborate with other government, nonprofit organizations and ministries to meet the needs of the task force. I am excited. We are few months away from officially launching the task force.”
The Lancaster County Human Trafficking Task Force will work to investigate, prosecute, and find restorative paths for trafficking survivors within Lancaster County. This will also include community outreach with prevention education and awareness of trafficking.
“With ZOE’s work with the Task Force, we are going to find the gaps that need to be filled by agencies and nonprofits,” said Brad. “The vision for the future of ZOE East Coast would be to build out an advocacy system like we have in Los Angeles. There is also a possibility of opening a restorative home in Southeast Pennsylvania and enhancing some type of Christian-centered foster care for trafficked children.”
The Heart of Brad’s work and passion
“People often ask me why I do what I do,” shared Brad. “My ultimate desire is to see restoration of the children. And, it comes down to the duality of Jesus. He has a warrior heart that fights to rescue His children and He will stop at nothing to make sure those rescues happen. And then there’s the protective loving side of Him, along with the duality of His daddy restorative heart. He just wraps his arms around his kids once they are safe. That has changed my life.
I have come to a whole different level in my appreciation for who God is and how He cares for us. It’s all about the end game for me — that child accepting Jesus into their heart and worshipping Him.”
ZOE Cycling Events – Race Across America and Road of Justice
photo of brad and ZOE cycling team
ZOE’s Cycling events came about when Brad and Lori had a desire to help fundraise for the new ZOE Home for Youth that was to open in Los Angeles in 2021. “We were avid cyclists and living in Thailand at the time,” said Brad. “We thought, what if we planned a coast-to-coast cycling event – which became the first Road of Justice in 2018 – and invite people to come with us and raise awareness about human trafficking and empower people to be fundraisers for ZOE.”
The 2018 Road of Justice started in Virginia and finished in Santa Monica. “Over 45 cyclists biked 3,800 miles, in over 46 riding days,” said Brad. “Some rode for a day, some rode for weeks or months. We raised close to $300,000 that year. We realized then we had something that could work for ZOE.”
In 2019 ZOE entered an 8-man cycling team in Race Across America (RAAM). For 39 years, the RAAM has become a global icon, challenging ultra-cyclists from over 35 countries to push their physical and mental limits to the utmost. “We started the race in Oceanside and finished in Maryland,” said Brad. “We biked 3,000 miles in 6 days and 5 hours and came in third place. We averaged 20.3 miles an hour for 3,000 miles and climbed 100,000 feet. Together the team raised over $175,000 for ZOE.”
RAAM logo
In 2021 Brad and his team of 8 cyclists and 10 crew plans to participate in RAAM on June 19, 2021. “Our goal is to raise $250,000 for ZOE to help fight human trafficking. Looking at the rosters of the other teams, we have a shot to win this!”
Another ZOE Cycling event, the Road of Justice, is scheduled for October 11-16, 2021. Any cyclist can participate in this event. The race will begin in San Francisco and end in Santa Clarita. For more information or to participate as a cyclist, visit our website.
You may have heard about “human trafficking” in the news, from social media, or maybe even from someone you know. But what is it exactly? How and where does it happen? How does someone become a victim? And who are the traffickers? How can you help? Although human trafficking is a complex issue with many layers, we hope to answer some questions you may have that can encourage you to want to learn more.
“Human trafficking” is a crime that involves forcing, defrauding (deceiving), or coercing (pressuring or threatening) someone to provide labor or commercial sexual acts. According to the International Labour Organization, there are currently an estimated 40.3 million human trafficking victims worldwide, including forced marriages. Exploiters profit off of the forced labor and forced sex of victims.
How Does Human Trafficking Happen?
A person may be offered an exciting job in a different country, only to find themselves arriving to the other country, having their passport taken, forced to work under dangerous conditions doing completely different work than expected, and told they have to pay off the debt of their travels, housing, and visa before they begin to earn any income. This is labor trafficking. In another scenario, a woman may be romanced by an attractive man who showers her with gifts, attention, and “love,” only to isolate her from her family and friends; begin to verbally, emotionally, physically, and sexually abuse her; and pressure her to provide sexual acts for money in order for them to make ends meet. This is sex trafficking.
What About Child Trafficking?
Globally, 1 in 4 victims of human trafficking are estimated to be children. “Child trafficking” involves selling a child for labor or sex. When children are involved, force, fraud, or coercion do not have to be proven for it to be considered trafficking, as children cannot consent to being abused. A family friend may offer to move a child from their remote village to the city to attend a good school, but upon arrival, the child may be abused for sex in a brothel. Or a child may be invited to run away from a group home by an older friend and taken care of by someone the older friend knows, only to be told they owe what has been provided to them and now have to go on the street or to a motel and provide sexual services for money that is paid to the trafficker.
What are the Psychological implications of human trafficking?
While victims of trafficking can be kidnapped, drugged, and forced into exploitation, many are psychologically groomed and manipulated into making them feel like they have chosen the life and circumstances they are in, not realizing they have been targeted because of their need or desire for food, money, clothing, housing, drugs, love, or friendship in order to be exploited.
Traffickers target the vulnerabilities of individuals, especially in their greatest time of need in order to profit off of them. How different could the outcome be if in crisis, the person met a safe person who wants to help them instead of someone who wants to make money off of them?
What About Labor Trafficking?
Labor trafficking can occur in industries like agriculture, food, domestic work, and entertainment, while sex trafficking can occur in pornography, massage businesses, and escort services on the street, in hotels, in homes, and on the internet.
Who becomes a human trafficker?
Traffickers can be part of organized crime networks, friends or family, gang members, intimate partners, employers, and business owners. But traffickers can also be victims of violence and abuse themselves, sometimes groomed to become exploiters by those close to them.
What can I do about Human Trafficking?
While all of this information is overwhelming and the problem is daunting, we as individuals and communities can be part of the solution by:
Protecting ourselves and our loved ones by being safe people for them to seek help from when they are in unsafe situations
Educating ourselves about the signs of trafficking and asking questions and offering support if we are seeing signs of someone who may be in unsafe situations
Raising awareness about trafficking with our personal networks
Educating ourselves about internet safety and monitoring the internet usage of the young ones in our lives
Donating time, professional skills, or financial support to local organizations who are helping survivors of trafficking
Learning about becoming a foster parent to children who need a safe home
Advocating for someone to share about human trafficking at your child’s school, church, community group, business
Reporting suspected trafficking to the National Human Trafficking Hotline at (888) 373-7888
ZOE International is committed to ending child trafficking through prevention, rescue, and restoration efforts throughout the world. To learn more, visit gozoe.org.
the land of the rising sun. It’s a name that is associated with state-of-the-art technology, a superb transport infrastructure, attention to detail, quality workmanship, and a humble, polite culture. No wonder that people are surprised to learn that below the shiny surface, things are not always what they seem.
A long history of sexual objectification of women and children has led to a society that has become numb to the sexual exploitation of children. Thousands of children are trapped in various forms of trafficking with nowhere to turn!
But there is HOPE.
ZOE Japan is called to be a voice-for-the-voiceless, and we are fully committed to the kingdom goal of eliminating child trafficking in Japan. God has blessed our small team with a unique set of skills that enables us to reach out to vulnerable children and victims in new ways.
For example,
Japan is the home of manga, a unique style of Japanese comic books or graphic novels. It is a powerful communication tool with great potential to be used for prevention work. After all, Jesus himself was a great storyteller and although He did not use manga, His parables continue to convey crucial messages to us until this day. Our trial project to produce our own short manga story was an interesting learning experience, and we are encouraged to see that our format seems to appeal to Japanese young people. New stories are now underway.
In addition to various speaking opportunities and outreaches, we have just launched our own podcast channel in English, with a Japanese version coming very soon. Each episode helps the listener to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges that Japan is facing, the various initiatives by the government, ZOE and other NPOs to combat child trafficking, and the additional programs and resources that are required to make a true impact. Our first three episodes can be found on any major podcast app by searching ZOE Japan, or directly on our dedicated web page www.gozoe.jp/podcast.
We are also excited about:
New doors that are opening to reach Japan through the performing arts, and have taken the first step by producing a beautiful music video in collaboration with a local Christian artist. The video is sure to touch the heart of any vulnerable teenager, and provides a bridge for us to share the gospel of Jesus, and to educate them about the dangers of trafficking. See the video on the ZOE Japan YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xbRRC8dl1E
God is moving in Japan, for sure.
If you feel the Holy Spirit tugging at your heart strings, then don’t hesitate! Partner with us today, because together we can reach every person and rescue every child.
ZOE collaborates with human trafficking task forces in Thailand, Japan, and the United States, including law enforcement, government, and community agency partners. In Los Angeles, ZOE is a partner of the Los Angeles Regional Human Trafficking Task Force. Such collaboration is vital to identify and recover victims and investigate and prosecute traffickers.
In January 2021, ZOE had the privilege of speaking before the Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners, along with other community organizations and survivor leaders, to express support for the City Council to fully fund the Los Angeles Police Department’s Human Trafficking Task Forces in the midst of possible department budget cuts.
During the 2020-2021 fiscal year, budget cuts limited human trafficking operations outside of regular business hours. These cuts reduced opportunities to recover human trafficking more victims, including children.
Human trafficking investigations and operations require many hours, and usually months, of building rapport with and interviewing victims, investigations, and collaboration efforts to successfully identify and recover victims and investigate and prosecute cases against traffickers.
During the meeting, ZOE’s Chief Operating Office Dave Cox told the commission the following quote:
“Without dedicated law enforcement efforts, child trafficking will grow in our city.”
In the end, the commissioners voted to recommend that the City Council fully fund the human trafficking task forces.
We are thankful for our dedicated law enforcement and other partners who work tirelessly to help recover our most vulnerable children from human trafficking.
Japan is notorious for its sex industry, more often referred to as the adult entertainment industry. All major train stations are surrounded by izakaya (a Japanese traditional bar), hostess bars, karaoke venues, and Love Hotels. Sadly, these “Love Hotels” promise everything but love.
Love hotels offer customers elaborately decorated rooms that can be booked for anything from one hour to multiple days. All kinds of sexual toys, cosplay clothing, food, and accessories can be ordered for room delivery without ever encountering any hotel staff face-to-face. Even the check-in process is completely contactless in order to protect the privacy of customers. An article on May 12th in Japan Today reports that the demand for this so-called “love” did not decline with the COVID-19 pandemic, but instead has increased in suburban areas.
Regrettably, these hotels are not frequented by married couples looking for a romantic getaway, but instead are often used to exploit women and children or engage in extramarital affairs. It is even considered a common and acceptable business practice for business colleagues to go to an izakaya for drinking after work, followed by karaoke in a hostess bar, finally leading for a Love Hotel for a few hours before catching the last train home. If only we could stand on the rooftops of these hotels and shout out: THIS IS NOT LOVE!
The Bible teaches us about real love:
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 1 Corinthians 13
In a recent case:
in the Machida/Yokohama area, a 10-year old girl was groomed through TikTok by a 34-year old perpetrator. Excited to meet her new online friend face-to-face, the young girl was probably surprised to find that he was an adult male that had more than friendship in mind. Already familiar with her school name and home address, it was easy for him to threaten and manipulate the frightened child to accompany him to a Love Hotel where he sexually assaulted her. If only we could’ve accelerated our prevention efforts and ensured that the hotel staff were trained to identify and report this trafficking case before the abuse could take place. We could’ve saved this child from the guilt, shame, and fear that she had to suffer! This is just one of many cases that happen daily in Japan.
There are several ways that you can partner with us to stop the exploitation at Love Hotels. Firstly, make sure that the children you have contact with are aware of the dangers of grooming through social media. Secondly, pray for ZOE Japan as we work with various stakeholders to call for stricter regulation over the Love Hotel industry, including mandatory training for hotel staff and the availability of awareness and prevention materials in hotels to provide information to potential victims. Thirdly, consider a one-time or ongoing donation to ZOE Japan so that we can expand and accelerate our prevention efforts.
May those who purchase services at Love Hotels and the staff discover the TRUE LOVE of Jesus and invite Him into their lives to fill the void in their hearts and set them free!
As an international organization working in multiple countries around the globe, ZOE needs your help to confront the evil of human trafficking. Because human trafficking and slavery happen every day and in every country, we need as many people as possible working together to see it end!
· The power of your prayers is an amazing thing. Please consider praying for our ZOE Child Rescue Team, our ZOE parents, the rescued children, missionaries, and staff in every country.
· Please share what ZOE is doing with people that we cannot reach – your friends, family, work colleagues, sports team, mothers’ group, church, school, and neighborhood.
· ZOE also needs people to fundraise, sponsor a child, and provide the finances for “special projects” in each country.
· Consider giving a donation to a ZOE volunteer missionary whose “salary” is primarily based on the donations of those who feel led to support ZOE. For other ways to get involved click here or contact us.
Prior to moving overseas in 2010 to work cross-culturally, I had only ever ‘missed’ being with my family on Christmas Day once. On December 24th, 2003 my husband and I were traveling through Rome and spent a wonderful (freezing cold) Christmas Eve at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican City. We woke up in Florence on Christmas Day and then went on to Nice in France. It was our first experience of Christmas in winter.
In Australia
Growing up in Australia, December is summer time. It’s our big school break and Christmas Day is usually hot! Many people attend or watch on television Christmas Carol events in the lead up to Christmas Day. Typically on the 25th, my extended family would have a hot roast for lunch and then enjoy either BBQ meats or cold meats like ham off the bone, seafood and salads for dinner. Christmas crackers would be found at each person’s table place. After cracking them open with the person sitting next to you, we would pull out a colored paper crown to wear during dinner, a small toy, and a joke on a small strip of paper. Jokes would be shared across the table and after eating, everyone would gather around the decorated Christmas tree to exchange gifts.
In Thailand
In Thailand with just over 1% Christians, Christmas is very different. For the majority of Thai people, who are Buddhists, rather than Christmas, the coming of the New Year is celebrated. You will see some Christmas decorations in the malls here, and occasionally even hear Christmas carols playing but Christmas Day is a regular day (not a holiday) and if it falls on a weekday, you’ll still see public schools in full swing.
When you think about Christmas, what images come to your mind? Depending on where you live in the world, your experiences of Christmas will vary according to your country’s religious beliefs, culture, traditions and climate.
ZOE works in America, Thailand, Australia, Japan and Mexico. All very different nations! So we wanted to find out what Christmas is like for people living in those countries. This month on social media, you’ll see our staff from all around the world sharing their personal memories and experiences in the country they grew up in, or live in now. I don’t know about you but I can’t wait to hear whether or not there’s any truth to the notion that Japanese people enjoy KFC on Christmas Day!
Every year, as the school year draws to an end, many students are breathing a sigh of relief, eager to escape the daily routine of going to school. Because on top of the academic pressure, cram schools, and after-school activities, some students are now facing a new enemy…“revenge porn.”
“Revenge pornography” is when explicit photos or images of a person are distributed (mostly online) without his/her consent with the intention to embarrass or cause emotional harm.
According to the National Police Agency in Japan
According to the National Police Agency in Japan, the number of cases continue to rise with as many as 1,559 “revenge porn” cases affecting children reported in 2019. More than 80% of those cases were related to junior high and high school students, but sadly even preschool children fell victim in more than 50 cases.
Sometimes children become victims by participating in sexting, the sending and receiving of explicit content such as nude selfies, which are then later used by previous romantic partners or friends to embarrass or bully them. In a recent case reported by local media, a group of junior high school boys secretly filmed girls in the locker room and sold the photos and videos via online chat.
Fear and Anxiety
Victims find themselves in a constant state of fear and anxiety, often leading to severe depression, or worse. Their vulnerability now exposed, they become easy targets for child sex traffickers who will use deception or manipulation to exploit them further.
ZOE Japan
ZOE Japan is blessed to have a strong relationship with another NPO in Japan that supports victims of “revenge pornography” and removes the harmful images from the web. Through this relationship, we are able to observe, learn, and participate in the counseling process to ensure that survivors receive the necessary legal support to clear their names and start the restoration journey. It’s a wonderful opportunity for us to expand our professional network and gain experience in supporting survivors.
Pray
Please pray for spiritual protection, strength, and wisdom for our team members, and for opportunities to share the love of Jesus with survivors and staff.
On August 19, 2020, Netflix began promoting a French film called Cuties,which was set for worldwide release on September 9, 2020. The film (originally called Mignonnes) by French Senegalese director Maïmouna Doucouré and Netflix’s marketing campaign brought about worldwide criticism, petitions to remove the film from Netflix, and campaigns to #cancelNetflix due the public’s concerns that the film promotes the sexualization and commercial sexual exploitation of children and appeals to the appetites of pedophiles.
On September 23, 2020, a grand jury indicted Netflix for the “promotion of lewd visual material depicting a child.”
Although Doucouré has stated that her intention was “to show that our children should have the time to be children, and we as adults should protect their innocence and keep them innocent as long as possible,” in the making and promoting of the film, young girls were exploited in the process and continue to be exploited every time someone views the film. The lead actress is just 11 years old.
Legal Exploitation
Imagery in films like these normalize the sexualization of children and are legal forms of online child sexual exploitation. Individuals and companies are profiting from the exploitation of children in this film. Exploiters can easily take images and videos from this film and upload them to sites profiting from commercialized sexual abuse imagery of children. In addition, with children watching films like these, they are being exposed to and influenced by sexualized behaviors and media representations of children.
Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM)
As a society, we need to take a stand and draw the line against media imagery that fuels the demand for the commercial sexual exploitation of children. According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), their CyberTipline has received over 65 million reports of the online exploitation of children, 312 million images and videos have been reviewed, and over 18,900 victims have been identified by law enforcement. NCMEC further reports that survivors of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) “speak to the long-lasting damage and impact of their images and videos being circulated on the internet.
Subscription-based Services
The lack of control of both the files’ existence and circulation leaves the survivors struggling in their recovery.” In 2018, “teen” was one of the Top 10 search terms from the most consumed pornographic website. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reports that “[s]ome child traffickers adjusted to the reluctance of buyers to meet in-person to engage in commercial sex. Some traffickers are now offering options for subscription-based services in which buyers pay to access online images and videos of the child.”
The sexual abuse imagery of children exists because there is a demand for it. Let us fight to protect the dignity of children, especially in media, imagery, and the internet.
On October 29th and November 30th, ZOE Japan will have the unique opportunity as JNATIP members to meet directly with various government officials to discuss policy reforms and various anti-trafficking initiatives.
There are several topics on the agenda to be discussed with different government departments; and all of them are very important for the purpose of protecting children and people in vulnerable positions.
One of the main agenda items is related to simulated and virtual child sexual abuse material (child pornography). In Japan, possession of child sexual abuse material became illegal in 2014, but it excludes simulated or virtual child sexual abuse material such as anime, manga, child sex dolls, and virtual reality. Those in favor of continued freedom to produce these kinds of materials argue for freedom of expression in the arts, and that no real children are being harmed in the production of these materials. There are also arguments that it could prevent pedophiles from committing crimes against children in real life.
However, according to the book Pedophilia Disorder – It Is Not Love written by Akiyoshi Saito, a psychiatric social worker and the Director of a rehabilitation clinic for people with various forms of addiction, the majority of patients who have been charged with a crime and being treated for pedophilia at his clinic had the regular habit of watching or looking at child sexual abuse material multiple times a day. This indicates that the contents were not keeping them from committing a crime, but the material might be increasing their desire to abuse a real child instead of providing an outlet.
The real concern is not whether the child is real or not, but instead the intention of the material to sexualize children, potentially leading to more abusers and victims in our communities. We need to make every effort to eliminate content that could place children at risk.
We are hopeful for an open discussion with the government representatives that will lead to  tangible action points to modify the law to protect children from being sexualized or objectified in any form.
The second topic that we will address is the age of sexual consent.†During the Meiji era (1880s), the age of consent was set at 13 years old, and remains valid until this day. This has been a hindering issue when identifying human trafficking cases and punishing child traffickers. When a 13-year-old child has the legal authority to consent to sexual activities, it creates a huge challenge to provide evidence of exploitation, with abusers simply claiming that that child consented and receiving very light penalties if convicted.
For example, if an abuser connects with a minor through a social media platform and they develop a “romantic relationship,” often, it turns into a sexually abusive relationship which can also be filmed, photographed, and uploaded online. In addition, there are cases in which accommodation and food are provided to runaway children, and sexual activity is required in return. Such cases clearly fit the definition of human trafficking, but if the victim fails to legally prove that it was clearly nonconsensual by use of means of threat or violence, this often leads to very light sentences for perpetrators (if convicted) and a high rate of repeat offenses.
This age of consent not only fails to deter crime and exploitation but also provides legal advantages to traffickers and abusers.
In the upcoming meetings, we will have the opportunity to discuss the possibility of raising the age of consent to 16 to protect young people from sexual crimes at a fundamental level and to punish child sex offenders.
As we are taking these bold steps to be a voice for the voiceless children of Japan, please pray that we will experience God’s favor at the meetings, and that the decisions made will reflect His perfect will for Japan!
I remember that my grandmother used to love to sit and stare at the aquarium my older brother kept at home. As a teenager, I never really understood how she could just sit there and watch the fish swim for hours. Have you ever done this? Just sit and watch fish swim? Or have you ever been to a large public aquarium and spent way too long in the darkened room with that huge tank holding all the different species of fish and other sea creatures?
It is captivating and actually very relaxing and calming.
Recently, we installed a fish tank at our Child Rescue Center in Thailand. When the girls heard about it they were so excited. In fact, one of them asked if she could purchase her own pet fish to raise in the aquarium. With much joy and anticipation she and one of our ZOE moms bought a fish each to raise in the tank together.
It is a simple aquarium with a good number of fish but it has been so LIFE-giving and restorative for our youth. Not only are they able to sit and enjoy watching the fish, they are also taking ownership and caring for the fish and working together to clean the tank regularly. It’s become a fun family activity that they do together.
Fun fact: Did you know that there are studies that show how watching fish swim in an aquarium can actually help reduce stress and anxiety and help with relaxation?
