Child Brides

There was a disturbing case of a young child bride in Afghanistan who was severely abused by her husband's family. They were put in jail.

When this happens, everyone puts their binoculars on the countries that have always practiced this way, and still do. Like India. Click here to see pictures.

But what about our own country?

When we talk about sex slavery, child brides, and human trafficking, it is so easy to demonize those other people, half-way across the world. Meanwhile, we ignore the problem that is happening right next door. LITERALLY NEXT DOOR! Portland, Oregon is the center of US sex trafficking. Hundreds of thousands of American children are forced into prostitution every year. And do not romanticize this: they do NOT choose to be prostitutes.

While the story of the child bride in Afghanistan is awful and heart breaking, do not let that turn into an "us vs them" mentality. We are no better. American girls are in as much danger as Afghan girls, as Indian girls, as Thai girls - BE CAREFUL! Protect yourself. You are loved. You are worthy of real love.