Genesis 34
A couple of weeks ago we read Gen 34, which includes a story about the sexual assault of Dinah, Jacob’s only daughter. Following this attack, her 11 brothers (Benjamin isn’t born yet) pursue a vicious plot of vengeance on the town. In the end they kill all the men of the city and take their wives and children into captivity. It’s a terrible story of lust, violence, deception, and treating other human beings as objects, rather than other “image bearers” of God. It reminds us that though our technology has changed, very little has changed in the human heart in the last 4000 years.
This story is shockingly relevant to us today. Sexual violence is rampant in modern America. According to the CDC 53% of women and 29% of men report experiencing sexual violence in our nation today. Fully 25% of women and 4% of men report experiencing a completed or attempted rape. In addition, our nation is awash with sex trafficking…even right here on the Cape. Consider this from the Cape Cod Times (2/6/24):
Fifty-eight sex trafficking cases were reported on the Cape and Islands from 2021 to 2023, with a 31% increase between 2022 and 2023, according to Cape and Islands DA Robert Galibois.
It’s worth asking ourselves, what exactly is “Human Trafficking”?
According to PATH (People Against Trafficking Humans—a group formed in 2014 to fight human trafficking on Cape Cod) “Human Trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery. It is a criminal activity in which traffickers use force, fraud or coercion to control victims for purposes of engaging in commercial sex acts or forced labor services against their will.”
PATH says common indicators of Human Trafficking include:
The person regularly being accompanied by a controlling person; not speaking for themselves;
Lacks control over personal schedule, money, transportation, documents and ID;
Lives & works in the same place; inability to leave their job; has a “debt” owed to employer;
Fearful, submissive, poor health, cuts or bruises, evasive; withdrawn, depressed or distracted;
Appears overly tired at school or work and/ or Brags about making or having lots of money;
Displays expensive clothes, accessories or shoes; inappropriately dressed;
Tattoos of a name, symbol of money, or barcode;
Shows signs of gang affiliation (preference for specific colors; gang symbols);
Older boyfriend or new friends with a different lifestyle. Talks about wild parties or invites other students to attend parties.
PATH was one of the organizations which FLC donated $1500 to this year from our outreach fund (which stipulates that the interest it generates be used to help agencies on the Cape).
As the people of God, Jesus has called us to follow him spiritually, AND to work to make this Fallen world a better place for all people. As we strive to do that as a faith community, we must keep our eyes open to difficult realities, and join those who are actively combating the work of evil in our world. {Note: special thanks to Claire, who is our point person in this work}
Peace, Pastor Derek
