Marti MacGibbon found herself in Japan, caught in a savage crime ring, her freedom taken away and put into the hands of violent mafia members. She had left her life in San Francisco, fleeing from a violent relationship and drug use, with a false promise of a well-paying job in another country.
After arriving at the Tokyo airport, everything in her life changed. There she found out something that the 600,000 to 800,000 individuals trafficked across international borders find out too late: they are now captives in the world of human trafficking.
"I was in a vulnerable situation and living in my car when it happened," MacGibbon said. "In the six weeks in Japan when I was trafficked, I didn't know whether or not I was going to survive."
This is the story of most young women pulled into human trafficking.
MacGibbon will share her story at Breaking Chains, an event put on by the Ball State chapter of International Justice Mission, on Wednesday night. The International Justice Mission, founded in 1997, is a global organization that works with investigators, lawyers, social workers and local authorities to rescue and support victims of human trafficking as well as appropriate action towards the perpetrators.
MacGibbon was rescued and taken to safety, and she now resides in Indianapolis as a national speaker, author, comedian, and mental health and addiction treatment specialist, where she seeks to educate people about human trafficking 26 years after she emerged as a survivor.
"Those were the worst, hardest years of my life," MacGibbon said. "I don't do this often, tell the story, because it's hard to do. I want to raise awareness to regular citizens that this exists. This happens. It needs to be stopped."
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the $32 billion industry of human trafficking, which can encompass sex trade and forced labor, is the second largest criminal industry and the fastest growing.
However, this is not just a foreign issue. It is estimated that 14,500 to 17,500 people, primarily women and children, are trafficked to the U.S. annually, according to humantrafficking.org. A 2008 report done by the Human Smuggling and Trafficking Center said that, while the numbers might not be exactly spot on, 293,000 American youth are currently at risk of becoming victims of commercial exploitation, which is a large part of human trafficking.
"When most people think about trafficking, they think about Cambodia and other countries, and while they are important, this is happening in the U.S., too," MacGibbon said, "It's the slave-next-door concept."
According to IJM president Chris Kozak, the average age of entry into human trafficking in the form of sexual exploitation is 12 to 13 years old and most of them are American citizens and runaways. The average lifespan for a woman after she becomes involved in human trafficking is seven years because of the violence and drug use involved.
Breaking Chains is a look at this epidemic from not only a social justice standpoint, but also from a biblical one.
"We desire to explain God's heart for the poor and oppressed, living here or around the world," said Abigail Savage, a junior education major and Message Committee president. "It is our hope that we will encourage our fellow classmates and peers to embody a group of people committed to attain justice and freedom for people who currently have no voice."
Rebecca Schafer, a junior psychology major and vice president of the group, said the group wil be talking about what the Bible teaches on slavery and injustice.
IJM encouraged everyone to attend.
The event will include a short film, five speakers and a worship service. There will also be an immersive experience that will help the audience further understand the issue. Kozak's goal for the event is to raise $500 that will fund the organization's anti-trafficking efforts. Bracelets will also be sold for $5 with all of the proceeds going to IJM.
Freshman exercise science major Kim Forsythe, who leads the fundraiser merchandise committee, said the bracelets have 27 beads, representing the 27 million slaves world-wide.
An advertising committee created paper chains to promote the event, where each link carrying the event information can be broken off.
"The chain links represent slavery," said Kayla Sprayue, a sophomore telecommunications major in charge of the committee. "It is used as a visual to symbolize that every time you break a piece of the chain off, you are breaking the chains of slavery."
Kozak said using fair-trade products is one way students can support the fight against human trafficking. This helps combat slave labor that is often associated with harvesting cocoa beans for large chocolate corporations such as Hershey's and Nestle. The IJM will also offer other ideas for ways to end human trafficking.
"When your freedom is taken away and you fear for your life, there is a struggle to retain your identity," MacGibbon said, "But you can't let tragedy define you. It's about keeping hope alive.
"This is a message to anyone. Anything that happens to you, you can heal, and turn it around and help people."
***
MacGibbon's published memoir, "Never Give in to Fear," is available at martimacgibbon.com
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What: Breaking Chains hosted by IJM
When: Wednesday 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Where: Student Center Ballroom
Price: Free
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