Evangelical Scoundrels and Scandals
By,
Ted Lyons
For most people, the only information they receive about human trafficking and sexual exploitation is through NGO websites, and or NGO marketing campaigns. In most cases, NGOs will sensationalize the stories and report slight innuendos as facts. They fabricate and mislead in an effort for relevancy, hoping for higher amounts of donations.
It would be of greater value if NGOs, specifically Western Evangelical NGOs would take the time and effort to understand culture and traditions. It would behoove NGOs to learn more about the local religious beliefs while engaging in conversations with religious leaders. The crime of human trafficking and exploitation is reprehensible. It is time for NGOs to adopt new standards of operations, particularly in the arena of Raid and Rescue. NGOs need to apply ethical standards to their storytelling and market their organizations with truth and not sensationalism.
The crime of trafficking and exploitation is hidden and covert, making it too easy for misrepresentation by NGOs. When the narrative of the story is disingenuous, it becomes abundantly clear of the motives behind the organization. Many organizations frame sex work, and adult entertainment venues as “brothels” filled with “sex slaves.” While this might be the case in a few beer bars and gentlemen’s clubs, it is not clearly or ethically communicating the entire narrative. It’s time for NGOs to focus on real issues and real solutions. Investigating red-light tourist venues throughout Pattaya, Bangkok, and Phuket is ineffective, unethical, and a waste of resources. There is a need for NGOs to work in these places, however, they need to focus on changing lives and not their bank accounts.
Narrative matters! If NGOs want to win the battle against human trafficking and exploitation, it will take tough decisions to communicate the real narrative. Human trafficking is complex. What causes one individual to become vulnerable is just not the case for someone else. If we focus on Southeast Asia, particularly, Thailand, we will find there are different needs for different groups of people. The resources that are being used in tourist red-light districts could be of vital use in preventive programs. It is time for anti-trafficking organizations to unite and fight for the lives of young girls and boys throughout Thailand. It is time resources and manpower is used wisely and ethically. NGOs need to invest more time in learning the culture and building bridges with nationals to support children and reduce the crime of sexual exploitation and human trafficking.
Thailand is approximately 96 % Buddhist. Almost every Thai practices the Theravada form of Buddhism. This school of thought is engrained in the national culture, “to be Thai is to be Buddhist.” However, many Thais do not focus on cultivating the central tenets of Theravada Buddhism, they focus more so on making merit. There is a lifelong process for a person to achieve good karma. The larger culture around mending one’s karma is the participation of financially providing to temples. With pressure to make merit, donate to temples, and financially provide for families, many young ladies turn to the sex trade. This is ingrained in their society, and calling them “sex slaves” does not help the narrative. According to Buddhist belief, women in Thailand are thought to be born karmically inferior to men. This leads to the added pressure to contribute to the temples via almsgiving and other related practices. Women do not have all of the options that are provided to men. Having fewer options to achieve good karma, many women enter the sex trade to earn money to send back to their families, as well as participate in almsgiving.
Recently I came across a video from 2016 of Alece Ronzino, a non-profit leader and member of the board of directors for The Exodus Road. It was posted on her website “Grit and Glory.” In this one-minute and forty-two-second video, I observed why there is very little progress being made in the fight against human trafficking and sexual exploitation. The Exodus Road has concocted a money-making scheme. For the past ten years, The Exodus Road and their surrogates have misled donors and fabricated stories to make money. Like all of the unethical individuals connected with The Exodus Road, she starts with “the very first brothel, and the very first girl.” You have to understand why The Exodus Road uses this kind of description in every one of their interviews and videos. They always mention the “very first place, the very first girl,” this is to indicate that sex trafficking is so rampant, and the girls are so desperate to leave. Girls are free to leave the bar, however, they don’t leave because they are making money. Unlike Matt and Laura Parker, these girls are earning an honest wage. They don’t leave for the same reason individuals around the world don’t leave their jobs, they need to survive and support their families. A girl’s job working in the bar entails entertaining people.
Alece elaborates over and over how the girl was so happy to see her, and how the girl kept saying “thank you,” Alece doesn’t understand the very nature of Thai personality. Girls say thank you all the time. THEY WANT YOU TO BUY THEM A DRINK. IT’S HOW THEY MAKE MONEY. Of course, she wanted Alece to stay there with her. A customer means more drinks, and more opportunities to make money. The Exodus Road executives should understand an individual’s desire to make more money. Isn’t this what Matt and Laura are all about, making more money?
The abstract narrative of calling every beer bar a “brothel.” The abstract narrative of labeling every sex worker a “sex slave,” and the abstract narrative of calling every bar owner and bar staff a “trafficker” is counterproductive to resolving the issue. Ronzino claims she was a safe place for this young girl. Why would she assume this girl believed she was in a safe place? The arrogance of The Exodus Road and its demented volunteers is revealing. Ronzino doesn’t understand this girl didn’t find her to be a safe place. This girl trusts very few outsiders! RONZINO you have no clue!!!! This girl just met you! She has encountered many unworthy individuals, both men and women. The hubris that The Exodus Road exudes is appalling. They believe by just showing up in a bar, a girl senses their superpowers and feels the safety that only Matt and Laura’s gang of volunteer charlatans can provide. Let me be clear!!! The girl did not trust you, it’s her job to be nice because it’s how she makes money. Once again, unless you have spent time in the bar with this girl, it’s unwise and unethical to assume what she is thinking. However, Ronzino doesn’t care! She is just trying to make Matt and Laura Parker a lot more money with the hopes of a few kickbacks.
NGOs market their “savior” brand with disingenuous narratives. Every story told begins with how a girl is so happy they have come to sit in the bar with them. NGO men and women assume girls are happy they are there to “rescue” them. This isn’t the case at all. Girls work in beer bars for drinks, so any individual visiting the bar is a potential customer to buy them drinks. They are going to be friendly and tell individuals how glad they are that they are there. Thai bar girls are excellent sales reps. the vast majority of Thai bar girls know how to push the right buttons. This is not to say that human trafficking and exploitation don’t exist, because that would be incorrect as well. But, when a girl gives an NGO volunteer an indication they are tired and doesn’t want to be there, just think for a second, do you always love your job? Are you always excited to be at work? For the vast number of girls working in red-light districts, this is a job!
Instead of creating unethical narratives about sex trafficking, NGOs could use their vast resources for educational opportunities, job skills, and preventive measures. I understand many NGOs offer “aftercare” programs, and there are a plethora of NGOs doing preventative work. However, there needs to be more pressure applied on Raid and Rescue organizations. Too much money is being spent on this horrendous and dangerous philosophy. There needs to be an effort that concentrates on the root issues and vital solutions to help girls remain out of the sex industry if they choose to do so. NGOs should look into deeper conversations while building better alliances with temples and monks. If they worked more closely with the religious leaders inside Thailand, they would have a better opportunity to discourage the sex trade. This would take some creative steps. However, most Western NGOs are founded by and backed by Evangelical Christians. Creating alliances with Buddhists would be tricky, but not altogether impossible. The major issue with Western organizations is fundraising. Organizations such as The Exodus Road depend on sensational and unethical stories to raise funds. They would not be able to label every lady a sex slave, and they would not be able to frame the narrative that they are the heroes riding in on the white horse to save all of the “victims.”
The main hindrance to doing the right thing is seriously hampered by the donor pool. The Evangelical Church believes sex work to be wrong. Having this belief is not the problem. It is alright to believe sex outside of marriage is harmful and not what God intended. However, the American Evangelical Church needs to see how the rest of the world views its leaders. With globalization and social media, news travels the world. The world sees evangelicals as hypocritical! The multitude of sexual scandals with the Evangelical Clergy is alarming. How is it possible for Matt and Laura to endorse operational procedures that label young girls “sex slaves?” If NGOs want to make a difference in the lives and communities of Thailand, I would strongly encourage long hard conversations with religious and community leaders. I would suggest not applying personal standards of morality. NGOs should communicate and work in closer harmony with each other. There needs to be greater research and efforts providing for educational and employment opportunities within local villages and communities. The money spent on the frivolous marketing efforts of fabricated and sensationalized stories would go a long way to making a difference in community outreach.
