From Feb. 21 to Feb. 25, Milligan College hosted Justice Week, a week aimed at addressing and bringing awareness to social and human rights issues.
On Tuesday, the organization held a “conversation cafe,” an interactive evening of conversations that sought to help students understand how human rights abuse can affect them.
On Wednesday, IJM hosted a screening of the 2016 film “Priceless,” which tells the story of a man who attempts to expose a human trafficking network.
On Thursday, the group organized a blood drive with the Student Government Association, and on Friday, they took part in a Justice March. Students took 60 seconds to stand in silence for those who have lost their lives fighting against abuse. Students also prayed for the organizations fighting to expose and prevent human trafficking.
On Saturday, Milligan’s IJM chapter took part in a service with First Christian Church. They traveled to take part in the Compassion International Experience in Gray, Tenn., a simulation of what it would be like to live on $2 a day.
According to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center, more than 4,000 cases of sex trafficking have been reported in the United States in roughly the past decade alone. Unfortunately, many cases go unreported, and, while most government agencies are doing their best to stop these and similar practices, official bodies are simply unable to prevent the nearly 20.9 million trafficked victims across the world from modern day slavery.
The International Justice Mission (IJM), which focuses on not only human trafficking but a wide range of human rights abuses, has a local chapter at Milligan College.
Praise Weru, the chair of Milligan’s chapter, believes that preventing human rights abuses starts with everyday people making a stand.
“IJM as a body seeks to empower the poor,” Weru said. “They aim to fight injustices within poor communities around the world.”
For quite some time, IJM’s biggest focus has been on human trafficking. However, the organization hopes to prevent human rights abuses in general.
Weru said that people need to realize that human rights abuses are happening in Tennessee and even near Milligan College.
Weru hopes Justice Week changes the hearts and minds of those unaware of the human rights abuses taking place around the world.
“We hope that people come out of this week and get involved with IJM on campus,” she said.
For those interested in joining IJM, contact Praise Weru or Brad Wallace through e-mail.
