Fundraiser Aims To Raise Money To End Child Trafficking

DETROIT (WWJ)- Child trafficking in the U.S. is not often in the headlines. But the founder of a child rescue operation says the problem is worldwide and heart breaking.

Rob Morris founded "Love 146" a decade ago after going  undercover with professional investigators into a brothel of a brothel in Southeast Asia.

Inside a barren room with a glass window for clients to see their victims, was a little girl with the number "146" pinned on the red dress she was forced to wear.

"My quess was that she was probably new to the brothel because there was still a light there, there was still a fight left in her eyes - she was staring at us through the glass," said Morris. "And I'll never forget her number, it was 146."

"This is not about statistics, it's not about an issue or a cause, it's about human beings, it's about somebody's daughter, somebody's son," he said. "Everything in me, as a man, as a father, as a human being wanted to smash through that glass, as try to get as many of those kids out of there - in that situation."

Morris made it his life's mission to root out child slavery and his group is holding a fundraiser in Shelby Township that will spotlight child trafficking.

The Love146 website notes that the organization does not purchase children as a means of                                                                      rescue from enslavement. Though this may seem like an appropriate response it is in fact contributing to the problem. The purchase of a child financially supports the very systems and structures of abuse that we are fighting. Financially supporting this system contributes to the circle of abuse by allowing the brothel owner, mamasan, or trafficker to simply purchase another child. In some cases, it actually increases the number of children trafficked. We support and endorse the work of rescue agencies and law enforcement that not only remove children from brothels but also shut down brothels, convict, and sentence the exploiters.

To find more information on the Sunday, September 30th fundraiser - click on HERE.