Christian Stars Estrellas Cristianas - Estrellas Cristianas Newspaper

PG. 4
DIVORCE RATE AMONG CHRISTIANS
It’s one of the most quoted stats by
Christian leaders today. And it’s
perhaps one of the most inaccurate.
Christians are not doing well in living out
their faith. But it could also be taken as
a statement that redemption by and real
discipleship under Jesus makes no real
difference when it comes to marriage.
Based on the best data available, the
divorce rate among Christians is significantly
lower than the general population.
People who seriously practice a traditional
religious faith---whether Christian
or other---have a divorce rate markedly
lower than the general population.
The difference is religious commitment
and practice. What appears intuitive is
true. Couples who regularly practice any
combination of serious religious behaviors
and attitudes---attend church nearly every
week, read their bibles and spiritual
materials regularly; pray privately and
together; generally take their faith seriously,
living not as perfect disciples, but
serious disciples---enjoy significantly low-
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been reported targeting their minor victims
through telephone chat-lines, clubs,
on the street, through friends, and at
malls, as well as using girls to recruit
other girls at schools and after-school programs.
How Do I Identify a Victim of Human
Trafficking?
A victim: Has unexplained absences
from school for a period of time, and is
therefore a truant. Demonstrates an inability
to attend school on a regular basis,
chronically runs away from home, makes
references to frequent travel to other cities,
exhibits bruises or other physical
trauma, shows withdrawn behavior, depression,
or fear, lacks control over their
schedule or identification documents, is
malnourished or inappropriately dressed
(based on weather conditions or surroundings),
shows signs of drug addiction.
er divorce rates than mere church members,
the general public, and unbelievers.
Professor Bradley Wright, a sociologist
at the University of Connecticut, explains
from his analysis of people who identify as
Christians but rarely attend church, that
60 percent of these have been divorced.
Of those who attend church regularly, 38
percent have been divorced. Other data
from additional sociologists of family and
religion suggest a substantial marital
stability divide between those who take
their faith seriously and those who do
not. W. Bradford Wilcox, a leading sociologist
at the University of Virginia and
director of the National Marriage Project,
finds from his own analysis that “active
conservative Protestants” who regularly
attend church are 35 percent less likely
to divorce compared to those who have
no affiliation. Nominally attending conservative
Protestants are 20 percent
more likely to divorce, compared to secular
Americans. Professor Scott Stanley
from the University of Denver, working
Additional signs that may indicate
sex-related trafficking include:
Demonstrates a sudden change in attire,
behavior, or material possessions
(e.g., has expensive items). Makes references
to sexual situations that are beyond
age-specific norms, has a “boyfriend” who
is noticeably older (10+ years). Makes
references to terminology of the commercial
sex industry that are beyond their
age, specific norms, engages in promiscuous
behavior and may be labeled as “fast”
by their peers.
Child Trafficking Statistics
Child/Human Trafficking is one of
the fastest growing crimes in the world.
Child/ human trafficking is the world’s
second largest criminal enterprise, after
drugs, reports the U.S. State Department.
The global market of child trafficking is
over $12 billion a year with over 1.2 million
child victims. UNICEF
with an absolute all-star team of leading
sociologists in the Oklahoma Marriage
Study, explains, “Whether young or old,
male or female, low-income or not, those
who said that they were more religious
reported higher average levels of commitment
to their partners, higher levels
of marital satisfaction, less thinking and
talking about divorce and lower levels of
negative interaction. These patterns held
true when controlling for such important
variables as income, education, and age at
first marriage.” These data indicate that
the divorce rate among serious believers
is not something to crow about. It is
still higher than most of us are comfortable
with. But there is no reliable, mainstream
social-science data that has this
rate higher than the general population.
Faith and disciplinee helps, but it doesn’t
make all our problems go away.
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HUMAN TRAFFICKING
As many as 2.8 million children run
away each year in the US. Within 48
hours of hitting the streets, one-third of
these children are lured or recruited into
the underground world of prostitution
and pornography, reports The National
Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
The average age of entry for children
victimized by sex trade industry is 12
years of age, says U.S. Department of
Justice.
Approximately 80% of human trafficking
victims are women and girls and up to
50% are minors, says U.S. State Department.
The average victims of non-incestuous
pedophiles who molest girls is 20, for pedophiles
who prefer boys 100, reports The
Associations for the Treatment of Sexual
Abusers (ATSA).
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300,000 children in the U.S. are at risk
every year for commercial sexual exploitation,
reports U.S Department of Justice.
600,000- 800,000 people are bought and
sold across international borders each
year; 50% are children, most are female.
The majority of these the majority of these
victims are forced into the commercial sex
trade, reports U. S. Department, 2004,
Trafficking in Persons Report, Washington,
D.C.
An average serial child molester may
have as many as 400 victims in his lifetime,
says Child Sexual Abuse Prevention
Study.
The National Center for Missing Exploited
Children, which helps to identify
and locate children in pornography photos
and videos, says its staff reviewed more
than 10.5 million images in 2009 alone.
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