my speech

hey everyone,

below is a copy of the speech i gave last night at our brothel team's prostitution seminar. THANK YOU to all who prayed for me and thank you for your emails asking how it went. it went really, really well. we got a lot of positive feedback at the end of the night. 

after my speech we had each person from our brothel team share an encouraging story of what God is doing in women's lives and that was the best part of the evening. my speech was kind of depressing subject matter, so stories of HOPE were just what we needed to hear. sorry i can't have them here for you but they were told in german :).  we also gave the audience ideas of how they can get involved in this issue and concluded the night with prayer.  again, thank you all for your prayers and support. 

love to you all,
krista

GOOD EVENING. OUR SUBJECT MATTER THIS EVENING IS HEAVY. IT’S NOT EXACTLY INFORMATION THAT IS GOING TO BE FUN TO LISTEN TO; INFACT, IT COULD MAKE SOME OF US VERY UNCOMFORTABLE. HOWEVER, AS A TEAM WE BELIEVE IT IS IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US TO COME TO A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF WHY WOMEN ARE PROSTITUTING. IT’S NOT AN EASY ANSWER TO DISCUSS. YET, IN ORDER FOR US ALL TO BE ABLE TO GAIN GOD’S HEART AND HIS COMPASSION AND GREAT LOVE TOWARD THESE WOMEN, WE BELIEVE IT’S NECESSARY TO SHARE.

OUR TOPIC TONIGHT IS FOR US TO ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

WHY DO WOMEN CHOOSE PROSTUITION?
WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES THEY SUFFFER?
AND WHY DON’T THEY JUST STOP?

BEFORE WE DO SO, PLEASE JOIN ME IN PRAYER:

FATHER GOD, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING US ALL HERE TONIGHT. THANK YOU FOR THE WOMEN WE SERVE. I PRAY THAT YOU SPEAK THROUGH US. AND I ASK THAT THROUGH OUR TALK RIGHT NOW, THAT YOU WILL GRANT ALL OF US A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THESE DEAR WOMEN AND A GRANT US ALSO SENSE OF COMPASSION TOWARD THEM. THEY ARE YOUR DAUGHTERS. GRANT US YOUR HEART FOR THEM. IN JESUS’ NAME, AMEN.

WHY DO WOMEN CHOOSE PROSTITUTION?

TO BEGIN WITH, MANY WOMEN DON‘T CHOOSE TO PROSTITUTE THEMSELVES. IT’S BEEN CHOSEN FOR THEM--BY PARENTS WHO SELL THEM INTO SEX SLAVERY…OR THEY ARE PROMISED A JOB IN ANOTHER COUNTRY AND THEN ARE TRICKED AND SEX TRAFFICKED…OR THEY ARE FORCED INTO DOING IT BY A MAN THAT ‘LOVES’ THEM--BY THEIR HUSBAND, THEIR BOYFRIEND OR THEIR PIMP.

JUST IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS, WOMEN IN THE BROTHELS HAVE TOLD US THAT THIS IS THE CASE.

A FEW WEEKS AGO I MET A YOUNG WOMAN THAT HAD JUST BEEN FRESHLY SEX TRAFFICKED BY HER ‘BOYFRIEND.’ SHE HAD ONLY BEEN WORKING IN THE BROTHEL FOR 2 WEEKS AND SHE HATED IT. SHE SAID FOR THE FIRST FEW DAYS SHE JUST CRIED AND CRIED.

SHE TOLD ME HER STORY. HER BOYFRIEND IS WHAT WE CALL A LOVERBOY. A LOVERBOY IN THE WORLD OF PROSTUITION IS A MAN, OFTEN A HANDSOME MAN, WHO PURPOSELY PURSUES WOMEN WITH LIES OF LOVE WITH THE INTENT TO SEX TRAFFICK THEM. HERS IS THE TYPICAL STORY. SHE TOLD US THAT MANY OF THE GIRLS IN THE BROTHEL SHE HAD COME TO KNOW HAD THE SAME STORY--ONLY THE MINOR DETAILS WERE DIFFERENT. SHE’D ONLY KNOWN HIM FOR A MONTH. HE WOOED HER. HE TOLD HER THAT HE’D FALLEN IN LOVE WITH HER. AND SHE BELIEVED HIM. SHE WAS HEAD OVER HEELS IN LOVE WITH HIM. AND WHEN HE KNEW THE TIMING WAS RIGHT AND THE HOOK WAS SECURELY PLACED IN HER MOUTH, HE GAVE HER THE BAIT. THE “LET’S GO TO GERMANY TO START A NEW LIFE TOGETHER” LINE. “BUT YOU GO BY BUS TO HAMBURG…I’LL FLY AND WILL MEET YOU THERE.” HE WASN’T HERE WHEN SHE ARRIVED. BUT SHE WAS MET BY ONE OF THE GIRLS WHO WORKS AT THE BROTHEL WITH A BIG GROUP OF MEN TO ESCORT HER TO HER NEW LIFE. WELCOME TO HAMBURG.

ONE OF THE OTHER WOMEN TOLD US A FEW WEEKS AGO THAT HER MOTHER SOLD HER WHEN SHE WAS 5 YEARS OLD, AND HER SISTER WAS 2. YES, THIS IS REALLY HAPPENING.

MANY WOMEN DON’T CHOOSE PROSTITUTION. IT HAS BEEN CHOSEN FOR THEM.

BUT YOU MAY THINK COME ON, THEY STILL HAVE A CHOICE. THEY CAN ESCAPE. THEY CAN RUN AWAY. THEY CAN ASK FOR HELP FROM SOMEONE. THEY CAN GO TO THE POLICE. THEY DON’T HAVE TO DO THIS.

I USED TO THINK THE SAME THING. BUT I’VE LEARNED, AND WE’VE LEARNED, FOR THEM TO ESCAPE IS NOT AS SIMPLE AS WE MIGHT THINK.

SOME OF THESE WOMEN ARE TRAPPED IN PRIVATEAPARTMENTS, LOCKED INSIDE ALL DAY AND NIGHT. THE DOORS ONLY OPEN FOR THEIR PIMPS OR FOR CUSTOMERS. THEY LITERALLY CANNOT LEAVE THE ROOM TO SEEK HELP. THEY DON’T EVEN KNOW WHERE THEY ARE--THE NAME OF THE CITY OR THEIR ADDRESS OF WHERE THEY‘RE STAYING. WE’VE LEARNED THAT MANY OF THESE WOMEN ARE TRAFFICKED FROM ONE CITY TO ANOTHER-NEVER STAYING IN THE SAME CITY FOR LONGER THAN 2 WEEKS. SOME WOMEN WE MEET ONLY ONCE AND THEN WE NEVER SEE THEM AGAIN. THE SEX TRAFFICKERS DON’T WANT TO GET CAUGHT, AND THEY DON’T WANT THEIR WOMEN MAKING ANY CONTACTS THAT COULD CAUSE THEM TROUBLE. IF THE WOMEN FIND SOMEONE WHO THEY THINK THEY CAN ASK FOR HELP--LIKE ONE OF THEIR 'NICER' CUSTOMERS--THEN THESE MEN OFTEN TELL THE PIMP, AND THE WOMEN GET BEATEN JUST SHORT OF DEATH. IT’S NOT SO EASY TO JUST GET UP AND RUN.

NOT ALL ARE TRAPPED IN APARTMENTS. SOME ARE CONFINED IN OTHER WAYS--SUCH AS WORKING IN ONE OF THESE BROTHELS OR SOME, AS YOU MAY SEE TONIGHT WHEN YOU LEAVE, ARE STANDING HERE ON THE REEPERBAHN. CAN’T THEY JUST RUN FOR HELP?

NO.

THESE WOMEN ARE WATCHED AND CONTROLLED AT ALL TIMES. THEIR EVERY MORE IS ON VIDEOTAPE.

THERE ARE ALSO HIDDEN CHAINS THAT BIND THESE WOMEN CAPTIVE. CHAINS LIKE FEAR--REAL FEAR--OF THEIR PIMPS. THE THREATS, BEATINGS AND INTIMIDATON TACTICS OF PIMPS ARE REAL. AND THESE WOMEN ARE FRIGHTENED FOR THEIR LIVES. AND FOR THEIR FAMILIES’ LIVES.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE YOUNG WOMAN I TOLD YOU ABOUT EARLIER, THAT HAD JUST BEEN SEX TRAFFICKED--WHEN SHE TOLD ME ABOUT IT, I SAID, “YOU KNOW, THERE ARE PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT CAN HELP YOU.”
AND SHE LOOKED AT ME WITH REALLY BIG EYES AND BEGAN SHAKING HER SAYING, “OH NO, YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND MY BOYFRIEND. HE CAN GET REALLY CRAZY SOMETIMES AND HE CAN DO CRAZY THINGS. I KNOW I CAN WALK OVER TO THE POLICE STATION; I KNOW WHERE IT IS. AND IF I WENT TO THEM I KNOW THEY WOULD SEND ME BACK TO MY COUNTRY. BUT THAT’S THE PROBLEM. HE WOULD JUST COME AND FIND ME. HE WOULD PROBABLY KILL ME. HE WOULD HURT MY FAMILY. HE KNOWS MY FAMILY AND HE KNOWS WHERE THEY LIVE.” SHE WAS TRULY PETRIFIED TO EVEN THINK OF TRYING TO FIND A WAY OUT. SHE WAS CHAINED BY FEAR.

NOW I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT OF COURSE THERE ARE WOMEN HERE IN THE BROTHELS AND ON THE REEPERBAHN WHO HAVE NOT BEEN FORCED TO DO THIS AND WHO ARE NOT BEING CONTROLLED BY A PIMP. THERE ARE WOMEN WHO REALLY HAVE CHOSEN TO DO THIS. WHY WOULD THEY EVER CHOOSE TO DO THIS?

BECAUSE THEY WANT TO.

I REMEMBER ONE OF THE FIRST TIMES THE LORD GAVE ME A HEART FOR WOMEN IN PROSTITUTION. IT WAS ABOUT 7 YEARS AGO AND I WAS ON VACATION, IN HAWAII. TO MY SURPRISE, OUR HOTEL WAS A FEW BLOCKS AWAY FROM PROSTITUTE ROW, WHICH IS A STREET WHERE ALL OF THE WOMEN WOULD STAND AT NIGHT. YOU COULDN’T REALLY GO ANYWHERE IN THE CITY WITHOUT PASSING THEM FIRST. AND IT DROVE ME CRAZY. I COULDN’T STAND SEEING THESE WOMEN STAND THERE AND APPROACH MAN AFTER MAN. AND ONE NIGHT I WENT BACK TO THE HOTEL, AND I CRIED OUT TO GOD, “WHY? WHY? WHY ARE THEY DOING THIS?” AND YOU KNOW WHAT CAME TO ME?

BECAUSE THEY WANT TO.

BECAUSE THEY WANT TO?

THEY WANT TO DO THIS?

YES.

HOW COULD ANYONE EVER REALLY WANT TO DO THIS?

I HAVE LEARNED A LOT SINCE THEN.

THEY WANT TO DO THIS…

FOR REASONS THAT WOULD MAKE NO SENSE TO YOU OR ME OR TO THE AVERAGE PERSON.

I’D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME SOBERING REASONS AS TO WHY SOME OF THESE WOMEN WOULD EVER ‘WANT’ TO PROSTITUTE THEMSELVES.

ACCORDING TO MANY DIFFERENT STUDIES, ALMOST ALL WOMEN IN PROSTITUTION WERE SEXUALLY ABUSED AS LITTLE GIRLS. MOST HAVE BEEN VICTIMS OF INCEST, USUALLY FROM THEIR OWN FATHERS. LET ME READ YOU A QUOTE FROM ONE OF THE STUDIES:

“Almost all prostituted women have histories of childhood sexual abuse” (Farley et al, 2003)

THE STATISTICS SAY THE NUMBER IS AT AROUND 90%, AND THEY EVEN ESTIMATE IT TO BE HIGHER AS PEOPLE THAT HAVE SUFFERED SUCH TRAUMA USUALLY DON’T ADMIT TO IT. YOU SEE, FROM THE TIME THEY ARE LITTLE GIRLS, THEY ARE SUBCONSCIOUSLY LEARNING, THIS IS WHO I AM, THIS IS WHAT I’M FOR, THIS IS WHAT I DO.

EVIDENCE IS ALSO CONCLUSIVE THAT THE MAJORITY OF WOMEN IN PROSTITUTION COME FROM ABUSIVE HOMES: WHERE DAD BEAT MOM, WHERE MOM AND DAD WERE ADDICTED TO DRUGS OR ALCOHOL, OR WHERE DAD’S ABUSIVE WORDS WERE JUST AS BRUTAL AS HIS FIST.

WHAT I’VE FOUND MOST INTERESTING IS THAT MANY OF THESE WOMEN HAVE SUFFERED SEVERE LOSS IN THEIR CHILDHOODS AND THAT A COMMON TRAIT IS THE DEATH OF THEIR MOTHERS. OF TWO STUDIES THAT WERE DONE, 33% OF THE WOMEN’S MOTHERS HAD DIED DURING THEIR CHILDHOODS. THAT MEANS THAT EVERY 3RD WOMAN HAS HAD THE EXCRUCIATING PAIN OF LOSING HER MOTHER. WHAT’S IT LIKE TO GO THROUGH LIFE AS A TEENAGE GIRL AND NO HAVE NO MOTHER? ONE OF THE GIRLS IN THE BROTHELS WE KNOW LOST HER MOM WHEN SHE WAS A CHILD. SHE TOLD US THAT SHE’S HATED GOD EVER SINCE. HOW COULD THERE BE A LOVING GOD IF HE ALLOWS MY OWN MOTHER TO DIE?

THESE WOMEN HAVE GROWN UP WITH ABUSE: WHETHER IT BE SEXUAL, PHYSICAL OR VERBAL. AND MANY HAVE SUFFERED SEVERE LOSS. THEIR HEARTS HAVE BEEN BETRAYED AND BROKEN. NO WONDER THEY’RE NOT MAKING GOOD DECISIONS FOR THEIR LIVES. NO WONDER THEY ‘WANT’ TO DO THIS--THEY DON’T KNOW HOW TO WANT ANYTHING DIFFERENT.

I’VE DONE THIS MY WHOLE LIFE ANYWAY--MIGHT AS WELL GET PAID FOR IT NOW.

RESEARCH SAYS THAT WOMEN THAT COME FROM SUCH ABUSIVE HOMES OFTEN LEAVE HOME AND RUNAWAY AT THE AVERAGE AGE OF 14. THEY HAVE FINALLY HAD ENOUGH OF THE ABUSE. BUT THEN THEY ARE ON THE STREETS WITH NO WAY TO PROVIDE FOR THEMSELVES. AND THEN THEY RETURN TO WHAT THEY’VE KNOWN THEIR WHOLE LIVES--SEX. BUT THEN THEY FEEL DIFFERENTLY ABOUT IT, THEY THINK, “NO ONE’S EVER GOING TO TAKE AVANTAGE OF ME AGAIN. NOW I’M IN CONTROL. IF A MAN WANTS TO HAVE SEX WITH ME, HE’S GOING TO HAVE TO PAY FOR IT.” IT’S A FALSE SENSE OF POWER AND CONTROL.

THERE ARE OTHER REASONS WHY WOMEN WANT TO PROSTITUTE THEMSELVES. SOME DO IT PURELY FOR FINANCIAL GAIN: THEY NEED THE MONEY. THEY ARE MOTHERS AND THEY TO DO IT IN ORDER TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE FOR THEIR CHILDREN.

SOME COME FROM COUNTRIES THAT ARE SEVERELY POVERTY STRICKEN AND THERE JUST ARE NOT OPTIONS FOR WOMEN TO WORK AND MAKE ENOUGH MONEY TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES. FOR MEN, MAYBE. FOR WOMEN, NO. SOME EXPERTS SAY THAT FOR WOMEN COMING FROM POVERTY, PROSTITUTION IS THEIR ONLY OPTION.

SOME WOMEN COME FROM CULTURES, LIKE IN ASIA, WHERE THE WOMEN ARE EXPECTED TO PROVIDE FINANCIALLY NOT JUST FOR THEIR CHILDREN, BUT ALSO FOR THEIR PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS. IF SHE DOESN’T HAVE A SIBLING TO MAKE MONEY FOR THE FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY--IT IS HER DUTY. THEY HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE. I WOULD SAY MOST OF THE WOMEN WE MEET IN THE BROTHELS ARE THERE FOR THIS REASON. THEY DON’T LIKE THIS TYPE OF WORK. THEY’RE NOT PROUD OF IT. THEY DON’T WANT TO TO DO IT. THEY’RE ONLY DOING IT TO PROVIDE FINANCIALLY FOR THEIR FAMILIES BACK HOME. AND THEY CAN MAKE MORE MONEY DOING IT HERE IN GERMANY THAN IN THEIR HOME COUNTRIES. SADLY, WE HAVE A HIGH DEMAND FOR PROSTITUTION HERE IN GERMANY. RESEARCH FROM BERLIN STATES THAT 1.2 MILLION GERMAN MEN PAY FOR SEX EVERY DAY. AS LONG AS THERE’S A DEMAND FOR THIS TYPE OF SEX, PEOPLE WILL CAPITALIZE OFF OF IT.

I THINK IT’S SAFE TO SAY THAT MOST WOMEN THAT ARE PROSTITUING FOR MONEY DON’T LIKE WHAT THEY DO BUT THEY DO IT ANYWAY. BUT THERE ARE SOME WOMEN, THAT ON A CERTAIN LEVEL, DO KIND OF ‘ENJOY’ THEIR WORK. WE HAVE MET WOMEN LIKE THIS. THEY TAKE PRIDE IN WHAT THEY DO AND THEY ALMOST ACT LIKE PROFESSIONAL BUSINESS WOMEN. OFTEN THESE WOMEN ARE VERY PRETTY, CLEVER, AND THEY ARE USING THEIR ASSETS TO GET THE ONE THING THEY WANT: AS MUCH MONEY AS POSSIBLE. THEY LIKE HAVING A TWISTED KIND OF CONTROL OVER MEN. THEY LIKE BEING CHOSEN BY A MAN AND THEY LIKE THE FACT THAT HE WILL PAY FOR HER. THEY TELL US THAT THEY BELIEVE IT’S ALL ABOUT HAVING EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY WANT TO DO WHATEVER THEY CAN DO TO MAKE SURE THEIR CUSTOMERS LEAVE VERY PLEASED--AND COME BACK FOR MORE--SO THEY CAN MAKE MORE MONEY--LOTS AND LOTS OF IT. LITTLE DO THESE WOMEN REALIZE THAT IN THEIR DRIVE TO MAKE MONEY, THEY ARE ONLY FURTHER HURTING THEMSELVES. AND THE REAL ISSUES THAT HAVE DRIVEN THEM TO THIS TYPE OF WORK IN THE FIRST PLACE ARE STILL THERE, AND DEEP DOWN, THESE WOMEN ARE HURTING.

SOME OF THE WOMEN, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WANT TO DO THIS WORK BECAUSE THEY LIKE BEING LOVED AND CONTROLLED BY THEIR PIMP. BETTER TO HAVE SOME LOVE THAN NO LOVE AT ALL. REMEMBER, MANY HAVE COME FROM ABUSIVE HOMES; THEIR EXAMPLES OF WHAT A MAN SHOULD BE AND HOW THEY SHOULD TREATED BY A MAN ARE DISTORTED. THEY REALLY BELIEVE THAT THIS IS LOVE. IT’S ALL THEY KNOW AND IT’S ALL THEY HAVE. EVEN IF IT COSTS THEM THEIR VERY LIFE.

THE COSTS. OH, THE COSTS.

DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW THESE WOMEN SUFFER BECAUSE OF THE CHOICE SOMEONE ELSE HAS MADE FOR THEM OR FOR THE CHOICE THEY’VE MADE FOR THEMSELVES?

THEY SUFFER.

THEY SUFFER A SLOW DEATH.

THEY ARE ALIVE, ALRIGHT, BUT WITH EVERY SEX ACT THEY GET PAID FOR, THEY ARE DYING.

DYING!

AND THEY’LL RARELY ADMIT TO IT. THEY’LL LOOK AT YOU AND SMILE. TELL YOU WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR. THEY’LL SAY, “I LIKE WHAT I DO. NO ONE’S FORCING ME TO DO IT.“ AND YOU KNOW WHAT, I THINK PSYCHOLOGICALLY THEY HAVE TO THINK THIS WAY IN ORDER FOR THEM TO HOLD IT ALL TOGETHER. TO KEEP DOING THIS TYPE WORK DAY AFTER DAY, THIS IS WHAT THEY FORCE THEMSELVES TO BELIEVE. I’M ALRIGHT. I’M HAPPY. IT’S OKAY.

BUT INSIDE, THEY’RE DYING. A SLOW DEATH.

THESE WOMEN WORK EVERY DAY AND NIGHT OF THE YEAR. THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF MEN PER DAY FOR SOME OF THE WOMEN HERE ON THE REEPERBAHN WOULD BE 3 MEN A DAY--THAT’S THEM HAVING SEX WITH 1,000 MEN IN JUST ONE YEAR. 1,OOO DIFFERENT MEN.

CAN YOU EVEN IMAGINE WHAT THAT DOES TO YOUR HEART? TO YOUR MIND? TO YOUR VERY SOUL? I CAN ‘T.

THIS IS DEATH. IT’S TOTAL DESTRUCTION.

LET US NOT FORGET THAT THE ENEMY COMES TO ROB, KILL AND DESTORY. HE STOPS AT NOTHING SHORT OF TOTAL DESTRUCTION. THIS IS HIS DOING AND HE LOVES EVERY BIT OF IT.

IN ORDER TO COPE WITH THIS LIFESYLE, THE WOMEN OFTEN TAKE ON DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES AND PERSONAS--OFF HOURS THEY ARE THEIR REAL SELF, AND WHILE WORKING THEY BECOME SOMEONE TOTALLY DIFFERENT. ALMOST ALWAYS THEY HAVE A STAGE NAME--A NAME THEY ONLY USE FOR WORK. WE’VE SEEN THIS 'CHANGE OF PERSONA' IN THE BROTHELS. THEY’LL TALK TO US ALL NORMAL, ALL SWEET, OH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE CHOCOLATE. AND THEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN A CUSTOMER APPROACHES, AND BOOM! THE SEX APPEAL COMES ON, THEY BEGIN TO TALK DIFFERENTLY, ACT DIFFERENTLY, THEY LITERALLY TURN INTO A DIFFERENT PERSON. IT’S LIKE A SWITCH GOES OFF IN THEIR HEAD--TIME TO WORK. THIS IS A COPING MECHANISM. IT’S CALLED COMPARTMENTALIZATION AND DISASSOCIATION. PSYCHOLOGICALLY, THEY’RE DOING WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO TO SURVIVE.

HOW ELSE DO THEY SUFFER?

THEY ARE DEPRESSED. THEY MEDICATE THEIR PAIN. OF COURSE SOME TURN TO DRUGS AND ALCOHOL TO NUMB IT. THEY SUFFER NIGHTMARES, FLASHBACKS. ACCORDING TO RESEARCH THAT WAS DONE IN 9 COUNTRIES, GERMANY BEING ONE OF THE COUNTRIES INCLUDED IN THE STUDY,

60-70% OF WOMEN IN PROSTITUTION ARE RAPED; AND A COMMENT FROM ONE BOOK I READ IS HAUNTING: A WOMAN SAID, “WHAT RAPE IS TO OTHERS IS NORMAL FOR US.”

70-95% ARE PHSYICALLY ASSAULTED.

68% MET THE CRITERIA FOR POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER. THIS IS WHAT COMBAT SOLDIERS AND POW’S SUFFER FROM WHEN THEY RETURN FROM WAR. MENTALLY, EMOTIONALLY, THESE WOMEN ARE REALLY HURTING.

AND THEY HATE THEMSELVES. THEY LOATHE THEMSELVES. AND THEY CAN’T IMAGINE HOW GOD COULD ACTUALLY, EVER REALLY LOVE THEM.

AND THEY COME TO HATE MEN AND THEY BELIEVE THE LIE THAT ALL MEN ARE PIGS AND PERVERTS AND ONLY WANT WOMEN FOR ONE THING: SEX.

PHYSICALLY, THEY ARE DESTROYED AS WELL. IMAGINE WHAT HAVING SEX WITH THAT MANY PARTNERS DOES TO YOUR INSIDES? IT’S NOT NORMAL. GOD DIDN’T CREATE A WOMAN’S BODY TO FUNCTION THAT WAY. AND THAT’S NOT TO MENTION THE SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES, THE ABORTIONS, AND THE CONSTANT PHYSICAL PAIN THEY SUFFER.

ONE OF THE WOMEN WE KNOW WELL HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR 10 YEARS; WHEN SHE FIRST BEGAN WORKING SHE HAD AN AVERAGE OF 1O CUSTOMERS A DAY. SHE IS TOTALLY MESSED UP DOWN THERE AND HER DOCTOR HAS TOLD HER, “YOU HAVE TO STOP. YOU CAN’T KEEP DOING THIS WORK.” AND SHE WANTS TO STOP--BUT SHE SAYS SHE CAN’T: SHE NEEDS THE MONEY BECAUSE SHE SUPPORTS HER WHOLE FAMILY IN THAILAND: HER MOM, HER GRANDMOTHER, HER BROTHER AND HER SISTER.

MANY OF THESE WOMEN ARE LIVING UNDER THE BURDEN OF LIVING A LIE. THEY LIE TO THEIR FAMILIES, TO THEIR HUSBANDS, AND TO THEIR CHILDREN ABOUT WHAT THEY REALLY DO FOR WORK. WE’LL ASK SOMETIMES IF THEIR FAMILIES KNOW WHAT THEY’RE DOING. AND OFTEN THEY’LL RESPOND, “OH, NO. THEY HAVE NO IDEA. IF MY MOTHER KNEW WHAT I WAS REALLY DOING IT WOULD KILL HER. THEY CAN’T KNOW.“ IMAGINE LIVING A LIE LIKE THAT! IT WOULD BE EXHAUSTING.

AND TRUST ME, I KNOW THESE WOMEN, THEY ARE EXHAUSTED. THEY’RE TIRED.

SO IF THE LIFE OF A WOMAN IN PROSTITUION IS SO HARD, WHY DON’T THEY JUST STOP?

EASIER SAID THAN DONE.

ACCORDING TO RESEARCH, 9/10 WOMEN IN PROSTITUTION LONG TO LEAVE; THAT MEANS ALMOST ALL THEM DON‘T LIKE WHAT THEY DO AND DREAM OF GETTING OUT OF THIS WORK…

…BUT THEY DON’T. WHY?

I ALREADY TALKED TO YOU ABOUT THE REAL FEARS THEY HAVE IN REGARDS TO THEIR PIMPS. THE THOUGHT OF LEAVING JUST ISN’T EVEN AN OPTION.

BUT IF ESCAPE WAS POSSIBLE, AND FOR THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO DO IT APART FROM A PIMP, CAN THEY REALLY STOP?

FOR MANY, THEY ARE SO MENTALLY AND EMOTIONALLY DESTROYED THAT THEY CAN’T EVEN THINK STRAIGHT. AND IF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL HAVE BECOME ONE OF THEIR COPING MECHANISMS, THEY ARE TRULY NOT IN THE FRAME OF MIND TO MAKE THE CHOICE TO STOP.

REMEMBER THAT MOST OF THESE WOMEN ARE FROM ABUSIVE BACKGROUNDS. THEY ARE SHATTERED AND BROKENHEARTED. LIFE HAS NOT BEEN EASY FOR THEM. SO FOR US TO EXPECT THEM TO HAVE A SURGE OF SELF ESTEEM AND HEALTHY THINKING PATTERNS AND TO STOP WHAT THEY’RE DOING--THIS JUST REALLY ISN’T A REALISTIC OR FAIR EXPECTATION WE CAN PLACE UPON THEM.

AND AFTER PROSTITUTING THEMSELVES FOR SO LONG, FOR MANY YEARS, IT BECOMES THEIR IDENTITY. THIS IS WHO I AM. THIS WHO I’VE ALWAYS BEEN. THIS IS WHAT I DO AND WHAT I‘LL ALWAYS DO. THIS IS HOW I MAKE MONEY. THERE IS NO OTHER WAY.

SOME DON’T WANT TO STOP BECAUSE THEY ARE FEARFUL OF WHAT ‘NORMAL’ LIFE WOULD BE LIKE IF THEY DID STOP. FOR MANY, IT’S EASIER FOR THEM TO JUST KEEP DOING WHAT THEY’VE BEEN DOING.

MANY CANNOT RETURN HOME. ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO COME FROM SHAME CULTURES, WHICH ARE CULTURES LIKE IN ASIA WHERE IF A WOMAN HAS BEEN SEXUALLY MISUSED AND DIRTIED, EVEN ONLY ONCE, AND EVEN IF IT WAS AGAINST HER WILL, SHE IS NEVER ALLOWED TO ENTER NORMAL SOCIETY AGAIN. SHE BECOMES AN OUTCAST.

WE WANT THESE WOMEN TO LEAVE THIS WORK. BUT THEY NEED A PLACE TO GO. A PLACE TO GO AND BE HEALED. A PLACE TO LEARN HOW TO BE LOVED APPROPRIATELY. A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN COME TO KNOW THE TRUTH AND FREEDOM OF WHO THEY ARE IN CHRIST. A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN GET JOB TRAINING AND LANGUAGE TRAINING. MANY OF THEM DON’T SPEAK GERMAN AND WOULD NEED TO LEARN IT WELL IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO WORK A RESPECTABLE JOB. I HAVE A DREAM FOR SUCH A PLACE, FOR SUCH A HOME. BUT UNTIL WE HAVE A PLACE LIKE THIS TO OFFER THESE WOMEN, IF THEY JUST PICK UP AND LEAVE THE BROTHEL TOMORROW, WHERE WOULD THEY GO? AND HOW WOULD THEY LIVE? THEY CANNOT JUST RENT AN APARTMENT AND FIND ANOTHER JOB WITHOUT ANY MONEY IN THE BANK, WITHOUT ANY JOB REFERENCES, WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WORK EXPERIENCE OTHER THAN WHAT THEY’VE BEEN DOING. WITHOUT THE GRACE AND HELP OF GOD, THEY REALLY CAN’T. FOR SOME OF THEM IT’S COMPLETELY IMPOSSIBLE.

SO THOSE ARE SOME ANSWERS TO OUR QUESTIONS FOR TONIGHT. THERE’S NO SINGLE ANSWER AS TO WHY ALL WOMEN PROSTITUTE AND WHY THEY DON’T ALL STOP. AS YOU’VE HEARD TONIGHT, EACH WOMAN HAS HER OWN STORY. IT’S HEAVY SUBJECT MATTER, ISN’T IT? THIS DARKNESS OF PROSTITUTION CAN SEEM SO BIG AND SO OVERWHELMING. AND HERE ON THE REEPERBAHN, WITH MORE BROTHELS AND SEX CLUBS THAN YOU CAN COUNT, IT CAN SEEM IMPOSSIBLE TO PENETRATE. BUT THAT’S NOT TRUE. WE SERVE A GOD WHO GOES INTO THE DEEPEST DARKNESS WITH HIS LIGHT. HE PURSUES THE LOST. HE GOES AFTER THE ONE WOMAN. AND AS A TEAM, WE ARE SEEING EVIDENCE OF HIS HAND AT WORK IN THE BROTHELS. LET US SHARE WITH YOU SOME OF OUR STORIES OF HOPE…