In Our Backyard {Book Review}

In Our Backyard {Book Review}

In America, I think the majority of us are blissfully unaware of most criminal activity around us. Sure, the stories that make the news, even ones in our own cities, may give us pause but what about the majority of other horrible crimes and their victims? In her new book, In Our Backyard: Human Trafficking in America and What We Can Do To Stop It, author Nita Belles teaches readers about human trafficking and what we can do about it.

In recent years, Americans have woken up to the reality that human trafficking is not just something that happens in other countries. But what most still do not understand is that neither is it something that just happens to “other people” such as runaways or the disenfranchised. The human trafficker is no respecter of faith, education, or socioeconomic status, and even kids who are raised in solid families in middle and upper class suburbs can fall victim. Likewise, labor trafficking happens in our cities, neighborhoods, and rural areas.

Through true stories and years of boots-on-the-ground experience, including at the Super Bowl, anti-trafficking expert Nita Belles teaches readers everything they need to know about human trafficking in the United States and what they can do to join the fight against it. She helps concerned parents, friends, teachers, law enforcement, government officials, and other leaders understand all forms of trafficking, identify risk factors, and take practical steps to keep their loved ones and neighbors safe from predators.

This is a difficult review to write. While I love to read about a variety of subjects, this particular topic is heart-breaking and sickening. Although perhaps that’s even more reason why folks should read the book…to get a grasp on what is happening all around us.

I always assumed sex trafficking, slavery, etc happened in other countries; those countries that are poor, uneducated, and already crime ridden. But that’s wrong. It’s right here, in our country. Every day, boys, girls, men and women are forced into trafficking for a variety of nefarious purposes.

But the author, Nita Belles, hopes to open our eyes to this awful problem in the US by teaching us what to look for, and what resources are available to help us and the victims. She says we can stop human trafficking in our lifetime if we work together. And this book would be a great place to start. Filled with facts and figures, along with stories of survivors, it’s definitely a powerful and moving book. I’d suggest it in small doses, mixed with a lot of prayer.

You can pick up a copy of In Our Backyard through Amazon today.

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned in this article in exchange for my honest opinion. Some of the links in the article may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I may receive a small compensation. Regardless, I will only recommend products or services I use personally or believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”