John,

It happened to a boy I’ll call Tony. Barely 15 years old.
 
He was innocent. Just playing video games. But the online connection made him the prey. A predatory adult connected with him … groomed him … played on Tony’s emotions and the daily misery he was suffering in his difficult home life.
 
When Tony was ultimately persuaded to visit the predator’s house, he was trapped. He was forced to sleep on the floor — and he was sexually abused, again and again.
 
His choices were horrible: go back to the hell of his own home, remain in the new hell of this new prison — or run away, to who knows what?
 
Finally, after a year of shame — pain — torture — Tony managed to get to the police.
 
Soon, by God’s grace, he was at our partner organization who specializes in caring for boys who have been victimized by the sex trafficking industry.
 
The dedicated staff worked tirelessly to help him sense compassion … to feel safe, and important, and valued — something he had never experienced, at home or elsewhere.
 
Gradually, love did its job.

• Tony eventually learned to trust. He began making friends and caught up in school.
• The staff worked with Tony’s mother too … and finally they were reunited.
• Today, Tony is thriving — and dreaming of opening a safe house to help other boys like him!

It’s for children like Tony — thousands of boys and girls victimized by the multi-million-dollar sex trafficking industry, across North America and around the world — that I come to you today with this heartfelt request.
 
Please support Shared Hope International, to help us save more lives in the new year ahead.

We’ve just ended a great year of impact together. Your 2020 launch gift today will go further than ever before, because our new “mission control” center, the Shared Hope Institute for Justice and Advocacy in Washington, D.C., is now open and operational.
 
We’re working more efficiently and effectively. We have greater influence among the power-brokers and decision-makers. Our work overseas has momentum. The tide is turning!
 
But there is much, much more work to be done. As you stand by us, we’ll work toward:
 

• Restoring the lives of more adults, girls, and boys, just like Tony, liberated from the sex traffickers …
• Continuing to change laws in the remaining 20 states to prevent victims from being arrested or prosecuted for the crime committed against them …
• Raising our voices to advocate for victims unjustly jailed at this moment …
• Developing even more professional training and awareness tools, like our Internet Safety Series, to further connect our communities and change the hearts and minds of the nation …
• And more!

Your support for Shared Hope International is such an important part of every advance made in the fight against sex trafficking. I’m deeply grateful.
 
Please let me hear from you quickly. Together, we will invade the darkness of child sex trafficking until there are no shadows left where buyers can hide!
 
Linda Smith
Founder and President
 
P.S. Automatic giving will magnify the impact of your support.

1. It’s convenient for you: you control all the details — amount and timing and source of your donations — and you can cancel at any time.
2. And your gift will come to Shared Hope automatically, without any effort on your part.