#5: Top Ten Gifts That Give

International Justice Mission

Say it out loud to yourself...go on...

International Justice Mission

It just sounds good doesn't it. Sounds right.

IJM is a human rights agency that secures justice for victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and other forms of violent oppression. If you aren't familiar with the statistics of this problem. They're sick. They're staggering. They're hell on earth.

• The total market value of illicit human trafficking is estimated to be in excess of $32 billion (U.N.)


• Each year, more than 2 million children are exploited in the global commercial sex trade (UNICEF)


• 27 million men, women and children are held as slaves. (Kevin Bales, Disposable People)


• 1 in 5 women is a victim of rape or attempted rape in her lifetime. (U. N. Development Fund for Women)


• More than 1 million children live in detention, the vast majority awaiting trial for minor offenses. (UNICEF)

Check out this clip from Dateline NBC in 2003...



IJM investigators, lawyers and social workers intervene in individual cases of abuse in partnership with state and local authorities.

By pushing individual cases of abuse through the justice system from the investigative stage to the prosecutorial stage, IJM determines the specific source of corruption, lack of resources, or lack of good will in the system denying victims the protection of their legal systems. In collaboration with local authorities, IJM addresses these specific points of brokenness to meet the urgent needs of victims of injustice.

So, what role can you play in IJM this Christmas season?

Let's visit their gift catalog, shall we...the gifts focus on investigation expenses, advocacy and aftercare. We would like to highlight a half day of investigative work. What will that run you? Only $25. And, the recipient of your gift will receive a “Gift of Freedom” card explaining their gift and the work of IJM.

Oh, and another beautiful thing...rest assured that 75% of your financial gifts to IJM go directly to the need while the rest are used to run the ship, so to speak. Here is their Charity Navigator write up.