So you saw Sound of Freedom and now you want to “do something” about the problem of human trafficking. Or perhaps you’ve heard about it in the news and were shocked and saddened and want to help.

If so, please - please - get Ending Human Trafficking: A Handbook of Strategies for the Church Today (galley received as part of an early review program).

You might find the introduction offensive: the authors speak of how police disparage a lot of people motivated by their faith to “do something” about human trafficking. Yet they well explain why: a lot of times those motivated by their faith, with the best of intentions, “do something” they think is “helping” but at best proves redundant, and at worst actively hinders and works against the work a lot of law enforcement and non-governmental organizations are doing on the ground.

Instead, the authors of Ending Human Trafficking encourage Christians and churches to get trained and educated about the history of slavery and human trafficking, the nature of slavery and human trafficking today, the terminology used, all applicable laws, and they provide a guide for Christians and churches to develop efforts to work with existing efforts from law enforcement and non-governmental organizations to end human trafficking following the six Ps: prevention, protection, prosecution, partnership, policy, and prayer.

The authors do well at dispelling a lot of the myths about human trafficking and work to uncover its reality: there are far more people trafficked for labor than for sex and it often does not look as obvious or dramatic as it is made out to be. It is important to be trained in how to effectively work with survivors of trafficking and maintain firm commitments in efforts to work toward their restoration. Christians can do a lot to maintain a spotlight on the issue, in their prayers, and do what they can to prevent people from falling into trafficking and partnering with organizations to help those who have been trafficked.

There is a lot of practical wisdom in this book. I appreciate the sharp criticism of the white saviorism and “lone ranger” tactics which prove all too pervasive in conservative Christendom writ large and what seems to be exemplified in Sound of Freedom (I again refer to Laura Robinson’s excellent series on this topic beginning here). Some of us have some qualms about the church as a corporate collective institutionalizing some of these programs, and there are some valid critiques of the urge to systematize in general; nevertheless, the problem remains very real, and there do need to be a lot of institutional guidelines and safeguards erected and maintained in order to properly help restore survivors of trafficking.

If you are as serious in substance as in profession regarding human trafficking, this is a great resource to consider.

If you are looking for an inspirational book that will inform you of the problem of modern-day slavery and inspire you to get off the sidelines and do something, this is not your book. The first book that comes to my mind along those lines is Not For Sale, but I read that well over a decade ago. I am sure there are others more recent and up-to-date that are probably just as good.

However, if you are already informed and desire to do something, this book is exactly what you are looking for. In Ending Human Trafficking, Shane Moore, Sandra Morgan, and Kimberly Yim give practical, down-to-earth advice for how you can get your church, or church group, involved in combatting the very real problem that is human trafficking. They do this through five "P's." These are: prevention, protection, prosecution, policy, and prayer.

Probably one of the best takeaways from the book is that we should "stay in our lane." The church is best suited to prevention and prayer. While the book talks about what lawmakers and policymakers are doing and in what ways the church, or independent Christian ministries, can help them, where we are most needed, and where we can do the most good is in these two categories.

The most quotable moment comes from the testimony of a trafficked survivor.
Those were ways that they [the church] helped. They were present, consistently. "Now when the church steps in, I know that for the trafficker to have access to me again, they have to go through this community of people, which was my church, in order to get to me. That gave me shelter."

This is a very important book for beginners to advanced human traffic stoppers; especially to those in the criminal justice field. This is a global fight, one we are losing. This book breaks down human trafficking. We need more education. We need more awareness. We need to be able to help those who have been trafficked. This book explains all of that and more.

In Ending Human Trafficking, Shayne Moore, Sandra Morgan, and Kimberly McOwen Yim empower their readers with information on how to fight human trafficking effectively in the context of their local church. The authors overview 6 Ps of fighting trafficking: Prevention, Protection, Prosecution, Partnership, Policy, and Prayer. Each of these steps are supported by scriptural examples of why they are effective and important, as well as more modern examples of how to do these steps well. Each chapter is ended with practical activities that individuals and churches can do to fight trafficking in their local communities, in order to take this book beyond the theoretical and pushed into action.

This book needs to be in every church library. Every believer that cares about human trafficking, justice, and making their communities safe for all should read this book. I am not exaggerating when I say this is easily one of the top 5 books I've read this year because it was so paradigm shifting.

This book gave a great introduction to human trafficking and how the church must be involved in efforts to eradicate it. I appreciated the research and felt like the stories were mostly compelling.

Ending Human Trafficking
A Handbook of Strategies for the Church Today
by Shayne Moore; Sandra Morgan; Kimberly McOwen Yim
Pub Date 05 Apr 2022 | Archive Date 05 May 2022
InterVarsity Press, IVP Academic
Christian | Religion & Spirituality



I am reviewing a copy of Ending Human Trafficking through InterVarsity Press and Netgalley:




One of the most pressing social justice issues of our time is Human Trafficking, and in recent years there has been renewed interest among Christians, as many have been stirred up to take their part in the ongoing battle. Though this is a wonderful thing but misinformed and misguided efforts can do more harm than good.



Ending Human Trafficking is a handbook designed to educate churches and parachurch organizations for truly effective work. In collaboration with The Global Center for Women and Justice at Vanguard University. This book is an accessible and compelling resource for Christian leaders, written by seasoned leaders in the struggle against modern slavery.




I give Ending Human Trafficking five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

I have read other books on this topic, but I still found this very educational and informative. This is a much needed read, and I would recommend it or get it for people when it comes out. This book is intended for members of the church and leaders of the church who want to help those victimized by trafficking. Something I appreciated about this was the breakdown of types of trafficking, as well as the authors’ work and strategies for supporting those victimized by trafficking. I also appreciated that the authors referenced specific books and verses of the Bible throughout.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC and the opportunity to share my opinions on the book!

This is a book that can help churches and other establishments to help in the human trafficking issue we have in our nation and worldwide. It is especially helpful for faith based communities to get involved and become organized with local law enforcement to help with this out of control problem. This book is very good at laying things out in how it should be done, working with law enforcement and listening to what they say to keep from you and others getting hurt. It lays out how to help and how to do it safely. Thank you to #NetGalley and the publishers IVP Academic , and the authors, for the opportunity to read and review #EndingHumanTrafficking with my honest thoughts and opinions.

I love this book for what it is!
I think there is definitely a space for human trafficking literature. I especially think there is a lack of this kind of literature in the Christian space.
This book does a great job of breaking down the essential parts of ending human trafficking from a Christian perspective. I especially appreciate that there is a breakdown of action steps that can be taken at the end of each chapter.

I enjoyed this book because of it's writing style, unique topic, and the fact that it really provided a thought-provoking experience. Recommended for readers who want to read slowly so as to take time to process.

Wow. A hard hitting and educational read which mixes bible stories, passages and real examples with real care and interest. The role that Christians can and should play in making sure that the learning and tenets of the gospel are central to how they consider the social injustice that they are face with is excellent and made very clear. This isn’t an easy read but, through examples and learning, brings the topic of modern slavery into our living rooms so we have to consider our own behaviours.

"Ending Human Trafficking: A Handbook of Strategies for the Church Today" was written by Shayne Moore, Sandra Morgan, and Kimberly McOwen Yim. This book was written for church leaders and members who are interested in effectively helping those who have found themselves entangled in the world of human trafficking. The authors use the 6 P's to summarize their work: prevention, protection, prosecution, partnership, policy, and prayer. With each "P", helpful tips and anecdotal evidence is given. I also appreciated the transparency from the authors, and their own real life stories.

This book would be very helpful for church leaders wondering how to help this needy population. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

The authors want each and every one of us caring people to know the undergirding thought and the basis for making the effort to stop the trafficking, be it for labor or for commerial sex exploitation, is that human beings are 'imago Dei' - made in the image of God. As such, each individual should be respected and treated with decency and dignity.

This is definitely a faith based, Christian book. Various Bible verses are quoted and prayer is an important viable factor P which adheres and joins the other Ps in effective community (read the book to discover those Ps). Additionally, the book ends with some important Appendices and makes note of some case studies from which lessons have been learned.

This is very much a "must read" and then "take action" sort of book. Church leaders, pastors and even congregants, the world over, should all be encouraged to read and then act upon, in the way best suited to your particular membership and community; being sure to partnership with those who are more experienced in the goal of ending human trafficking.

~Eunice C., Reviewer/Blogger~

January 2022

Disclaimer: This is my honest opinion based on the complimentary review copy sent by NetGalley and the publisher.

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