Although I’ve completed more than 20 marathons, I’ve never stepped up to the start line with as much trepidation as I did on September 10 at the Erie Marathon at Presque Isle, Pennsylvania. After the unmitigated disaster at the Toledo Marathon in April—where I set a New Personal Worst Marathon Record—I was afraid of what might lie ahead. As it turned out, I didn’t have any reason to be concerned. No new personal best record was set that day but overall it was a very encouraging experience. Conditions were perfect—it was a fast, flat course; temperatures were around 9° C. at the 7 am start time, rising to 17 by the time I finished at 11; there was a light breeze off the lake; and there were aid stations every mile or so. I was able to maintain a steady pace throughout, slowing down a little only for the last five miles, and still had enough left to kick to the finish line. I wanted to hit a minimum time of 4:05 and managed to come in at 4:01.
The race in Erie was a great confidence booster but it took something like 38,000 steps to get there, according to the American College of Sports Medicine “Steps to Distance Calculator”. This is not unlike the slow, methodical work that led to the rescue of two teenage girls the day before my marathon—September 9—in the Philippines.
That day, my colleagues from IJM Cebu helped local police rescue two girls, 14 and 15 years old, from cybersex trafficking. Two suspects were arrested for allegedly live-streaming sexual abuse of children to foreigners who paid to watch via webcam. Three more children, including an 8-year-old girl, were found and removed from the home to determine whether they too were victimized. The home where the children were being exploited was made of woven bamboo and found materials, tucked away in a village overlooking the busy city of Cebu. The rescue team of IJM staff, government social workers, and police from Cebu City and the Visayas regional anti-trafficking unit seized evidence and arrested the two Filipino suspects.
The children are now safe at a temporary shelter, and IJM will support them once they are placed in longer term aftercare. But how many more thousands of children in the Philippines and other countries are waiting to be rescued from the abuse perpetrated by the booming global cybersex trafficking “industry” that is fueled by impunity, exploitation and poverty?
Because this crime involves the transmission of images across borders via the internet, the investigation, interception and prosecution of cybersex trafficking of children is extremely complex. Yet through unflagging determination, world-class expertise and international collaboration, it can be stopped. The Women and Children’s Protection Center [anti-trafficking unit] of the Philippine National Police has already conducted 10 operations against online sexual exploitation of children in the Visayas Region of the Philippines this year, rescuing over 20 victims and arresting more than 10 suspects. John Tanagho, IJM Cebu Field Office Director says,”Police operations deter crime and protect children from further abuse, and when WCPC is fully staffed it will be an unstoppable force to END online sexual exploitation of children in the Philippines.”
Through unflagging determination, world-class expertise and international collaboration, cybersex trafficking of children can be stopped.
This is why I’m “Going the Distance” on October 15 at the Amsterdam Marathon. I’ve been contributing to the fight against sex trafficking and other criminal forms of violence against the poor for 11 years, in my capacity as a leader with IJM Canada. But I have an unshakeable sense that I must—and can—do more. I can through my unflagging determination to complete the challenge of running a marathon on all seven continents model the physical, emotional and mental toughness that will be needed to win this battle. And in inviting you to join me in reaching the goal of raising $10,000 to support IJM’s efforts to end sex trafficking, I’m inviting you to become a member of the team of supporters that cheers me and all of IJM onward to the finish line. It make take 38,000 steps to get there, but we can do it.
To make your contribution to “Going the Distance”, go to https://support.ijm.ca/going-the-distance.
