I can only applaud the efforts of The Body Shop as they shine the light of public exposure on the crime of child sex trafficking.

“The retailer spent 16 months researching the effort to fight sex trafficking before introducing it, Ms. Simmons said, because of the nature of the problem. The idea was to learn “how we can deliver this” message, she added, “without switching people off.” – New York Times

This is just one of their excellent “living our values” initiatives, but their focus is clear. They have a bold stop trafficking campaign, designed to “raise awareness of the scale of the issue, raise funding for vulnerable children and young people, and inspire those with decision-making power to effect change. And I love this part of it – they give their clerks training on how to “talk authoritatively about the issue.” I think it’s a bold step and one that’s needed in order for a campaign like this to have real impact. Signs are simply not enough. As a result, they’ve already raised $1.5 Million for the Somaly Mam Foundation, a substantial portion of that donated by shoppers. That’s not an accident.

This is a virus that can’t thrive in the light and we simply need more light.