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Why We Need A Global Coalition To Fight Child Trafficking

By In The News

Article found on dailywire.com
Written by Tim Ballard

https://www.dailywire.com/news/why-we-need-a-global-coalition-to-fight-child-trafficking

Most Americans believe slavery was a terrible atrocity from the history books.

In terms of pure scale, however, slavery is more alive and well today than at any time in human history.

During the horrors of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, nearly 13 million Africans were ripped from their homes and forced against their will to foreign destinations. Today, according to the U.S. State Department, there are over 27 million global victims of human trafficking at any given time.

Many of those victims are children, stolen and forced into the sickening practice of sexual slavery.

The new movie “Sound of Freedom” — based on my life story — has been a surprise box office success, and is sparking a national conversation on child sex slavery and trafficking, the fastest-growing criminal enterprise on earth. This unprecedented humanitarian crisis is happening in our country, and on our watch. The United States is generally understood to be the #1 consumer of child exploitation material in the world, while Mexico is one of the top exporters via a porous U.S.-Mexico border.

Members of Congress have sounded the alarm on information that the government has lost track of 85,000 minors that crossed the border unaccompanied, and The New York Times reported that the Department of Health and Human Services has lost contact with thousands of children who were released to “sponsors,” and are now feared to be at risk for exploitation. Bottom line, Americans are beginning to understand that if we don’t get on top of this growing $150 billion a year criminal enterprise, none of our kids will be safe.

The incredible reaction to “Sound of Freedom” demonstrates that we are ready to tackle this horror, and has given our movement a new level of momentum. But, if we are going to save children, it’s going to take a massive coalition of groups in almost every country in the world.

There’s an urgent need to bring organizations together that are able to raise awareness, conduct rescue operations, help with critical aftercare for freed children, and work with governments to ensure trafficking hotspots don’t remain as perpetual stains on the globe. All of these elements — and the multi-faceted details within each category — require specialists working in their defined areas, while coordinating with the larger anti-trafficking effort.

This realization began for me in February of 2022, when my wife, and actor/director Mel Gibson, both called me on the same day, asking me to help desperate women and children who were displaced by the war in Ukraine and at risk of being trafficked.

After recognizing the need in Ukraine, I looked for a non-profit that was on-the-ground, had a legal right to be there, and had a strong working relationship with locals … and what was left of the authorities. I then reached out to an incredible group called Aerial Recovery, and we immediately got to work. Leads uncovered during our work in Ukraine and Eastern Europe led to a rescue operation represented by Operation Underground Railroad, Aerial Recovery, Free a Girl, and other organizations which, because of operational security, can’t be named.

This three-continent operation, which I personally led, began in Ukraine and ripped through Holland, the U.S., Mexico, Ecuador, and other locations which are still too sensitive to be revealed. Together, we helped dismantle an international pedophile ring and took down a child sex hotel/brothel in Latin America. Thousands of people — including over 900 orphans — were rescued in Ukraine alone, and hundreds of additional children were rescued in other countries.

We did this all in the short span of just a few months.

That moment redefined what is possible, and showed a new path for ending human trafficking once and for all. Numerous organizations working in tandem, around the globe, rescued vulnerable women and children trapped in a war zone.

But the story doesn’t end there.

Helping to free children from trafficking requires more than an effective rescue effort — kids who have been recovered then require focused and intensive, long-term aftercare to be made whole again.

The aftercare process requires highly specialized counseling, therapy, and tailored interventions that are trauma and survivor informed. The global aftercare program and initiative that Operation Underground Railroad launched is one of the best in the world. Other pioneers in the space include many aftercare trailblazers, notably Jessica Munoz, founder of Ho`ōla Nā Pua and Pearl Haven.

Aftercare efforts don’t make headlines and will never be seen in a blockbuster movie, but it is the vital work that helps children find healing and be able to move forward with their lives after suffering the horrible abuses of sexual exploitation.

I am immensely proud of Operation Underground Railroad and what has been accomplished since its founding — as well as other organizations I have been involved in — and I will continue to support O.U.R. and so many others in this movement through an amazing new initiative called The Spear Fund.

The Spear Fund is an effort to focus on the overall battlefield. Clearly, we can use the momentum from “Sound of Freedom” to fuel a larger global movement, which is what I am dedicating my life to doing.

Like an orchestra conductor, The Spear Fund is leading the charge. Joining other experts, like Jessica Munoz, we’ll be training, equipping, and supporting certified groups who are leading the fight in their specific lane. Spear is designed to finance and coordinate with multiple anti-trafficking organizations and experts, providing an effective global coalition for action when and where it matters most. If the child trafficking cartels can coordinate to destroy children, the good people of the world can team up to save them and make them whole.

Make no mistake, the war against the child trafficking cartels and their allies is going to be long, difficult, and hard-fought, but — ultimately — we can and must win.

The only way that happens is if we do it together.

When we are united, evil doesn’t stand a chance.

SPEAR Summary

The movie "Sound of Freedom," based on Tim Ballard's life story, has sparked a national conversation on child sex slavery and trafficking, the fastest-growing criminal enterprise on earth. The United States is the #1 consumer of child exploitation material in the world, while Mexico is one of the top exporters via a porous U.S.-Mexico border. Members of Congress have sounded the alarm on information that the government has lost track of 85,000 minors that crossed the border unaccompanied, and the Department of Health and Human Services has lost contact with thousands of children who were released to "sponsors" and are now feared to be at risk for exploitation.

To save children from trafficking, it is urgent to bring organizations together that can raise awareness, conduct rescue operations, help with critical aftercare for freed children, and work with governments to ensure trafficking hotspots don't remain as perpetual stains on the globe. This requires specialists working in their defined areas, while coordinating with the larger anti-trafficking effort.

Operation Underground Railroad, a non-profit organization, has been instrumental in helping vulnerable women and children trapped in war zones. Their three-continent operation, which began in Ukraine and ripped through Holland, the U.S., Mexico, Ecuador, and other locations, led to thousands of people, including over 900 orphans, being rescued in Ukraine alone and hundreds of additional children in other countries.

Aftercare efforts are vital work that helps children find healing and move forward with their lives after suffering the horrible abuses of sexual exploitation. The Spear Fund, an initiative designed to finance and coordinate with multiple anti-trafficking organizations and experts, is leading the charge in fighting child trafficking.

October 16, 2023
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Tim Ballard Hits Back at ‘Sound of Freedom’ Critics: ‘Kids Are Under Attack’

By In The News

Audio

Transcription

CBN News 00:00
So Tim, sound of freedom has become a summer blockbuster, and it is your story. What is it been like watching the movie make more than $125 million? Now.

Tim Ballard 00:11
I just go back to just I don’t know, 30 days ago, I’m sitting with Angel studios, and they’re like, hey, the projection is looking pretty good. This was before the film came out. And they said we could hit 30 million if, if a couple of things line up. Now, I was like, wow, that’d be amazing. You double what the cost of the budget was. And to sit here, you know, a few weeks later at 125 million, and not slowing down. Like, you know, this past weekend. I saw the report, it was higher than the first weekend. And that’s not what will happen, right? Every other movie, every with every progressing week. It’s it’s less screens, it’s less money. And here we are going the opposite direction.

CBN News 00:52
What do you think is driving that interest? Why do you think people are flocking to see it?

Tim Ballard 00:59
I think a couple of things. I think it’s resonating with people. I think we live in a time where kids, children are being forgotten. I mean, people are pretending that they’re not forgetting them. But kids are extremely vulnerable right now. And then think about the things that they’re the public school teachers are trying to give them things like really pornography. It’s shocking this stuff that they want to give these kids that are only a parent’s business to talk about. You know, kids are doing something they’re trying to give kids the power of consent to do to do things like this. Isn’t this nothing to do with, you know, the children and trends and trends? The trend I caught the trans foist, okay and children. I think it’s horrifying. What’s happening. I’m very libertarian adults do what you want. I support you. I’ll fight for your right. But But children, you know, you think a 13 year old can consent. That’s scary. Because I’m watching the pedophiles salivate over all these policies. They want the kid sexualized, they want the kids to have the ability to consent to outrageous things, because what’s the next outrageous thing, it’s not even that much more outrageous, if a kid wants not consent to have sex with a 50 year old? Well, what’s more outrageous that are a kid consenting to mutilating their genitalia. So kids are under attack, people see it, the border situation 85,000 children that the US government lost into the belly of the United States, which is the largest economy of pedophilia in the world, meaning that it’s the highest consuming nation for Child Exploitation material. So kids are being hurt in a lot of ways. I think people feel it. I think there’s a spiritual warfare context to some of this stuff. And people feel that too. So when this film comes out, and it exposes bad guys doing bad things to kids, it kind of brings all these things to the surface. And then the other thing that’s happening. And you and I were talking offline about this as well, is these people coming out against the film, but they’re lying about it, and they know they are anyone who watches the film? No, there’s no there’s nothing to anon ish, or q&a adjacent. Okay, as CNN calls it, in Rolling Stone and all the others. Interestingly, Billy, this is funny story. If you go do a search from October of 2012 2014, that’s when we did the big operation on the island. All those media outlets reported on the rescue. And they, you know, glowing reports. applauding our efforts, The Guardian, MSNBC, CBS, CNN, I was on the I was on a lot of those. And all of a sudden, 10 years later, oh, now it’s not true. Or now it’s something’s wrong. No, the story didn’t change. You changed. You change you got you got you bought into this kind of woke godless kind of culture, where kids can be targeted in the name of liberating them, and people are pissed. They’re pissed that they’re being lied to by the mainstream media about the film. And because they go and see it. I’ve watched I’ve watched like podcasts and things about people’s responses. Like I went there thinking there’d be a shred of evidence of something political something Q anon. And I come out with it’s just a based on a true story about kids being rescued, and they’re furious and they go and talk. And then other people like I got to see this. It’s almost like a train wreck to some people. I gotta go see myself what’s going on? not that different.

CBN News 04:11
You see this Q anon a JSON movie, and then you watch it be? Let me let me ask you this. Because the film Yes, it deals with child exploitation. It deals with two children their story, your story as part of that, for some reason, some people walked away from the movie, and they were like, oh, Tim Ballard is set basically saying that only children are trafficked. Nobody else. I mean, there was this whole narrative created around the plot of the film. How do you respond to that? Because it seemed like you were it was just one story that was being told.

Tim Ballard 04:41
So bizarre. so bizarre. so bizarre. Human trafficking, child trafficking is so unique. And every place I say, trafficking has different faces in different places. So people are going to criticize the film because it doesn’t look like that in in, you know, in Washington State. You know, it doesn’t look like that in New York City. Well, yeah, nothing that You see in a Columbia Bay story probably looks like what you’re going to find in United States. And it’s going to be different in another place. And as we different over here and over there. So let’s just throw the whole thing out, because it doesn’t fit the narrative that I want, you know, broadcast about how trafficking happens. It is so selfish. It’s so selfish, not to me, not to the producers, that’s who they target to those kids who were rescued. I am in touch with them still, they’re young adults, now. We’re gonna bring them up soon to the United States do a summit. And I invite all those critics, I always say, your Come, come talk to us. I would love to hear you tell the kids that their stories that doesn’t deserve to be told, because when you saw it, or when it happened to your friend, it looked differently. I mean, it’s so bizarre, but it tells it the first thing you know about someone that does this, they’re putting kids and rescue and the whole mission down low on the, I’m sure they still care. But it’s not the number one thing, the number one thing is themselves, their institution, their agenda. That’s first. And that’s sad. You know, if ever that’s driving someone’s thoughts about about, you know, anything, and kids are not the number one thing, well, then you actually start to become part of the problem.

CBN News 06:14
Well, I will say this I met you about a decade ago. And when I met you, your passion for the issue has always been very clear. It was back then when we became friends and I had a chance to to hear your heart on this issue. And here you are now a decade later, you’ve allowed this story to be told you were part of telling this story. Now this movie was made a few years back and it sat correct. And I’m correct in stating that right. It sat for what was

Tim Ballard 06:43
produced, it was so another funny little fun fact it was made and produced and finished before anyone had heard the word queue and on so that also kind of like kind of walls off any potential Q anon. dogmas in the film. It was done. Bizarre, because I watched it and I’m like, this seems like a really good movie. Of course, I’m, I’m way too close to it. Why does it do it? Why does it not getting Why is it getting picked up? Fox produced? Disney bought Fox Disney watched it didn’t want it? They didn’t want to put it out? Like why? Why wouldn’t want to put it out? I’m sure they’re kicking themselves right now.

CBN News 07:19
Did you ever get an answer? Did you guys ever get an answer for why they they shall?

Tim Ballard 07:23
Not for us? It’s not for us. So it took a year for Eduardo would have to get to get the film out of their hands. And then and then it went to Amazon. I mean, it got pitched everywhere. Not for us, not for us, not for us. I started thinking maybe this is not a good movie. Maybe I’m so close to it. I I’m talking about the art of it. And that’s not necessarily me or my story, but like, it seems like a pretty high quality film and people who I watch watch it are like in tears and move. Why isn’t it you know, picking this up? It truly is really, I mean, it’s spiritual. It’s all God’s timing. I, I think God has the ability to put like a melees over people like a like a cloud, because it’s not for them. I don’t even blame them. I’m just, you know, when we came across Angel studios, they picked it up right away, they signed a deal in five days from the pitch to the deal, which is I don’t they said that’s never happened. And then 90 days later, we’re launching the film. So it just took off. So I think I think it’s got an 11th hour God, I think he does it on purpose. I think he like he runs a lot faster than the devil. And the devil can’t keep up he can’t get his foot all the time to get his his minions together. So he’s, that’s why he’s an 11th hour God, it’s like I can just get it done real quick before this guy can even begin to catch up. And that’s why I feel what I feel happened without a freedom.

CBN News 08:40
You know, when I look at your story, and I know your heart for this issue and fighting trafficking, when you look at the film’s success, and you go back to that conversation where you guys were talking like maybe we’ll hit 30 million, and everyone was excited for that. Here you are north of 125 million at this point. When you look at the impact of this movie, what are you hoping to see happen at the end of the day outside of the art of it and the popularity of it? What do you want to see happen?

Tim Ballard 09:08
I mean, I want kids to stop hurting. I’ve seen you know, we’ve we’ve rescued through different organizations that I’ve been a part of 1000s of kids, I’ve seen so much pain, I want them I want them to stop. And we’re going to use the power of this film, and the awareness and people now motivated and converted and understanding. We got to channel that energy into more rescues to get more kids out and healed.

CBN News 09:35
And what do you think right now? I mean, this is a hard question to answer right now, I think because we’re in the middle of this success of it. But there are a lot of organizations when you started doing this. Do you were like a pioneer in this area. There were not a lot of organizations there were not a lot of people doing what you did rescuing. Now, there are a lot of groups out there. Do you think that this film is helping those groups is is the debate hurting those groups in terms of his attention to the issue attention to their mission donations even what do you think the impact is right now?

Tim Ballard 10:06
I think that it’s early to say, but I’m doing my best to make sure that the power of this film gets to every worthy organization. And I say that through the eyes of a child, I’ve seen the darkest corners of the planet where kids are being held, the kids are held captive, and they deserve the best rescue. And there’s, there’s always a group, that’s gonna be the best possible for that kid. And it might like, I’ll just, there was a an operation recently that I helped I helped to fund. It was in a remote part of the world, I can’t say because Yeah, cuz it’s still new. And there was one organization, small, no little budget, I’d never I had never even heard of them. But they were the only ones I could find in place, right then at that moment to get the kids. And so we deployed resources, and they did it. That’s what I’m talking like, we have to find all of those organizations throughout the world, there’s like out there’s, there’s a couple 1000 into trafficking organizations. Some are really good, maybe some are better different things. But my goal now is to identify those and make sure the resources get to whoever is the best for whatever situation is required.

CBN News 11:18
Now, one of the other things that the media have picked up on of late is that you are no longer officially a part of Operation underground railroad. And a lot of the outlets that are a number of them didn’t give a lot of contexts that are information on that. What can you tell us about that?

Tim Ballard 11:34
Well, yeah, we’re going to be coming out, look at where it’s at, to accomplish my, the objective that I just stated of, how can I help all it’s, I have to be independent, to help everybody. And I, and also helping operation Underground Railroad, which is amazing. And I was still I would still call You are the premier organization, as far as I’m concerned, in rescue and rehabilitation, the Nazarene fund as well. And so what my plan is now, I have no plan to supplant either of these organizations. Over the last 10 years, I’ve sat on the board of four organizations, I’ve been the CEO of two, I founded one. So I still sit on the board of two, including Ariel recovery. And so but I, I can’t be an employee of any of them. There’s too many, there’s too much red tape, there’s too many legalities associated conflicts of interest to be able to open up and do everything I need to do and be and help direct the resources to everyone, whoever’s the whoever can do the job best in that situation. So this was not something sudden, I was talking to board members eight months ago or longer about feeling a need to be more independent, the bigger we got to be able to, I thought I could be more effective as independent, whether it’s, you know, doing through media or speaking, books consulting. And so I will not be an employee of any nonprofit one single nonprofit organization, because that only limits what I what I can do, especially when the sound of freedom was seeing the success, that’s when I really knew, Okay, even the presale started have to accelerate this plan and get and get out and be independent. So I can just consult and help. And so one of the organizations that I’m consulting amongst others, is called the spear fund, the spear fund.org. And this is not an organization, it’s really a fund. And I love it. I love what they’re doing over there. Again, I’m not an employee, because I can’t I’m not going to be entangled in any one nonprofit. But what they’re doing is the plan that I’m hoping to implement anyway, which is they’re seeking all over with experts, the best organizations for whatever need arises. And then funding those organizations. And I love it also, because the ratio to project overhead is a tremendous, because all the all the funds go directly to project to this organization, or that organization, the overhead is, is very small, there’s probably a few employees that are making salaries, everything else goes straight down to the project. So it’s a way to scale, you know, it’s way to unify and scale. And I tell people, if you if you’ve donated or given to any of those organizations that I’ve been a part of, Don’t stop. Keep doing it. Keep keep giving give more. In fact, this is not a replacement. This is a force multiplayer, so that we can bring others into the fold and make sure that the kids have the best response that they can have.

CBN News 14:32
All right, final question for you. What do you want your legacy to be? Because you’ve got a lot going on right now. There’s a lot happening. But at the end of the day, in 3040 years, when all is said and done, what do you want that legacy to be?

Tim Ballard 14:44
I would love to learn someday after I’m dead maybe that I contributed to the best solutions that ended child slavery that I was able to contribute effort, ideas, resources, Just whatever I had to to accomplishing that end goal

CBN News 15:06
Tim Ballard it’s always great to connect with you appreciate your time today

Tim Ballard 15:09
thank you Billy

October 6, 2023
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Sound of Freedom’ Is the Astonishing Box Office Success of the Summer

By In The News

Article found on newsweek.com
Written by Ryan Smith

https://www.newsweek.com/sound-freedom-astonishing-box-office-success-summer-1814500

Sound of Freedom is continuing to surprise industry analysts with its strong performance at the box office, having just crossed the $100 million mark in North America, some three weeks after its release.

While all eyes are on the simultaneous release of anticipated blockbusters Barbie and Oppenheimer—in a showdown playfully dubbed “Barbenheimer”—low-budget, faith-based Sound of Freedom has been an unexpected force to be reckoned with.

The antithesis of the typical summer hit that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats through high-octane action, or belly-laughing their way through a star-studded comedy, thriller Sound of Freedom tackles tough subject matter.

The movie is based on the life of former Homeland Security special agent Tim Ballard (played by Jim Caviezel). The plotline follows Ballard as he sets up Operation Underground Railroad (O.U.R.), an anti-child-trafficking organization. Mira Sorvino and Bill Camp are also among the film’s stars.

Released on the Fourth of July, the film opened to positive audience figures, beating Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny at the box office. Eduardo Verástegui-directed Sound of Freedom made $14,242,063 on its first day in theaters, while the new Indiana Jones movie made $11,698,989 domestically.

Distributed by Utah-based Angel Studios, Sound of Freedom is also the first post-pandemic independent movie to pass the $100 million milestone domestically. While last year’s Oscar-winning critical and commercial hit Everything Everywhere All at Once sprinted across the $100 million line, $63 million of that income came from the international box office. Remarkably, Sound of Freedom has achieved its success without being released outside of North America.

“Unusual and unexpected box office stories abound this summer with Sound of Freedom ranking behind only ‘Barbenheimer’ as one of the most notable stories of the season,” Comscore analyst Paul Dergarabedian told Newsweek.

“The film has added welcome box office dollars that weren’t even on the radar a couple of weeks ago and that’s great for the bottom line,” Dergarabedian added.

To date, Sound of Freedom stands as the 16th-highest grossing film released in North America this year. Judging by its current performance, it could easily climb the list, as 15th-placed The Flash has earned $107 million since its June 16 release, while Scream VI, which came out on March 10, has pulled in $108 million.

So what has pushed Sound of Freedom toward its unexpected success? The partially crowdfunded project has won the strong support of religious and conservative groups. Angel Studios’ unconventional promotional efforts have also included use of an app called Pay It Forward, with which patrons can donate tickets to others.

“Sound of Freedom has become the people’s movie,” said Jared Geesey, senior vice-president of global distribution at Angel Studios, per Variety. “This is the opposite of the top down system developed by Hollywood gatekeepers. We are empowering people to be part of choosing, funding, and sharing stories that amplify light and impact culture.”

Analyst Dergarabedian has echoed that sentiment, adding that, while being a faith-based film, it has the benefit of appealing to a cross-section of consumers.

“The stamp of approval by the faith community has certainly played a role in the film’s success, but the film itself is not overtly religious in nature and boasts known stars and a ‘based on true events’ hook,” Dergarabedian told Newsweek. “So it’s benefited from a perfect storm of factors that has made it an unexpected summer hit.”

It also has high-profile backing. Former President Donald Trump this week branded the film “incredible,” following a special screening he held at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey.

After calling lead star Caviezel’s performance “unbelievable,” Trump said of the film on Wednesday night: “It’s something that I’m not sure if you’re supposed to enjoy or learn, it’s a combination, but that was a great movie. Now I understand why it’s doing so well.

“It’s setting records by the way, it’s beating the biggest movies out there, they have some of the big summer blockbusters and this is knocking the socks off of them. So that’s pretty good.”

In a statement ahead of the screening, Trump criticized media outlets like Rolling Stone, The Washington Post, CNN and The Guardian that have “trashed the film and mocked the millions of movie-goers who purchased tickets to screenings,” as well as others who have refused to review it.

SPEAR Summary

Sound of Freedom, a low-budget, faith-based film, has just crossed the $100 million mark in North America three weeks after its release. The low-budget, faith-based film, based on the life of former Homeland Security special agent Tim Ballard, follows Ballard as he sets up Operation Underground Railroad, an anti-child-trafficking organization. The film, distributed by Utah-based Angel Studios, is the first post-pandemic independent movie to pass the $100 million milestone domestically. It has achieved its success without being released outside of North America. The film has gained the support of religious and conservative groups, with Angel Studios' unconventional promotional efforts including the use of an app called Pay It Forward. The film has become the people's movie, appealing to a cross-section of consumers and gaining high-profile backing. Former President Donald Trump branded the film "incredible" following a special screening at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. Trump criticized media outlets like Rolling Stone, The Washington Post, CNN, and The Guardian for trashing the film and mocking the millions of movie-goers who purchased tickets to screenings.

October 6, 2023
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