436. $150 B Industry: Child Sex Trafficking and Exploitation

This episode is a hard pill to swallow, but sex trafficking is too important of an issue for “Almost 30” – or anyone else – to sweep under the rug. This is not a drill: modern slavery, sex trafficking, and organ harvesting are rampant worldwide.  This week’s guest, Tim Ballard, has dedicated the past 20 years to infiltrating the rings where this unimaginable level of abuse happens. Today he talks about his organization, Operation Underground Railroad, and their mission to crush a 150 billion dollar industry, saving one child at a time.  In addition, he reflects on his years working for the US government and educates the audience on how they can help a cause that’s so hard to get your head around. Shedding innocence is as challenging as it is gut-wrenching, but K + L hope this enlightening conversation is a step in the right direction.  You can watch Tim Ballard’s recent Emmy-nominated documentary, “Operation Toussaint,” on Amazon Prime.  We also talk about: His political backstory and why he left the US government to work privately  How sex trafficking has been politized and the detrimental consequences  Following leads and building relationships   The organ harvesting industry  How the pandemic has affected sex trafficking  Internet, social media, and the porn industry  What is happening on US soil  Keeping the faith  Find more to love at almost30.com! Resources: Website: ourrescue.org Instagram: @timballard89 Podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting https://almost30.com/disclaimer  This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy Podsights - https://podsights.com/privacy