{"id":8320,"date":"2020-11-09T16:31:20","date_gmt":"2020-11-09T16:31:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.savingmoses.org\/?p=8320"},"modified":"2021-03-02T21:20:28","modified_gmt":"2021-03-02T21:20:28","slug":"answering-nightcares-toughest-questions-what-is-nightcare","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.savingmoses.org\/2020\/11\/09\/answering-nightcares-toughest-questions-what-is-nightcare\/","title":{"rendered":"Answering NightCare’s Toughest Questions"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Answering<\/p>\n

Answering NightCare’s Toughest Questions<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Written by: McKenzie Thompson, Communications and Logistics Coordinator<\/span><\/p>\n

NightCare is a novel and unique program that can be difficult for some people to grasp. We get several questions on the program as well-meaning people work to understand why it is needed. The two questions that we get the most are:<\/span><\/p>\n

Why do you only help the babies and not their mothers?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

By caring for the babies while their mothers work, are you supporting sex work?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

First, allow me to paint you a picture of the harsh realities for babies and toddlers of sex workers.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Babies and toddlers are vulnerable to whatever circumstances surround them, primarily because they’re too young to care for themselves. However, the babies and toddlers of sex workers are part of a world that no one should ever experience. They live in a world of constant fear, exploitation, mental and physical abuse, neglect, and more. At the young age of 5 and under, these little ones have one of three choices for survival:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Go to work with their mothers \u2013 whether that is in a brothel or on the streets.<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Stay at home alone all night – free to roam the streets, be kidnapped, or hurt themselves.<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Stay with a family member or neighbor – which often leads to neglect, abuse, or trafficking.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    There is\u00a0no good option<\/strong> for these babies and toddlers. There is no lesser of two evils<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

    They live in a perpetual state of worry, fear, trauma, and uncertainty. Even worse, they have no choice. They are trapped. By providing NightCare, we give these babies and toddlers a place to stay at night, so they aren’t exposed to the sex industry and later become a part of it.\u00a0 According to a study conducted by ECPAT called “The Sexual Exploitation of Children in Southeast Asia,”<\/a> 20% of victims of sexual exploitation around the world are children. We hope<\/span>\u00a0that NightCare can help end the cycle for these precious babies before it’s too late.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    When our founder, Sarah, went on a trip to Cambodia several years back, she stumbled upon three babies sleeping on the sidewalk, amidst the city\u2019s hustle and bustle, with no guardian in sight. She also met a three-year-old girl who was forced by her mother to sell condoms.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \"AnsweringAs Sarah became more familiar with sex work in the developing world, she realized that these situations are prevalent. She also learned that while many organizations were doing great work within the sex industry, they only focused on sex workers. No one was taking care of their babies and toddlers.<\/span><\/p>\n

    After this realization, Sarah began to think of how we could help those left most vulnerable in these situations (babies).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    They have no voice of their own, so we speak up for them.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    They need someone to look at them and say, \u201cI see you, and I have not forgotten about you.\u201d Someone to help them stop the cycle and give them a better opportunity. That is what Saving Moses does for these innocent babies who are in these situations by no fault of their own.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \"Answering<\/p>\n

    Our mission statement says we meet \u201cthe most urgent and intense survival needs where help is least available.\u201d This declaration is at the forefront of our minds in everything we do.<\/span><\/p>\n

    When we:<\/p>\n