Global Justice Social Impact Brochure

“Human trafficking is really the most grotesque violation against human beings.”

DEFENDING THE POOR AND NEEDY — Continued from Page 1

a platform to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves. This is the place Christian young men and women should come if they have a passion to serve fellow human beings who are being abused around the world.”

by the response to the launch of the Center for Global Justice. Students were excited and engaged. Friends and partner organizations came forward to support and join us in our work. I am confident that God will use us in a meaningful way.”

The Center for Global Justice launched on October 8, 2010, with a mission to “seek justice on behalf of the world’s downtrodden—the enslaved, the abused and the poor.” But even before the Center for Global Justice officially opened, Regent students and faculty were already hard at work making an international impact in the fight against human trafficking and fulfilling the Biblical mandate found in Proverbs 31:9, “Defend the rights of the poor and needy.”

Brauch adds that the Center for Global Justice makes it possible for Regent University and the School of Law to fulfill their mission to empower Christian leaders to change the world. “The Center does two important things,” he says.

“One, it equips students who come here with a passion and calling to serve the poor and oppressed around the world.

We train them and help them to fulfill that calling. Second, we come alongside organizations already doing great work on human trafficking or protecting the rights of children around the world, and we assist them with resources and help them do their work even better.”

During the summer of 2010, four law students worked as interns in Cambodia, France, India and Washington, D.C. to combat human trafficking and defend human rights. Brauch says those internships laid the groundwork for what would come later: “I was overwhelmed

2

As a rising third-year law student, Joanne Cannone worked as a 2010 summer intern helping sex trafficking survivors

regent university

with Transitions Global in Phnom Penh, commercial sex trade. Also a rising thirdCambodia: “Human trafficking is really year law student at the time, Cooper says the most grotesque violation against Center for Global Justice partners are human beings,” Cannone says. “When doing amazing work rescuing girls one at you hear that a girl was held down and a time. forced to have sex with 20 men a night “I never thought I would ever and if she didn’t she “... I seek to be a voice go to India and be somewhere was electrocuted, why wouldn’t somebody for the voiceless. I that human trafficking was want to make a want to stand up for such a problem. I hear the story of a victim, and I see the difference. … As a those who can’t speak faces of the girls I met. I see fellow human being, for themselves.” the faces of the traffickers I you have to know that’s saw and the accused in court, not right.” and my heart breaks.” Cooper continues, “As a Regent law student, I seek to be a Cannone, who spent more than two voice for the voiceless.” months in Cambodia, remembers one 14-year-old girl who was sold for $300 Ashleigh Chapman, administrative at age 11: “I learned that sex trafficking director of the Center for Global Justice, is real. She was really sold. This really says generous donors who caught the happens, and I absolutely must do vision early on were responsible for something about it. It’s not an option. ” sending those first four interns. But thanks to the launch event and subsequent Kara Cooper’s 2010 summer internship fundraising efforts, she reports that the brought her to Pune, India to work with Center has quadrupled the number of Freedom Firm, an organization dedicated 2011 summer internships. to rescuing children enslaved in the

christian leadership to change the world

3

responsibility to give back those blessings and opportunities so that my action will inspire future immigrants to do the same thing when they achieve their dream.”

Ryou says her success and the success of fellow interns would not be possible without the love, prayer and support of Regent Law professors, classmates and donors.

But the Center for Global Justice is a year-round initiative. Chapman says 20 law students comprise the team that works weekly on several projects: “The Lord is moving very fast, and much has happened with the Center. In addition to sending out 16 interns, we added two new courses to our human rights curriculum, began a child advocacy practicum and submitted an amicus brief to the InterAmerican Court of Human Rights.”

In addition to South Korea, the most recent group of Center for Global Justice interns served in France, India, Mexico, Russia and the United States. Alana Martinez is a third-year Regent Law student who served as a 2011 Center for Global Justice summer intern. God has called her to assist in the rehabilitation of victims of sexual slavery in the United States, particularly in her home state of California. Martinez spent six weeks doing legal work for a San Diego-based ministry that provides safe housing and long-term recovery for sexually exploited young women: “The best part is bringing hope to these girls and to the organization with the legal and educational work that I do and seeing the hope light up in their eyes when they see that someone cares.”

Monica Ryou is a second-year Regent Law student and a recently naturalized American citizen. She spent the summer of 2011 in her native country of South Korea working with a public interest law firm translating articles in both Korean and English to raise awareness and better educate the general public, law enforcement and political officials concerning human rights abuses. “It is my

And as part of another effort, the Center will team with partner schools in Africa to train young leaders on the continent to promote the rule of law and the integration of faith and law. Chapman explains, “We are building a network of partner organizations all around the globe and within the United States, supporting them in a variety of ways tailored to their needs.”

Dean Brauch has an important message for those whom God has called to serve the poor and oppressed around the world: “If your passion is to do something about slavery, human trafficking or children’s rights issues in the world today, come be a part of the Center for Global Justice.”

Brauch adds, “Regent Law is equipping a generation of men and women who will literally speak for those who cannot speak for themselves. I cannot think of a more important way to carry out this university’s mission to provide ‘Christian Leadership to Change the World.’”

For more information about Regent University’s School of Law the Center for Global Justice, call 757.352.4315 or visit www.regent.edu/globaljustice.

4

CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP TO CHANGE THE WORLD

Regent Universit y

Center For Global Justice

Defending the

Poor and Needy Regent is training a generation to combat injustice around the world

T

wenty-seven million people.

They could fill New York City three times and populate the entire state of Texas. But 27 million is also the number of people trapped in slavery worldwide. Sadly, more people live as slaves now than at any time in human history. Equally, if not more, alarming is the fact that more than 100 million children around the globe live alone, without any parental care.

To confront the tremendous human rights challenges facing the world today, Regent

c h r i s t i a n

l e a d e r s h i p

University’s School of Law launched the Center for Global Justice, Human Rights, and the Rule of Law. Dean Jeffrey Brauch says these are exciting times, as the Lord opens doors of opportunity for Regent students to make a worldwide impact.

“Our God cares for those who don’t have power, who don’t have influence, those who are poor and oppressed – the alien, the widow and the orphan,” Brauch explains. “So if that’s God’s heart, it has to be our heart as well.” He continues, “The Center for Global Justice provides

t o

c h a n g e

t h e

w o r l d