Darrow Miller and Friends

Fighting Slavery, One Dress At A Time

Using dresses to fight slavery
Photo by Nigel Burmester

Slavery was abolished in the United States in 1865. We fought a war to end the cruelty of this institution, but few of us know that more people are enslaved today than at the height of the transatlantic slave trade.

Modern day slavery is real. In fact, it’s more aggressive and substantial than ever before in history.  Around 73 million people are trafficked and enslaved, seventy percent of which are women. Women are casualties of their birthplace and are often the greatest victims of war, poverty, slavery, and injustice.

These statistics are overwhelming, but there are powerful ways in which the ordinary individual can advocate for the abolition of this global institution.

Dressember fights slaveryDressember is a crusade dedicated to the idea that every woman has a fundamental right to lead a vibrant, autonomous life free from the social, political, and economic injustices often committed against her. In an effort to advocate for the inherent dignity and femininity of women and girls globally, Dressember participants wear a dress every day in the month of December to raise money and awareness for the fight against this global epidemic. This December, Dressember advocates raised $890,333 (and counting) towards the abolition of modern slavery.

The money raised during Dressember is donated to two incredible non-profit organizations, International Justice Mission and A21, who provide justice, rehabilitation, and security for women and girls who have been trafficked. International Justice Mission is a global organization that protects people from violence, oppression, poverty, and sex slavery. They have rescued over 25,000 people around the world and are protecting 21 million more. A21 exists to abolish modern day injustices through education, awareness, rescue, and restoration.

International Justice Mission’s first rescue mission of 2016 liberated an entire village from slavery in India and freed girls from trafficking in two cities. The money raised during Dressember aided these rescue operations. Armed with a dress, Dressember participants fly the flag of femininity for women who have theirs exploited. They are the voice for the voiceless.

Slavery can be conquered

Real Men fight slavery
Photo by Megan Burmester

Our team, Dresses for the Daughters, raised $32,270 in thirty-one days by simply using one interpretation of femininity, a dress, as a banner of freedom. The men in our lives have also locked arms with us in this important fight by using their influence to restore dignity and liberty.

We have a commitment to everyday advocacy. We are dedicated to harnessing our freedom and autonomy as women to advocate for the women whose femininity is persecuted.

Slavery is real, but it’s not unconquerable. Wars have been waged over this sadistic institution, but technology and social media have made modern day abolition far simpler.

Will you join the fight?

  • Torie Pfau and Megan Burmester

Torie fights slavery

Torie Pfau is a high school junior who has grown up on the YWAM LA campus. She likes writing, foreign travel, coding, exploring, and reading. She participated in Dressember in December of 2015.

Megan Burmester fights slaveryMegan Burmester has been involved with Youth With A Mission for twenty-five years and currently serves with her husband and two sons at the Los Angeles campus. She is passionate about people discovering the truths of the Bible for themselves. Megan loves running, photographing her beautiful city and combatting injustice in simple, profound ways.

 

To give towards this campaign, click here.

To find out more about how a dress can change the world, click here for the founder Blythe Hill’s TED talk.

 

 

 

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4 Comments

  1. Megan

    January 25, 2016 - 9:52 am

    Thank you so much, Darrow and Gary for posting this! We are so blessed that you would allow us to write about Dressember. Thank you very very much.

    Megan Burmester
    YWAM-LA

    • admin

      January 25, 2016 - 2:23 pm

      You’re welcome, Megan. Thanks for sharing your story with our readers!

      Gary Brumbelow

  2. Staci

    January 25, 2016 - 11:05 am

    Great woman and a beautiful cause!

  3. Clark Dahl

    January 25, 2016 - 12:15 pm

    The villains behind this horrible slavery are totally enslaved themselves, to sin. Very sad that these women suffer such misery.

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