• Contact
  • Return to IBSA
  • Advertise Through Us
  • Subscribe
  • E-Reader

IBSA News

Illinois Baptist State Newspaper

  • Quick Links
    • E-Reader
    • Subscribe
    • Advertise
    • Resource
  • News
    • IBSA
    • SBC
    • Culture
    • Illinois Churches
  • Stories
    • Thriving
    • Church Planting
    • Mission
    • Next Step
  • In Focus
  • Columns
    • Nate Adams
    • Eric Reed
    • Meredith Flynn
    • Table Talk
    • Reporter’s Notebook
    • Encouraging Words

Trafficking survivor begs ‘notify parents’

April 29, 2021 By Lisa Misner

Brook Bello was raped at the age of 11, sex trafficked at 15, and forced to undergo multiple abortions by her trafficker. “Had my parents been notified, my mother would have [known] what city I was near.” Bello (right) believes law enforcement could have been alerted, and she may have been rescued sooner.

That’s why she begged Illinois lawmakers to keep the parental notification requirement currently in the state’s abortion regulations. “I beg of you, Illinois. I plead, Illinois, to not reverse, to please notify parents….Give them a safe place to call and notify parents.” Watch her testimony here.

Bello’s plea came in a news conference opposing “Repeal the Parental Notice of Abortion Act” (HB 1797 and SB 2190) pending in the spring session of the Illinois General Assembly. The bills would repeal current state law requiring women under age 18 to notify a parent, legal guardian, or grandparent at least 48 hours prior to an abortion.

About 1,000 minors in the state undergo an abortion annually, according to Catholic News Agency.

Parents for the Protection of Girls, a coalition of pro-life groups in Illinois, hosted the virtual gathering with Bello and human trafficking expert Laura Lederer. Nine-in-ten trafficking survivors reported having contact with some kind of healthcare provider, according to Lederer, with 71% saying they got pregnant at least once while being trafficked. In addition, 55% reported having at least one abortion with 30% undergoing multiple abortions.

“Abortion and sex trafficking transcend the usual political boundaries of the abortion debate,” Lederer said, “since it violates both the pro-life belief that abortion takes an innocent life and also the pro-choice ideal of a woman’s freedom to make her own reproductive choices.”

Both sides in the abortion debate should support parental notification, Lederer concluded.

After her rescue, Bello returned to school, completed a doctorate, and founded More Too Life, an anti-trafficking organization. She is also an author, pastoral counselor, wife, and recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from President Barrack Obama.

But she can’t have children.

“All I ever wanted was to be loved, to be married, to have three children. They’re in heaven.”

Share This Story

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Featured Columns

Online fraud

Six steps to protect your church from online fraud

Jeff Deasy

Several SBC churches and entities have been hit with online fraud nearing $1 million each. Their dramatic losses serve as warnings to all our churches. The Florida Baptist Convention lost more than $700,000 in a transfer involving a fraudulent email that was intended for the North American Mission (NAMB). A similar scam involved an email […]

"My unlikely Ebenezer"

My unlikely Ebenezer

Amy Richards

My husband’s cheerful voice on the other end of the line said, “I found a cool piece of wood.” I answered with an indifferent “OK,” but he continued, untouched by my disinterest. I listened, but my mind circled with questions. What in the world am I going to do with junk wood he found in […]

SBC: Striking a healthy balance

Nate Adams

A pastor once told me that he didn’t feel he should serve on one of our statewide committees because he wasn’t in complete agreement with the SBC’s Baptist Faith and Message statement. He cited Article VII on “Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.” He said he felt it described what is commonly referred to as “closed […]

More Columns

Former Central Association DOM Tom Miller dies at 92

Illinois Baptist Staff

Thomas E. “Tom” Miller died June 3. He was 92 years of age, and was preceded in death by his wife, Pauline, in November 2022. Miller served as Director of Mission for the Central Baptist Association from 1979 to 1994. He pastored several churches in the Decatur area, including Hammond Missionary Baptist Church, Macon First […]

News

Nick Volkening, campus ministry at U of I (left) and Jonah Christiansen, Salt Network campus ministry at Illinois State participate in an exercise together.

Leaders target college evangelism in confab

Lisa Misner

College ministry leaders met to make evangelism a chief goal of their work on Illinois campuses. Baptist collegiate leaders and their families gathered at a retreat center near Starved Rock State Park over the Memorial Day Weekend for what they hope will become an annual event fostering ministry collaboration. Church Planting Director Kevin Jones, who […]

Wellman nod fails, Robinson respects decision

Church Renewal Journeys revitalize churches

More News Stories

Mission

Metro East church plant hosts multiplication meeting

Metro East church plant hosts multiplication meeting

Ben Jones

Pastors and church leaders from around the Metro East area gathered in Collinsville May 17 for the second Multiply Illinois Hub. These quarterly regional events are designed to encourage and equip those interested in church multiplication. Heights Community Church, planted in 2016, hosted the gathering in their newly renovated home. With the St. Louis skyline […]

Sallateeska baptism demonstrates SBC connections

A first-time ministry to migrant workers is very fruitful

More Mission Stories

  • News
  • Mission
  • In Focus
  • Columns

Copyright © 2023 · Website by Megaphone Designs