Melbourne (Kim Cain), 27 November 2009:
The Salvation Army has raised some eyebrows in Australia after setting up a promotional stall at a sex and pornographic trade exhibition in the country's second largest city of Melbourne.
Each year, many hundreds of people pass through the yearly trade exhibition, known as Sexpo that features adult entertainment industry products, including sex-oriented items, but this year they will see a Salvation Army booth for the first time.
The Salvation Army's social justice director Captain Danielle Strickland said it would distribute information on human trafficking through the international "Stop the Traffik" campaign, as well as "Jesus Loves Porn Stars" New Testaments made for those who are searching for meaning through the sex trade.
Truth that liberates
In an interview with the Salvation Army newspaper, War Cry, Strickland said, "We want to leave judgment aside and ask God for a way to communicate with grace and truth that liberates and sets all people free."
The decision to exhibit at Sexpo, taking place from 26 to 29 November, came as the Salvation Army's annual commission of its ministers was to be held at the same time and in the same area.
Trafficked sex workers
In the War Cry article, Salvation Army worker Amanda Hart was quoted as saying, "The Army was choosing 'not to feel awkward' about the proximity of the two events, and wanted to shed light on social injustice by being witness to the growing percentage of trafficked people that end up working in … brothels in Australia.
"We're not insinuating that everyone who goes to Sexpo is a sex buyer, but the people who are sex buyers need to be aware that a high percentage of sex workers have been trafficked," Hart said.
Salvation Army Captain Genevieve Peterson said the decision to go to Sexpo was made because, "too often the Church is left pointing the finger from the outside. It's time we stood alongside all people, regardless of where, or in this case, what, they are at."
Sexpo organisers offered the Salvation Army the stall site for no charge until the show closes.
When the Herald Sun, a Melbourne newspaper, ran a story on the Salvation Army presence at the exhibition, many of the online comments about the church group were positive.
