Former Heisman Trophy winner and NFL superstar Tim Tebow took to Capitol Hill to call for immediate action on child exploitation and human trafficking.
The founder of the Tim Tebow Foundation, an organization working to protect abused and exploited children, said, “I got a message last night from a girl who had been rescued. She said, ‘Thank you so much for speaking up for us’… and it was humbling to get that.”
“But if all we do today is speak… if all I do is speak. I also missed the mark. We have to do more than just talk about it. We have to act on it and be about it,” says Tebow.
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Last night, I got a message from a girl who has been rescued and she said, “thank you so much for speaking up for us”…and it was… pic.twitter.com/HabteqT1tQ
— Tim Tebow (@TimTebow) March 6, 2024
Tebow called lawmakers to do more.
The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance held a hearing to discuss an apparent increase of child sexual abuse material online.
The 36-year-old football star choked up while reading a letter from a young girl who was held captive and raped for seven years.
“Rescue me. Help me. Monsters are chasing. Can’t you see? Monsters are whispering. Can’t you hear? Monsters are shouting you are nothing. Can’t you feel my pain?”
Tim Tebow chokes back tears while reading 7 yr old’s poem about her sexual abuse to Congress:
“Monsters are chasing me
Can’t you see?
Monsters are whispering
Can’t you hear?
Monsters are shouting – You’re nothing
Can’t you feel my pain?…
Can someone please rescue me?”… pic.twitter.com/PsDvYv4WqY
— DC_Draino (@DC_Draino) March 11, 2024
Tebow urged lawmakers to enact a bill that would form a “rescue team” that can swiftly respond to children who are sexually abused and trafficked.
This bill will “enhance the capability to identify and locate the more than 50,000 unidentified children who are being abused, raped and tortured.”
He reported that in August 2023, Homeland Security Investigations completed Operation Renewed Hope, where they worked with other international law enforcement agencies to identify children who are sexually exploited and abused.
“In 15 days, they were able to identify 316 boys and girls, but that’s a tiny dent,” Tebow remarked.
But there are 50,000 more children who suffered abuse and rape and whose images and videos spread online.
Tebow cited that of the 316 identified, more than half were in the US.
“That means there are thousands of boys and girls that are starving for hope in our own backyards and we have the chance to bring hope to those who are starving for it if we are willing.”
The football legend once again urged lawmakers to support their bill.
“There are so many frontline warriors and heroes, but there just aren’t enough, and we need to support them. We need more of them to get to these 50,000 boys and girls.”
“The bill’s intent is to build a team that has the funding, the support, the training, and the technology so they can get to these 50,000” children.
“To sum it up, we strive to fight for people who can’t fight for themselves,” Tebow remarked.
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