Category Archives: Poverty

August 16, 2026 · 1:00 am

Fidelity

Wedding photo of Charles and Kathleen Whitman (1962), Source eBay, Author unknown (Public Domain).

The Bible describes marital fidelity as a sacred commitment involving love, respect, and faithfulness between spouses [1].

A Divine Covenant

The Bible views marriage as a divinely instituted covenant where a husband and wife become “one flesh” (Gen. 2: 24) [2].  Fidelity is central to this covenant, so sexual immorality or adultery is explicitly condemned (Heb. 13: 4).  The Seventh Commandment, of course, forbids adultery (Ex. 20: 14).

A Loving Bond

However, marital fidelity extends beyond avoiding adultery.  It encompasses honesty, loyalty, and a deep respect.  The Bible instructs husbands to love their wives as Christ loves His church (Eph. 5:25), and wives to respect their husbands (Eph. 5: 33).  Such love is not just a feeling, but an unwavering bond [3].

Sexual Fulfillment

Surprisingly, the Bible specifically addresses sexual fidelity within marriage, emphasizing that spouses should fulfill each other’s conjugal rights to prevent temptation and maintain intimacy (1 Cor. 7: 3-5).  Lustful intent constitutes adultery in the heart (Matt. 5: 28).

Sexual Revolution

We may today think this old fashioned. 

After all, the sexual revolution of the 1960s changed attitudes and behavior related to sexuality throughout the Western World [4].  Nearly 2 in 5 children in the United States – some 1 million children – are now born out of wedlock each year [5A][6].  More than 2 in 3 Black children are born outside marriage [7]. This is part of a global trend, with out of wedlock births exceeding 50% in many countries [5B].

Poverty and Out of Wedlock Births

Unfortunately, research consistently shows that children born out of wedlock face poverty risks approximately 5 times higher than those born to married parents [8].  This is because single parents often have lower household incomes, fewer resources, and less access to economic stability. 

Studies find that never-married mothers work less outside the home, earn less when they do work outside the home, and experience slower income growth compared to married or divorced mothers [9].  This limits their ability to lift their children out of poverty.  

Growing up in poverty can have a profound and lasting impact on children’s self-esteem [10].  Children living in poverty often face stressors like chronic food insecurity, unstable housing, and limited access to healthcare, all of which can ultimately lead to anxiety, depression, and behavioral issues [11]. 

Modeling

Moreover, children raised in single parent households do not see fidelity modeled.   They do not see women treated with respect, hence the term “baby mamas” for unmarried mothers who no longer have even the status of girlfriends.  It is not a great leap to domestic violence.

Abuse Risk

Studies show that children in single-parent households are at greater risk of abuse and neglect as compared to those living with married biological parents, and at greater risk of witnessing domestic violence [12][13].

History

There may be still another lesson to be drawn here. 

The ethnologist and social anthropologist JD Unwin found a correlation between marital fidelity and cultural achievement across the 80 tribes and 6 major civilizations he studied, covering a period of 5000 years [14]. The people groups who became increasingly liberal toward sexual morality eventually vanished.

Having embraced so called “sexual freedom” in the name of progress, we may well have doomed ourselves to the ash heap of history, regardless of our technological achievements.

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[1]  OpenBible, “Marital Fidelity”, https://www.openbible.info/topics/marital_fidelity.

[2]  BibleHub, “The Seriousness of Marital Fidelity”, https://biblehub.com/topical/t/the_seriousness_of_marital_fidelity.htm.

[3]  BibleRepository, “35 Important Bible Verses about Fidelity to Relationships (Explained)” by “Pastor David”, 5/12/26, https://biblerepository.com/bible-verses-about-fidelity-to-relationships/.

[4]  Wikpedia, “Sexual revolution”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_revolution#:~:text=The%20sexual%20revolution%2C%20also%20known%20as%20the%20sexual,late%201950s%20to%20the%20early%201970s.%20%5B1%5D%20.

[5A and 5B]  World Population Review, “Out of Wedlock Births by Country 2026”, https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/out-of-wedlock-births-by-country.

[6]  Institute for Family Studies, “America’s Unmarried Birth Rate Puts 1 Million Kids at Risk A Year” by Nicholas Zill, 6/3/26, https://ifstudies.org/blog/americas-unmarried-birth-rate-puts-1-million-kids-at-risk-a-year.

[7]  World Data, “Unmarried Birthrate by Race in US:  Statistics and Facts”, 10/29/25, https://theworlddata.com/unmarried-birth-rate-by-race/.

[8]  American Enterprise Institute (AEI), “Dynamics of Families after a Non-Marital Birth” by Angela Rachidi, 1/8/24, https://www.aei.org/research-products/report/dynamics-of-families-after-a-nonmarital-birth/.

[9]  Institute for Family Studies, “The Poverty of Single Mothers Is Persistent” by Nicholas Wolfinger and Matthew McKeever, 5/6/25, https://ifstudies.org/blog/the-poverty-of-single-mothers-is-persistent.

[10]  Academia, “Recognition, Poverty and Self-Respect” by Jonathan Seglow, 7/21/20, https://www.academia.edu/67998406/Recognition_Poverty_and_Self_Respect.

[11]  PS 169 Baychester Academy, “How poverty influences social-emotional learning” by “Rick”, 8/26/24, https://baychesteracademy.org/how-poverty-influences-social-emotional-learning/.

[12] Hope 4 Hurting Kids, “Risks of Child Abuse and Neglect Based on Family Structure” (adapted from an article originally published on Divorce Ministry 4 Kids 9/28/11), https://hope4hurtingkids.com/trauma-tragedy/abuse/risks-of-child-abuse-and-neglect-based-on-family-structure/.

[13] Institute for Family Studies, “Kids of Single Parents More Likely to Witness Domestic Violence” by Nicholas Zill, 1/6/15, https://ifstudies.org/blog/children-in-single-parent-families-are-more-likely-to-witness-domestic-violence/.

[14]  Wikipedia, “JD Unwin”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._D._Unwin.

FOR MORE OF MY ARTICLES ON POVERTY, POLITICS, AND MATTERS OF CONSCIENCE CHECK OUT MY BLOG A LAWYER’S PRAYERS AT: https://alawyersprayers.com

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August 2, 2026 · 1:00 am

Toxic Inheritance

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Photo by Luis Miguel Bugallo Sanchez (PD)

The opioid crisis has had a serious and lasting impact on our children.  That includes emotional trauma, disruption of family structure, and increased risk of substance abuse [1A][2A].  It is a toxic inheritance.

Emotional Trauma

Children often suffer grave neglect as the result of parental addiction.  Emotionally, they experience overwhelming anxiety, depression, and feelings of inadequacy.  Their lives are filled with uncertainty and fear.  This has ongoing ramifications for them [3A].

Family Disruption

“The opioid crisis significantly contributes to family instability.  As parents grapple with addiction, many lose custody of their children or become incapable of providing stable homes [1B].”

Between 2011 and 2021, some 321,566 children lost a parent to a drug overdose [2B].

Children will often wind up living with relatives or going into foster care as the result of ongoing parental addiction [4].  Addiction is particularly devastating in single parent households which are already vulnerable.

The economic burden of addiction destroys family finances.  Even if willing to assume custody, grandparents may have limited resources. and insufficient energy to raise young children.

Meanwhile, the foster care system is overburdened.  Caseworkers are overloaded, so screening and monitoring are inadequate, sometimes with tragic results.

Addiction Risk

Children of addicts are at higher risk of substance abuse, themselves, perpetuating the cycle of addiction [1C][3B].

Better Lives

Sadly, the opioid crisis is far from over [5].  Our children need more than this.

Policies aimed at strengthening families and providing resources for recovery are essential to breaking the cycle of addiction [1D][3C].

Programs which take a holistic approach, providing substance abuse treatment along with mental health support, can aid families in dealing with this challenging problem and enable children to have better lives [1E].

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[1A through 1E]  Mothers Against Addiction, “Opioid Crisis Devastates Families While Hope Emerges”, 2/12/25, https://www.mothersagainstaddiction.org/opioid-crisis/.

[2A and 2B]  Sojourner House, “The Hidden Impact of the Opioid Crisis:  Children Left Behind”, https://www.sojournerhousepa.org/the-hidden-impact-of-the-opioid-crisis-children-left-behind/.

[3A, 3B, and 3C]  National Child Trauma Stress Network (NCTSN), “Child Trauma and Opioid Use:  Policy Implications”, https://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/resources/fact-sheet/child_trauma_and_opioid_use_policy_implications.pdf.

[4]  Annals of American Academy of Political and Social Science, “The Opioid Epidemic and Children’s Living Arrangements in the United States 2000-2018” by Monica Caudillo et al,  https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00027162221142648.

[5]  Health Affairs, “Insights about the Opioid Crisis” by D. Metz et al, September 2025, https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2025.01002.

A study of 600 teens found that those who perceived their parents distracted by cell phone use experienced reduced emotional connection, higher anxiety, and a more insecure attachment style.

For more information, see https://www.frontiersin.org/news/2026/06/18/teenagers-whose-parents-are-more-distracted-by-phones-are-more-insecure-frontiers-psychology.

FOR MORE OF MY ARTICLES ON POVERTY, POLITICS, AND MATTERS OF CONSCIENCE CHECK OUT MY BLOG A LAWYER’S PRAYERS AT: https://alawyersprayers.com

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March 1, 2026 · 1:00 am

Baby Trafficking

Pregnant woman, Source https://www.flickr.com/photos/aurimas_m/3423098686/, Author Aurimas Mikalauskas of Paliūniškis, Lithuania (CC BY-SA 2.0 Generic)

WARNING:  Graphic Images

In a joint operation between the United States and Mexico, authorities last year captured Martha Mendez Aguilar, known as “La Diabla” (“The Devil”), the head of a grisly baby trafficking ring called the Jalisco New Generation Cartel [1A].

“[This is an] example of what terrorist cartels will do to diversify their revenue streams and finance operations [1B].”

–Joe Kent, Dir. of National Counterterrorism Center

Pregnant women, often from impoverished circumstances, were lured to remote locations.  Once there, the mothers were murdered, and their organs and infants harvested for sale.  The infants were sold to couples for around $14,000 each.

Tragically, this cartel was not the only one to pursue baby trafficking.

Indonesian police uncovered an international baby trafficking ring believed to have sold at least 25 infants to buyers in Singapore since 2023 [2A].  Using Facebook, WhatApp, and other channels, this syndicate targeted expectant mothers who allegedly did not want to raise their infants.

Delivery costs were covered and a small amount of compensation paid to the mothers.  Then the infants were handed over.

In some cases, infants were actually reserved in the womb for purchasers and housed for as long as a year after birth, while fraudulent birth certificates, parental consent forms, medical records, and immigration documents were prepared.

Desperate Straits

“These clinics or shelters use language that sounds compassionate at first, such as ‘you can give birth and take your baby home’.  But in reality, they offer money and illegally transfer custody of the baby [2B].”

— Ai Rahmayanti, Commissioner of the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI)

Child trafficking cartels are extremely sophisticated, often posing as maternity clinics, orphanages, or shelters which appear to care for vulnerable women and children [2C].

Typically, they target women in desperate straits – those suffering from financial hardship, trapped in debt bondage, abandoned by a spouse or partner, pregnant as the result of sexual violence whether by a partner or stranger, or simply pregnant from a casual sexual relationship [2D].

When manipulation fails, cartels will resort to criminal approaches including direct abduction (whether from hospitals, schools, playgrounds, or other public spaces), and crisis exploitation (natural disasters, civil unrest, or refugee settings) [7A].

Purposes

Infants and children may be trafficked for illegal adoption, prostitution or other sexual abuse, forced marriage, forced organ donation, forced labor or slavery, use in the drug trade, use as beggars, and use as child soldiers [3][4][5].  These can overlap [6]. Continue reading →

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January 18, 2026 · 1:00 am

Chocolate

Chocolate fudge cake, Urban Diner, Edmonton, Canada, Author Mack Male (CC BY-SA 2.0 Generic)

Chocolate is a pure delight.  But there is a bitter truth behind the sweet taste.  Child labor is heavily involved in cocoa product [1][2][3].

Multiple human rights organizations confirm that over 1.5 million children in West Africa work under hazardous conditions to produce cocoa.  Many of these children are the victims of forced labor, human trafficking, and modern slavery.  They are deprived of an education, and exposed to dangerous chemicals and equipment.

This exploitation is ongoing despite the public pledges made by major chocolate companies over the past 20 years to eliminate child labor from their supply chains.  Some of the most recognizable chocolate brands still associated with unethical practices include:  Hershey’s Chocolate; Nestle’s Chocolate (Kit Kat, Butterfinger); Mars Chocolate (M&M’s, Snickers, Twix); Ferrero (Nutella, Kinder); and Mondelez (Toblerone, Cadbury). Continue reading →

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November 2, 2025 · 1:00 am

Tiger Widows

File:THE CLOSE-UP.jpg

Tiger hiding in Bandavgarh National Park, India, Author Amitban77 (Creative Commons Atribution 4.0 International)

“…The Sundarbans [is] a vast mangrove forest straddling the border of India and Bangladesh…

In the coastal villages of the Sundarbans, many women have lost their husbands to tiger attacks.  These men — fishermen, honey collectors, and woodcutters — venture into the forest’s treacherous depths to earn a living.  When they don’t return, their wives are left to face not only grief but also a cruel and unjust blame.  They are branded as Apia (inauspicious) or even “husband-eaters.”

Branded as Cursed:  A Life of Blame and Ostracism

Superstition dictates that when a man enters the forest, his wife must observe strict rituals and vows for his safety.  However, if her husband falls prey to a tiger, the community immediately presumes that the wife must have failed in her duties or is inherently unlucky.  The responsibility for his death is placed squarely on her shoulders.

This social condemnation is just the beginning.  The women, now known as tiger widows, face severe ostracism.

  • Villagers may stop interacting with them.
  • They are refused work in agricultural fields or community fishing.
  • They are barred from attending social and religious ceremonies.

Forced into isolation, these women must raise their children alone, often in a separate hut on the outskirts of the village.  Crippled by poverty, many are forced to pull their children from school and send them to cities to work as child laborers. Worse still, their vulnerability is often exploited, and if a tiger widow is sexually assaulted, the finger of blame is, yet again, pointed at her…”  [Continued at:  https://shobdoneerin.com/2025/09/04/sundarbans-tiger-widows-blamed-for-the-kill-shunned-by-society/comment-page-1/?unapproved=79&moderation-hash=3fc82dcecf5c5cbb795093646fb5cb61#comment-79 ]

This post is courtesy of Samiran Mandal who blogs at https://shobdoneerin.com.

The Franciscan Sisters have returned land to the Lac du Flambeau tribe in an effort to repair the painful Native American boarding school legacy.  This is the first time a Catholic institution has returned Wisconsin tribal land as an act of reparation.

See, https://waow.com/news/top-stories/a-historic-first-catholic-institution-returns-tribal-land-back-to-lac-du-flambeau-tribe/article_0f59e30d-b3cb-4381-becd-959559d2ef3a.html.

FOR MORE OF MY ARTICLES ON POVERTY, POLITICS, AND MATTERS OF CONSCIENCE CHECK OUT MY BLOG A LAWYER’S PRAYERS AT: https://alawyersprayers.com

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September 14, 2025 · 1:00 am

Child Labor and Project 2025

A “doffer” boy at Globe Cotton Mills in Georgia (1909), Source Library of Congress, Author National Photo Company Collection (Digital ID npcc.19471), (PD)

UNICEF reports that some 138 million children worldwide were engaged in child labor in 2024, over a third of those in hazardous work [1A].

UNICEF defines work hazardous for children as “work that, by its nature or circumstances, is likely to harm children’s health, safety or moral development [1B].” 

  • Such work may take place under especially difficult conditions, involving long or overnight hours [1C][2A]. Often, it involves the use of or proximity to dangerous machinery, equipment, and tools. Agriculture and meat packing plants fall into this category.
  • Such work may take place in an unhealthy environment where children are exposed to dangerous substances or processes, or to extreme temperatures or noise levels [1D][2B]. Munitions plants fall into this category.
  • Such work may take place underground, underwater, at treacherous heights, or in confined spaces [1E][2C]. Mines fall into this category.

Usually, child labor interferes with a child’s right to play and to receive an education.  It may require strength beyond  a child’s capacity. 

Hazardous work is one of the worst forms of child labor, putting children at risk of permanent injury or death.  It includes, but is not limited to, anything that exposes children to emotional, physical, or sexual abuse [1F].

Federal vs. State Law

Federal laws to protect young workers were established by the Fair Labor Standards Act in 1938 [3A].  

Shockingly, over the past 5 years some 28 states have introduced legislation to reduce protections for young workers [4A].  Twelve states have gone on to enact them [4B].  Iowa, for example, passed a law permitting 14 year olds to work on assembly lines and in meat packing plants, in direct violation of federal child labor laws [3B]. Continue reading →

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April 20, 2025 · 1:00 am

Fighting Demons

Black Demons, Author Ramya srivastav, (CC BY-SA 4.0 International)

Fighting the demons of anxiety, depression, and PTSD or trauma-related addictions and eating disorders is a little like playing football [1][2].  We make headway then lose ground.  But the fight never really ends, not the way a game of football does.  There is no score.

We win by surviving another day.

Across Decades

It can be enormously discouraging to wrestle with the scars of abuse, sexual assault, or other trauma, decade in and decade out.  Surely, we must after all this time have made progress.

But progress is not linear.  Despite the passage of time, and an extensive list of medications – not to mention therapy – familiar demons can resurface.

Factors Impacting Our Success

So, are anxiety, depression, and PTSD or trauma-related behaviors ever really “conquered”?  Can they, at least, be fought to a standstill?  The answer depends.

The factors include the length and severity of the trauma we sustained; our particular genetics; the quality and extent of our medical treatment; our psychological and spiritual resources; the emotional support we have available; and the other stressors to which we are subjected.

None of these can be quantified.  Most such demons can and do vary over the course of a lifetime.

The Struggle

Why not just throw in the towel (to mix sports metaphors)?  After all, the struggle is exhausting.  The struggle, however, is life. Continue reading →

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February 23, 2025 · 1:00 am

Vigilance, Part 1 – Neglect

“Color Coded” (2022) by Tania Love Abramson, a survivor of chronic sexual abuse, Image courtesy of AMA Journal of Ethics https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org

There are a thousand ways to harm a child.  The evidence of child abuse may be subtle or more obvious.  To remain vigilant against such abuse, those of us concerned for the welfare of children must learn to recognize the warning signs.

This series of posts will address such warning signs.  The signs here are derived from lists compiled by Prevent Child Abuse America [1A].  They fall into 4 categories:  neglect, emotional abuse, physical abuse, and sexual abuse.  More often than not, these categories will overlap in the experience of a child.

No single warning sign, by itself, is considered definitive.  Occurring repeatedly or in combination, however, these signs warrant further investigation.

General

The general signs that child abuse may be present in a family include unusual wariness on the part of a child; sudden changes in a child’s behavior; deterioration in a child’s school performance; and learning disabilities on a child’s part unrelated to an identifiable medical or psychological condition.

But the children of abuse may, also, be overachievers, anxious to please.

That said, we will begin with neglect.

Neglect

Child neglect involves the failure to provide for a child’s basic needs for nurture, nutrition, shelter, education, healthcare, and safety.

Neglect can be difficult to distinguish from poverty.  Sadly, there are children in this country who still do not get enough to eat, even in an otherwise loving home. Continue reading →

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February 2, 2025 · 1:00 am

Dreadful Sins

Portrait of Gisèle Pelicot by Ann-Sophie Qvarnström as an illustration for Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.O International)

WARNING:  Graphic Images

“Madam, we the women of East London feel horror at the dreadful sins that have been lately committed in our midst.”

–Petition to Queen Victoria by 4000 impoverished women of Whitechapel

In fear for their lives, the women of London’s Whitechapel petitioned Queen Victoria for relief when Jack the Ripper was at large [1][2].  The Ripper is known to have murdered 5 women, but the exact number of his victims is uncertain [3].  These women were all characterized as prostitutes, though they may simply have been destitute women.

Serial Killings

Despite his infamy, Jack the Ripper was not the first serial killer of women.  Nor will he be the last.  The savagery of such attacks will not be addressed here. 

There are, however, men who have no compassion for women — whether they ever become serial killers or not.  They do not recognize women as human beings, and feel entitled to use and degrade them.  A few celebrity predators come to mind, though fame is not a prerequisite.

Sex Trafficking

Worldwide, of course, there are sex traffickers who exploit women by force, fraud, and coercion for their own financial gain.  Drugs are commonly employed to secure control over women in the sex trade. 

Rape by Proxy

Dominique Pelicot, aged 71, went a step further.  Pelicot was recently convicted in France of repeatedly drugging Gisele (his wife of 50 years), then recruiting 50 different men to rape her over a 10 year period [4A].  The men (who, themselves, ranged in age from 26 to 68) were likewise convicted, though some claim they believed they were taking part in an erotic game [5].

Pelicot took thousands of videos of these men abusing his unconscious wife.  Though she was asleep during the assaults, Gisele Pelicot suffered large gaps in memory, hair and weight loss, as side effects of the drugs her husband was surreptitiously administering to her [4B].  She feared she was developing Alzheimer’s Disease or a brain tumor. Continue reading →

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September 1, 2024 · 1:00 am

The Rose Garden, Chapter 3 – History Lessons

File:Ethnic Map of Hungary 1910 with Counties.png

1910 Map of Hungary (ethnicities indicated), Author Ascended Dreamer,
(CC BY-SA 4.0 International)

“Then the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides children.  A mixed multitude went up with them also, and flocks and herds — a great deal of livestock” (Ex. 12: 37-38).

The year before my father died, my sister decided he should write down his life story.  She was adamant that both our parents do this, in fact.

So, in two lined, spiral notebooks, Ma and Pop wrote out the family history in longhand.  This was especially difficult for my mother who had earlier suffered a stroke and was nearly illiterate, in any case.

I have the notebooks.  It took me four years to read through them.  Not because of their length, but because of the emotion their contents evoked in me.

Hungary

My parents’ story begins in Hungary.  Then as now, Hungary (Magyarország) was a small, landlocked country in Central Europe.

Since earliest times, Hungary has been a crossroads with a mix of peoples.   Celts, Romans, and Huns; Slavs, Franks, and Bulgars; Magyars and Mongols; Ottomans and Austrians; Serbs, Croatians, Romanians and Czechs; finally Germans and Russians were among those who occupied the territory —  all, in their turn, migrating, invading, vying for power, uniting, dividing, and intermingling.

As I search the narratives for clues to my father’s character and his choices, I find the related history — family and national — immensely moving.

Not only is this my heritage, I see my life mirrored in these events.  Like Hungary, itself, I have been enriched by many sources.  Like Hungary, the territory that is my life has been embattled.

The Great Swabian Trek

Some 150,000 Germans were relocated to Hungary by the Austrian Hapsburgs during the 18th Century.  Their migration came to be known as the “Great Swabian Trek.”

Although from a variety of regions (with many dialects), German settlers were disparagingly called “Swabians” by the Hungarians.  The name came to mean all Germans who settled the Danube valley, an unwanted ethnic group.

Despite hardship, German immigrants to Hungary greatly increased the economic prosperity of that country.  The Banat region where they settled later became known as the “breadbasket of Europe.”

My parents’, grandparents’, and great-grandparents’ lives played out against this background.  This work ethic shaped my life. Continue reading →

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