South Cook News

Illinois State House District 36 candidate Christine Shanahan McGovern expressed her opposition to Illinois being a sanctuary state in a June 27 Facebook post. In the same post, she highlighted Rahab’s Daughters, an organization that assists individuals forced into sex trafficking.

"This is an organization that helps those who have been forced into sex trafficking," said Shanahan McGovern, according to Facebook. "With our open borders more children and women will be forced into this. I am against Illinois being a sanctuary state. Put Illinois citizens first."

In her Facebook post, Shanahan McGovern shared a link to a post from Rahab’s Daughters. The organization stated, "Human trafficking affects millions of lives worldwide, generating an estimated $150 billion annually. Over 40 million victims are trapped in this modern-day slavery, with 71% being women and girls. Sadly, only 1% of these victims are ever rescued. Understanding the scale and impact is the first step in making a difference."

Screenshot of Christine Shanahan McGovern's June 27 Facebook post | Christine Shanahan McGovern for IL State Representative District 36 Facebook page

According to Rahab's Daughters' website, human trafficking affects 40 million people each year. Of these victims, 4.8 million are sexually exploited, 4 million are subjected to state-imposed forced labor, and 16 million are exploited for labor. The website further notes that of the $150 billion generated annually by human trafficking, $99 billion comes from sexual exploitation and $51 billion from labor trafficking.

Rahab’s Daughters describes itself as more than just an organization; it calls itself "a growing movement of volunteers, donors, action-takers, and world-changers working together to fight human trafficking."

Christine Shanahan McGovern is the Republican candidate for Illinois State House District 36. She refers to herself as a "Mom on a Mission" and states she is "committed to my community where I have lived for almost 29 years," according to her campaign website. She has a background in business ownership and holds a bachelor’s degree with emphases in economics and communication.

Shanahan McGovern advocates for safer communities and expresses concern about education. She says she is part of ‘Re-open Illinois,’ which has been fighting against what she terms "tyrannical control." According to Shanahan McGovern, the shutdown of the economy during the COVID-19 crisis was "an economic failure" that "can never happen again." She advocates for removing government control and harsh threats as mandatory steps to keep capitalism alive.