Before I continue, I need to remind you that I am not an expert on this topic and that I'm simply passing on the information and resources that I've come across over the past two years. I welcome any feedback or input that would expand on this subject or that would link us to more information. Also, I'd really love to hear if you know of someone or if you yourself are doing something to raise awareness and take action against this horrific problem in our country and in our world.
Because this subject is so huge, I'll never be able to fully cover every aspect of this issue. I'm just going to do what I can, and maybe somehow it will help at least one person.
Shared Hope International
Founded by former U.S. Congresswoman Linda Smith, Shared Hope exists to eradicate the problem of trafficking across the world by promoting prevention efforts, by working to offer restoration to victims who have escaped from the sex industry, and by bringing justice through policy and legislative measures.
Just in case you aren't one hundred percent sure what sex trafficking is, then here is the definition from Smith's organization:
Sex trafficking is when a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud or coercion OR when the person induced to perform the act is under 18 years old. A commercial sex act means any item of value is traded for any sexual service (prostitution, pornography, or sexual performance). Domestic minor sex trafficking is the commercial sexual exploitation of American children within U.S. borders for monetary or other compensation (shelter, food, drugs, etc.). This is synonymous with child sex slavery, sex slavery, child sex trafficking, prostitution of children, and commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC).I first heard of Shared Hope just a few weeks ago from my father. He had listened to a two-part Focus on the Family radio broadcast that make his blood boil. The broadcast, which aired on May 22-23, featured Smith along with "Brianna," one of the young ladies that Shared Hope helped to escape from the dark world of sex trafficking.
On the broadcast, both Brianna and Smith exposed some of the methods that are being used to "recruit" young girls into the sex industry. (According to Sharedhope.org, the AVERAGE age that a child is first exploited through trafficking is 13--this means some are even younger. That is one of the statistics that grieved my father so...) These are just a few of the things that I remember hearing and reading about concerning the manipulation of girls by traffickers:
- Using a "lover boy" technique that involves pursuing a relationship with a vulnerable girl thereby gaining her trust, loyalty, and eventually consent
- Showing up at school or sports activities, malls, coffee shops, or wherever kids gather. They stalk their prey, sometimes for months.
- Learning routines. They are very patient. According to Smith, if the girls notice and are uncomfortable with the presence of an older man, they will send in a younger middle school or high school male to resume the manipulation.
- Building friendship and trust by appearing to have interests, dreams, and goals in common. Sometimes this is done by a slightly older male who later passes the girl off to a more experienced man who continues the manipulation and begins the process of using her or selling her to a pimp.
- Giving gifts, taking them shopping, taking them to movies, convincing them to skip school or sneak out of their homes, letting them ride in nice cars
- Convincing them their families are keeping them from fun and excitement, and then offering chances to go on "dates" to exciting places in other cities (which lead to passing the girls off to "pimps" or "buyers")
- Inviting them to parties with older teens or with adults where the girls are then encouraged to dance/strip or perform sex acts. Later, the traffickers may blackmail the girls by threatening to tell their friends and family what they did or even by threatening to show pictures of what they did.
- Asking the girl to do them a "favor" by helping them make some money quickly to help them out of some trouble. The "favor" usually involves stripping, being featured in some type of pornography, or performing a sex act for a paying customer.
Those few bullet points are by no means an exhaustive list of their methods and madness, but these are some of the ways traffickers trap girls from all walks of life. Although girls from backgrounds of extreme poverty are usually the easiest to victimize, this also happens to girls from "normal" homes, neighborhoods, and communities. Younger males are often coerced to help with recruitment by promises of cash, clothing, cars, or sometimes because they are involved in a gang. Is it just me, or is it possible that some of these guys are victims as well?
- Threatening to pursue a relationship with a younger family member if the girl doesn't comply because some girls will actually cooperate with a trafficker rather than put a loved one at risk.
I'm overwhelmed with the enormity of this issue, especially when I consider that each victim is a daughter, sister, niece, granddaughter, friend, or neighbor to someone..... Based on some of the material I've read, I can think of at least one girl I knew who was possibly involved or at least was possibly being recruited, and I can think of at least one girl I know who could be an easy target. God help us help them.
Let me close by giving you some links that will help you learn more from and about Shared Hope and the ways they can can help you get involved. I'll also post some links to some videos/testimonials and broadcasts.
Click on these links for more:
How to recognize a trafficker &
Warning Signs that someone is being trafficked
FAQs about Trafficking (this also includes a helpful PDF fact sheet that provides statistics)
View Your State's "Report Card" to find out how it is legally responding to the crime of domestic minor sex trafficking. **My home state scored a D. California and many others scored F. It's appalling. Louisiana has the highest grade in the nation so far--a B. If you want to see on what criteria the states are graded, click the link, and you can also find out how to contact your state legislatures and voice your concern.
Learn more about Shared Hope International and read testimonies of hope, find resources, educate yourself, get involved, and DO SOMETHING.
Below are the links to a few broadcasts and videos. I highly recommend listening to the two Focus broadcasts.
Focus on the Family's Radio Broadcast: Exposing the Dark World of Human Trafficking, Part 1
(from May 22, 2013) Listen to Linda Smith discusses State Report Cards regarding domestic trafficking and methods, and "Brianna" shares her personal story of being recruited by traffickers.
Focus on the Family's Radio Broadcast: Exposing the Dark World of Human Trafficking, Part 2 (from May 23, 20118) Listen to hear about "Lacy" and how her pimp trapped her and later threatened to expose her activities to her church youth group.
Watch the trailer for Chosen, a video/documentary about trafficking.
Watch a trafficking awareness video from Shared Hope
Watch Do You Know Lacy?, a video about what a typical victim looks like and personal testimony of a victim
If for some reason the links do not work, then you can find the radio shows by going to the broadcast archives at www.focusonthefamily.com
To find the videos, simply search for the Shared Hope International Channel on Youtube.
I know this is not a pleasant issue, and it may seem overwhelming and impossible to defeat, but we must start somewhere. Thankfully, organizations like Shared Hope and so many more are already actively involved in pulling children and other victims out of the darkness. Let's figure out how each of us can do something to help end this form of slavery that still exists in our country and in our world.
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