When one hears "human trafficking" they automatically think of foreign adult women.
Human trafficking is prevalent in more areas than the average American realizes. It is modern day slavery and needs to be recognized as such.
Human trafficking begins with the Recruiter. This could be a friend, family member, neighbor, or someone who poses as a boyfriend. The boyfriend (etc.) gains the trust of the victim and begins to encourage them to have sex or commit other acts. If the victim refuses during this step, they are most likely abused and forced into the act anyways.
The trafficker is the one who controls the victim (could also be the same person as the recruiter). At times, the trafficker is called a "pimp." They profit from the women's acts and they often gain the victim's trust through fear and lies. What many don't realize is the role of the consumer. The consumer, often times, does not realize or is unaware that the victim is suffering. This could be due to the fact that in some cases the women are paid for the acts, which makes it seem legitimate, even though the pimp takes all of the money from the victim.
A consumer is sometimes called a John. These Johns fund the human trafficking industry by paying for sexual intercourse and sexual favors from the victims.
And finally, the victim. Victims of human trafficking often come from situations of poverty, homelessness, runaways, foster care, addiction, unemployment, family background of violence, or a need to feel loved.
Every year, 300,000 U.S. children are at risk of becoming trafficked and 1 million children all over the world are at risk. These children are coerced into this devastating life through threats of violence to the themselves or their families, fraud, physical restraint, bodily harm, and/or emotional and physical abuse.
The reality is this; sex slaves are not always people in foreign countries. There are sex slaves right under our noses-- thousands of young women and children being forced into committing sexual acts, illegal labor, and so much more. 83 percent of sex trafficking victims rescued in the U.S. are U.S. citizens. This means that women and children are being bought and sold right in front of us. Many large and crowded events are breeding spots for traffickers to sell these victims. Indiana alone, saw extreme rises in prostitution and trafficking at events like the Super Bowl and March Madness- Final Four.
Human trafficking has become a $130 billion dollar industry in the United States. It has built itself into an enterprise. Actual human beings are being forced into having sexual intercourse and giving sexual favors to numerous men and women every night. Many people have a false idea about what these women gain. They believe that the women are paid to have sex or that they want to do these things. The reality is that a modern day slave is worth $90. If you go back to when slavery was legal, those salves would be worth $40,000 in relation to today's money. Modern day slaves are not given pay for these sexual acts because they are not worth anything. The trafficker could easily buy or force another girl into this life, making it unnecessary to truly care about the well being of one girl. These victims are not provided health security, financial stability, an honest living, or a real family. But more than that, they are not loved. They are being treated as a piece of property instead of a human being.
So why don't they just leave? Victims of human trafficking do not always seek help due to many factors. Imagine if you were kidnapped, forced, or coerced into human trafficking at the age of 12 years old (average age of entry). Would you feel safe? Would you feel as if you could trust anyone? Many victims grow up believing that this is a reality they must face-- believing that they somehow deserved this life. They begin to blame themselves for being a sex slave, causing horrendous emotional damage. The traffickers at times also persuade the slaves with specific instructions on how not to behave, which includes not telling people about their reality. Or the traffickers threaten to hurt or kill the victim or members of the victim's family. So would you just walk away? Could you walk away? Victims need our help, they need to know that we realize their pain and love them as the human being they are.
These women and girls are not criminals who chose this life, they are victims.
What can you do?
Fight back. Don't accept the idea that women choose this life. Raise awareness in your community or school by hosting events to fund Anti-Human Trafficking Organizations. Get involved and volunteer at shelters and after school programs. In order to prevent young girls from falling to prey to human trafficking, we must prove to them that they are worth so much more. In order to end modern day slavery, we must raise awareness about its detrimental effects.
Visit Purchased to get involved and to learn more about human trafficking.
