Last month, Rebecca Kochanek, one of our 2019 Office Administration interns, attended a seminar on our behalf about human trafficking in Dayton, Ohio. There were presentations from state representatives, detectives, and local sex trafficking awareness nonprofit directors. The point of the seminar was to raise awareness about the signs of sex trafficking and how to combat the problem that is happening right in front of all of us. She wanted to share some things that you need to know about human trafficking.
Definition of Sex Trafficking
The first thing that you need to know about human trafficking is what exactly it is. The definition of human trafficking is an “act of recruiting, harboring, transporting, providing, or obtaining a person for compelled labor or commercial sex acts through the use of force, fraud, or coercion. It’s important to note, though, that human trafficking can include but does not require movement. You can be a victim of human trafficking in your hometown.”
What Does Sex Trafficking Look Like?
The terrifying thing about sex trafficking is how much it has changed in recent years. Many people assume that it only happens in low-income areas on the streets. When you see prostitution happening on the streets, it is highly likely that these women are addicts feeding their drug addiction. The sad reality is that 97 percent of trafficking is now happening online. Because traffickers have an image to protect in their community, they disguise their behavior by using sites that sell a “girlfriend experience.” This term refers to men who use the usage of buying sex to fulfill emotional needs while purchasing sex. Selling sex is becoming increasingly popular on platforms such as Patreon and OnlyFans, so it is becoming more challenging to nail down trafficking in the online world.
Profile of a Sex Trafficker
Another thing that you need to know about human trafficking is what a trafficker looks like. Unfortunately, a human trafficker does not have a specific profile. Many people have misconceptions about what a trafficker looks like because of the media. In reality, a trafficker is anyone looking for control and financial gain. Traffickers are average looking people who have status in their community. What is even scarier is that it is common for traffickers to be people who have a good image in the eyes of their community. During the seminar, a detective mentioned how common it is for men with a wife and kids to be the most involved in trafficking young women.
Red Flags that Someone May be a Victim of Human Trafficking
These were the signs that we were taught to look out for. These can be seen in adolescent children, teens, or adults. If you even suspect that someone may be a victim of human trafficking, you are encouraged to reach out to the human trafficking hotline: 1-888-373-7888
- Having two phones or secret photo/texting apps on a phone
- Naked photos on their phone
- Unexplained expensive gifts
- Series of chronic runaway situations
- Having an older boyfriend(s)
- Signs of physical abuse (or emotional abuse)
- Addiction
- Someone who is restricted from their family
Never be afraid to speak up. If you end up being wrong, it is better to tell a trusted, authoritative figure still to make sure everything checks out before the situation gets worse.
Process of Human Trafficking
Human traffickers are continually looking for individuals who appear to be vulnerable and easily manipulatable. The reason why so many victims struggle to become free from these situations is that they feel psychologically trapped due to feelings of guilt.
These people are often manipulated into agreeing to do things out of fear, and they tell people that they volunteered to get involved in these rings. A victim will rarely identify as a victim because they are brainwashed into believing that they chose this lifestyle.
Many people assume that trafficking on the streets is the primary profile for human trafficking. This couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, trafficking that is happening on the streets usually only happens in low-income areas, and the victims are addicts feeding their addiction. Victims of human trafficking can be anyone, and are generally recruited from social places such as:
- College parties
- Restaurants
- Stores
- Churches
- Jail
- Social media
The recruiting process usually involves four tiers of people. They are:
- Bottom: Teaches people how to recruit. This is generally seen as a “friend” figure.
- Recruiter: Approaches the victim when trust is gained.
- Groomer: Prepares victims for prostitution.
- Watcher/Runner: Their role is “security” and to make sure the money is made and secured.
Phases of Human Trafficking
It is important to know the phases of human trafficking. By being aware of what the process looks like, you can be more confident in reporting potential incidents.
Phase 1:
This phase is essential in preparing a victim to become a victim. It is where a relationship is established to manipulate individuals.
- Establish a relationship
- Identify vulnerabilities
- Exploit those vulnerabilities
Romeo Pimping is a common tactic to build trust with a victim. This is when a man (pimp) tricks the victim believing that they are in a romantic relationship to gain trust to enslave them.
Phase 2:
The grooming stage is where a victim is manipulated into trusting his/her pimp through the following:
- Purposeful conversation
- Compliments
- Gifts
Phase 3:
The seasoning stage is where the abuse and trafficking begin to take place through the following:
- Starving
- Isolation
- Branding (tattoos)
- Rape
- Physical beatings
What Can We Do as a Community?
Because most victims don’t have an ID on them because it is taken from them, they are unable to get resources that they need to get help. It is up to us as a community to partner with domestic violence resources to surround these women with the support they need. As a community, we need to have better communication between state resources. A speaker at the seminar mentioned how she had to drive across Ohio to find a woman safety because there was no room in their local shelters. The collaboration of resources will be a huge way to combat the issue.
If you suspect someone may be a victim of human trafficking in any compacity, tell someone. Do not be afraid to call the police or a hotline. If it is suspected in a workplace, be careful telling a manager, because workplaces are common places to recruit victims. It is better to go to a professional who is trained to handle these situations.
I encourage you to get involved in human trafficking classes and nonprofits in your cities. Multiple states offer training for free through police stations to people in education, nonprofit, or any public-facing jobs. Many nonprofits that deal with human trafficking allow people to take training courses to be aware of how to combat sex trafficking in their city. It is essential to be educated and informed.
A major misconception is that sex trafficking happens through the idea of “stranger danger.” We all have seen the Facebook posts that circulate about women and children being stalked and snatched at stores. Unfortunately, that is not the typical way to recruit. What makes trafficking so scary is that it happens from people we know and trust in our communities.
Written by Rebecca Kochanek, an Office Admin Intern at Safe Harbor International Ministries.
Sources:
- https://www.crs.org/stories/stop-human-trafficking
- https://humantraffickingsearch.org/can-candidly-discuss-girlfriend-experience-sex-trafficking-girls-intellectual-disabilities/
- https://humantraffickinghotline.org/
- https://dworakpeck.usc.edu/news/7-facts-you-didnt-know-about-human-trafficking%3Futm_source%3Dtest
- http://oasisforwomen.org/
Safe Harbor blog post links:
- https://safeharborim.com/?s=The+7+Effects+of+Spiritual+Abuse
- https://safeharborim.com/should-i-monitor-my-kids-social-media-accounts/
- https://safeharborim.com/programs/
- https://safeharborim.com/how-to-get-help-if-you-are-a-victim-of-abuse/
- https://safeharborim.com/nonprofit-training-workshops/
- https://safeharborim.com/blog-post/what-is-the-cycle-of-violence/
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