Modern Day Slavery and Coercion

Modern Day Slavery is a deep subject. Sometimes as I write my blog I think of the movie Matrix.  I am glad I took the red pill, yet it has been a hard pill to swallow.  

Coercion. In my article entitled Pimps, Johns, and Child Prostitutes I discuss the different kinds of pimps that draw in their victims, mostly girls ages 13-14, and how they treat the "girls" they have in their stable. However, the psychological part of this growing epidemic is misunderstood and renders its victims helpless and permanently damaged. But organizations all over the world, like Shared Hope International and Exodus Cry are working on restoration solutions. 

Whatever it takes

                                                                                           

Marked as property

Beatings, denial of food, etc

As a society we have misunderstood prostitution. Even the very small percent of prostitutes that claim to have 'chosen' the career of prostitution have stories. On second look you hear how they started. For example, after being abused as a child they decided at least they could be paid for what they were being forced to do. They thought they would have control of their own bodies and life. Taking a deeper look, you find they end up controlled by a brutal pimp anyway. (see Nafarious)

Nefarious: Merchant of Souls is a 2011 American documentary film about modern human trafficking, specifically sexual slavery has stories ranging from girls taken through the coercion of promised work, romance and security. There are also stories of children who are sold by their parents, it was believed for money to survive. On second look, these girls are sold then their fathers sit and play cards all day. (see Nafarious)  It just keeps getting deeper.

What of coercion?

I will start by suggesting that no child desires to be a sex object to anyone. Coercion. Definition: the action or practice of persuading someone to do something by using force or threats.

               

“If you tell a big enough lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed.” Adolf Hilter

What have WE believed? They want it. It's their body they should be allowed to do whatever they want with it. It's the oldest profession. 

Below is an excerpt from an Article on Lawrence Taylor. 

'He said, This is a working girl that came to my room.”

That working girl was 16 years old.  But Taylor feels that the “world of prostitution” was at fault here.

“You never know what you’re gonna get. Is it gonna be a pretty girl, an ugly girl or whatever it’s gonna be,” Taylor said.  “I don’t card them. I don’t ask for a birth certificate.”

Taylor doesn’t consider soliciting prostitutes a serious crime.  After all, it’s the world’s oldest profession.'

REALLY LAWRENCE??? 

What happens now to the young girl he wanted to just have a little fun with? 

This young girl was the victim. She is undoubtedly broken. Her pimp might have read Pimpology which gives complete instruction for how to become a pimp or learned it on the street. Be certain of this, he has told her that he is her provider, protector, and even that he loves her and probably that she has no value. She knows not to cross him. He has given her a new name to rid himself of the trouble that the little girl he captured will keep showing up in her. Eventually the new girl takes over. It is part of the method used to destroy her old self and to give her a completely new one. 

Stockholm syndrome, or capture-bonding, is a psychological phenomenon in which hostages express empathy and sympathy and have positive feelings toward their captors, sometimes to the point of defending and identifying with the captors.

Children and women who are victims of human sex-trafficking suffer from Stockholm syndrome, PTSD, and other psychological and emotional trauma and abuse symptoms, not to mention multiple physical health issues such as STD's, broken bones, head injuries, malnutrition, alcoholism, drug addictions. The average life expectancy for one of these girls is 7 years. 

I heard it said once at a seminar on trafficking that these kids are called throwaways and that when the cleaning up of a red-light district takes place it's called picking up the trash. 

           

These kids can grow to become women (they have a 7 year life expectancy) and are long forgotten or are lost in the system. 

It doesn't matter how many kids are out there, what matters is that we seek to open our eyes to the truth. Change our vocabulary. Look at each case individually and at the same time seek to look at the big picture. Restoration is a long difficult process. You can help by donating to organizations like Shared Hope International or by getting involved in helping in your community. I hope this is a good starting point for you to see some of the realities of coercion.

About Shared Hope International

Hope is defined as a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen. It's archaic meaning is a feeling of trust. Human trafficking victims lose hope. They are manipulated into believing false promises. They are physically, mentally, and emotionally abused. Society, in general, does not acknowledge their plight. We, the public, have been taught that these women and children want this. Ex-Giant Lawrence Taylor (declared sex-offender served no jail time) defends his actions in several ways including saying that it is the oldest profession in the world. Rape of 2 under age girls is okay? Really?!! We promote, yes, even encourage sexual promiscuity through media and then wonder why we have a demand for sex-trafficking.

No child can ever be a prostitute!

Here some examples of what Shared Hope provides:   

Increasing awareness, learning how to identify victims and possible victims of trafficking and by providing genuine and holistic response within our services and justice system is accomplished with training programs and resources. Shared Hope works to "equip professionals and community members to advance the network of protection offered to survivors of trafficking." (quote from SHI website)                                                    

Shared Hope International states that they were "established to provide hope to the hopeless women Washington State Congresswoman Linda Smith found enslaved in the brothels of Mumbai in 1998. Our early efforts targeted the international sex trafficking industry.  As we became established leaders in the international movement to end slavery, our eyes were opened to the scourge of sex trafficking in the U.S. We could not ignore this injustice and expanded our impact to bring hope to American women and children victimized in the commercial sex industry. Today, we lead prevention strategies, restoration programs and justice initiatives to combat trafficking in the U.S. and abroad." (italics mine; quote from SHI website)

Here are the Basics of Shared Hope

Youth Sex Trafficking Prevention Kit

Prevention Strategies:                                                 

 National Training, Collaborative Community Sex Trafficking Identification and Response Training, Customized Training, Intervene, Specialized Sex Trafficking Training for Juvenile Justice Plus....Training Resources like CHOSEN or the new Gang TRAP (Trafficking Response and Prevention) Training Guide and Video Series this 4-part training DVD for law enforcement for a donation of $20. 
Restoration Programs:

When a woman or child is rescued from sex trafficking they are not free yet! Their bodies are damaged, their mental and emotional health is shattered. Without someone (actually groups of people) coming along side them to walk them through the many steps to complete recovery they will never recover. Shelter and service providers are mandatory. Restoring their physical, mental, and emotional health, although an absolute must, is not enough. The Shared Hope site says, "providing survivors with the skills and means of creating their own economic sustainability helps reduce the risk of re-victimization." They must be taught how to re-enter society and then live in it safely. Many have joined other freedom fighters in the trenches working to pull others out of the living hell of sex-trafficking.
                                                                                    
Justice Initiatives:

Coordinating with the growing network of protection is crucial. Working together will increase our success providing victims with complete support. Shared Hope International "believes we can create a world where every survivor is surrounded by trained professionals, an alert community, just law and policy, knowledgeable service providers and appropriate shelter options."

In a March 18th, 2014 article entitled South Dakota man sentenced to life for sex trafficking in the Sioux City Journal South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley said the 2014 state Legislature passed two laws to help combat sex trafficking.

One law establishes a procedure to forfeit personal property in child pornography, human trafficking, child solicitation or exploitation cases, and to direct money toward preventive efforts and victims. Another will allow human trafficking victims to file lawsuits against a perpetrator.

"South Dakota is off limits for human trafficking and crimes against children," Jackley said.

Good for Jackley! This attitude is the very thing that will begin the process of cleaning up the state of South Dakota which presently has a "F" rating according to their Shared Hope Report Card. You can go the the report card link and click on your state and find out how it's doing. Shared Hope has Bill Tracking so you can also check out your states effort to put in place laws to protect women and children.

Find your states rate. Report Card link above.

We need to increase awareness. We must take action. We must not only seek justice we must demand justice!

If you have questions or comments please leave a comment.