When we hear the words “sex trafficking,” as Americans we immediately think of women and children overseas who are being forced into the sex trade or who are brought into the United States for the purpose of sexual exploitation
This shows that we have a preconceived notion of what sex trafficking looks like, and shows how badly Americans need to be educated on this topic.
In the dictionary, the definition of slavery is the “state of one bound in servitude.” If someone sells you to someone else, is that not slavery? If someone forces you to do things against your will and you are not allowed to leave, is that not slavery? Then I ask you why, when pimps traffic young women and girls on the streets of America, isn’t this a form of modern-day slavery?
controversy... Some people think that the girls have a choice and could have escaped, but the reality is, is this is a form of slavery it meets the complete definition. People just are not aware of how brutal sex trafficking has become.
Pimps prey on young women and girls by finding their weakness and then exploiting it. It is easier to manipulate children, and by the time children become adults, they are broken down and dependent on a pimp. After the pimp gets into your mind, it’s easy for him to maintain control, much like a domestic abuser.
Trafficking is like a game to the "pimps", they make girls comfortable, then powerless and weak. hat way the girls don't try to escape and they're loyal from then on.
Not only was I shocked, I was scared. What would happen to me if I did try to leave and who would believe me if I told them what was going on?
fear factor is the way the captors are able to make the girls stay. When the girls realize they were tricked they blame it on themselves.
He assured me he would always love me no matter what, but he needed to know how much I loved him by making sure I would do anything for him.
A key part in being able to trap someone into trafficking is the emptiness they feel and their captor creating the idea that they love and care for them.
I was 14 years old when I was forced into prostitution. Like many teens at that age, finding my own identity and defying my parents were top on my list. So when a man came into my life and showered me with attention and listened to me when I complained about my parents, I did not think twice that he was ten years my senior. After all, he said I was mature for my age and told me I understood him better than anyone his own age. Little did I know, he was laying down the seeds of manipulation. It did not matter what my parents said, to me they did not understand me and he was the only one that “got me”. After six months, I thought I loved him, at least that is what he told me, so I did what I thought my heart was telling me and ran away to be with him. We ended up in Cleveland, Ohio. He told me we were going to meet the rest of the family.
When a 14 year old is defying her parents and can't identify with anyone, when someone manipulates her and comes into her life and says they relate, she totally ignores the warning signs because she's just craving for attention.