Sex Trafficking Awareness and Prevention

In Section 2, we are going to talk about what trafficking is, as well as the debate between “sex trafficking versus prostitution”.

Human Trafficking

Human trafficking is a social justice issue which is increasing in the 21st century. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC; 2020) claimed that traffickers may be from a variety of hierarchical structures which can be divided into two groups: traffickers and organized criminal groups. According to A21 (n.d.), around 40.3 million people have been exploited, producing what is estimated to be $150 billion each year. Vulnerable people are placed into horrible sexual and abusive working conditions, which results in loss of identity, shame, and imprisoned environments (A21, n.d.). Trafficking cases can be hard to distinguish, as many have difficulty in understanding human trafficking, as well as who is considered a victim (Kendis, 2019).

Sex Trafficking

Sex trafficking is when an individual uses a person for the purposes of commercial sex (Shared Hope International, 2022). This can include various locations and individuals can be independently trafficked, as well as in groups of people.

Trafficker

A trafficker may also be known as a pimp, madam, or a brothel owner. They partake in the global sex trade, where they recruit and trade their victims amongst traffickers (Chin & Finckenauer, 2012). A trafficker can be any age, despite the individual’s identity (ASU, n.d.). One will normally see the term, trafficking, as being utilized in sex trade work. Traffickers take part in coercion of females in their local regions, the movement of individuals over federal boundaries, and overseeing the females in their sex work, which includes the assistance and administration of such individuals. It is a transgression of law when underage persons have been purchased for sex even when constraint, illegal transactions, or intolerable acts occur (U.S. Department of State, 2021a).

Sex trafficking Versus Prostitution

Often times it can be difficult to discern the difference between sex trafficking and prostitution. Prostitution is the selling of one’s self for monetary purposes. Prostitution is often seen as an abuse of natural rights, where at-risk females are often open to crisis and assault (Barry, 1995). Kreuser (2017) pointed out that the United States government as well as the state of California have laws against sex trafficking and prostitution. The Trafficking Persons Protected Act (TPPA) was created by the federal government as well as the United States Code Annotated, U.S.C.A. 2421 as it pertains to the transport across state lines of a person who provides sex for pay. In the California’s Penal Code Section 236.1, sex trafficking is described and made illegal. Prostitution is made unlawful in California under Penal Code 647. Thereby, the Penal Codes set in California both pertain to laws that define the legalities of prostitution and sex trafficking (Kreuser, 2017).

Often times it can be difficult to discern the difference between sex trafficking and prostitution. Prostitution is the selling of one’s self for monetary purposes. “Prostitution is perceived to be a human rights violation that ‘make[s] all women vulnerable, exposed to danger, open to attack (Barry, 1995).

“Both the federal government and California have laws in place addressing sex trafficking and prostitution. The federal government addresses sex trafficking in the Trafficking Persons Protected Act (TPPA). Historically, the federal government addresses prostitution in the United States Code Annotated, U.S.C.A. 2421. However, Section 2421 only prohibits prostitution when it involves the transportation of a female across state lines; the determination of whether prostitution is legal within a state remains with the individual states. California addresses both sex trafficking and prostitution in its Penal Code. Section 236.1 of the California Penal code defines and criminalizes sex trafficking. And in California Penal Code Section 647, California makes prostitution illegal” (Kresuer, 2017).

• Prostitution often leads to sexual exploitation.

Storytelling is a powerful way to better understand the personal stories of those working in the sex trade, willingly and unwillingly. It is crucial to place one’s self within their narratives, comparing and connecting with the relational parts to one’s own (San Pedro & Kinloch, 2017).

Storytelling is a way that one can use their personal experiences as a theory of change. The relational aspect allows for one to feel connected through storytelling. This can position someone in a way that can allow them to make a change and positively impact not only themselves, but society as a whole. For example, a community can utilize and promote ethnic and community-based education using past experiences to construe their stance within the world at large (San Pedro & Kinloch, 2017). The art of storytelling humanizes individuals. According to San Pedro and Kinloch (2017), the focal point for the basic understanding of relational sustainability is to notice how to improve relationships and look at the narratives shared within an environment.

Read Survivors’ Stories located at: https://polarisproject.org/survivor-stories/

We have now explored a definition of a trafficker, types of trafficking, examples of traffickers, and three major areas of recruiting where trafficking occurs.

This graph reveals the key players within sex trafficking, including the customer, sex worker, and traffickers. The surrounding light blue triangles represent key factors that influence the key players.

Demand

Traffickers have many ways that they lure their victims into thinking they are in a safe environment. They will deceive the victims as well as play mind games to build trust.

Traffickers use abuse, especially in the form of words, as a means of the stripping of humanity. Traffickers place a hold over their victims through various methods. The role of the trafficker is to mask and blind the abuse. Traffickers will try to build a relationship and have a process of grooming with their victim. The goal of the trafficker is to gain control and change the victim’s perspective on abuse. Oftentimes, the trafficker wants the victim to feel as though they are stuck, even positioning them in such a way that they choose to stay, or even come back if they escape.

“This phenomenon derives from the fact that the oppressed, at a certain moment of their existential experience, adopt an attitude of "adhesion" to the oppressor. Under these circumstances they cannot "consider" him sufficiently clearly to objectivize him—to discover him "outside" themselves. This does not necessarily mean that the oppressed are unaware that they are downtrodden. But their perception of themselves as oppressed is impaired by their submersion in the reality of oppression” (Pedagogy of the Oppressed, Ch.2).

Recruitment

3 major areas where victims of sex trafficking are recruited:

• Relationships (Section 6)

• Online (Section 7)

• Jobs (Section 8)

Relationships - Traffickers will often disguise themselves by using fake relationships as a way to gain access to their victims. Often times they are often a close relative or a family friend. We will go more into this in a later section.

Jobs - Many people, including both men and women, are promised jobs, especially in different countries. These people are normally those who are most vulnerable. It is unfortunate but traffickers specifically look for those who can be easily persuaded. Money can easily be used as bait to cause people to fall into a trap of trafficking. People that are in difficult financial situations are vulnerable to entering into prostitution for financial stability. We will go more into this in a later section.

Online - Traffickers often use Social Media as a way a gateway to recruit their victims. We will go more into this in a later section.

Traffickers have many ways that they lure their victims into thinking they are in a safe environment. They will deceive the victims as well as play mind games to build trust. They simply use power and control, which can be seen through the “power and control” graph in the resources section. Traffickers use power and control through many different avenues, including: coercion and threats, intimidation, emotional abuse, isolation, denying, blaming, minimizing, sexual abuse, physical abuse, using privilege, and economic abuse. Traffickers use the same types of tactics with both sex and labor trafficking. It ultimately comes down to power and control.

The way traffickers get power and control are through:

• Coercion and threats

• Intimidation

• Emotional abuse

• Isolation

• Denying, blaming, minimizing

• Sexual abuse

• Physical abuse

• Using privilege

• Economic abuse

It is crucial to know how to spot trafficking, as well as risk factors, in order for prevention to occur in your local community.

Sex trafficking prevention is necessary in order to educate those who may be vulnerable (CDC, 2022). People often do not understand how trafficking cases can occur (Homeland, n.d.). For this reason, people may easily bypass a victim on the street or become a victim themselves. Meshelemiah and Lynch (2019) mentioned that by looking at theories and formal theoretical models, one can better understand how trafficking works, as well as how to assist victims.

Warning Signs:

• Physical abuse such as burn marks, bruises or cuts

• Brags about making or having lots of money

• Unexplained absences from class

• Less appropriately dressed than before or new expensive clothes, accessories or shoes

• Sexualized behavior

• Older boyfriend or new friends with a different lifestyle

• Overly tired in class

• Talks about wild parties or invites other students to attend parties

• Withdrawn, depressed, distracted or checked out

• New tattoo (tattoos are often used by pimps as a way to brand victims. Tattoos of a name, symbol of money or barcode could indicate trafficking)

PREVENTATIVE MEASURES

This video depicts a human trafficking scenario taking place at a truck stop and shares how truck stop employees and truck drivers can report it. (DHS Video by Blue Campaign/Released 2021)

https://www.dhs.gov/medialibrary/assets/video/27903

RISK FACTORS

This video provides basic examples of trafficking. Please keep a look out for trafficking risks listed in the video.

https://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/videos/blue-campaign/16_04_20_bc-infographic.mp4

"According to the National Human Trafficking Statistics Report, the top five risk factors for human trafficking in the U.S. are:

• Recent migration/relocation.

• Substance use.

• Runaway/homeless youth.

• Mental health concerns.

• Involvement in the child welfare system"

  (ICESAHT.org).

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• In order to become a change agent of society, it is necessary to understand the ways in which changes can be made.

• In terms of trafficking, it is important to recognize the risk factors and preventative measures within your local community.

In this section, we are going to talk about how to prevent being trafficked through relationships. First, we will start with red flags.

RED FLAGS

A red flag is a warning that something is not right about a person or situation. It is important to be aware of signs of trafficking, in order to keep yourself safe, as well as to report potential cases of sex trafficking.

“Traffickers will portray themselves as safe or trustworthy in order to take advantage of their victims”.

Please watch the video take the quiz. The video depicts how a trafficker can groom a young person into a human trafficking situation: Human Trafficking Youth Animated Video (Video by Blue Campaign, Sep 28, 2021):

https://www.dhs.gov/medialibrary/assets/video/27904

In this section, we are going to talk about trafficking, social media, and how to prevent being trafficked online.

Online trafficking

“According to a survey of underaged victims conducted by Thorn, an organization dedicated to exploring technology to defend children from sexual abuse, 75% of the children said they had been advertised online at some point in their trafficking situation”.

Please watch the video: "Faces of Human Trafficking: An Introduction to Sex Trafficking" and then complete the quiz.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JygGZH0cGV4

Online trafficking

• “According to a survey of underaged victims conducted by Thorn, an organization dedicated to exploring technology to defend children from sexual abuse, 75% of the children said they had been advertised online at some point in their trafficking situation”.

Online Safety Tips

• Online Safety Tips “Enable privacy settings on social media (which includes removing any geographical check-in points), use discretion so as not to unnecessarily detail your daily activities online and report online harassment to law enforcement”.

- How to detect legit/safe websites/apps

- How to detect non legit and unsafe websites/apps

• Social media- critical media literacy

  "Critical media literacy requires students to analyse the text itself, as well as the roles of the creator, the audience, and the stakeholders with interest in this power relationship [between creator and audience]” (Mirra, Morrell, & Filipiak, 2018, p. 14)

  
  

•Social Media:

-Be smart making friends

-Watch out for scams: Be cautious if a friend on social media asks you strange questions — if they ask for personal details or ask you for money, for example. It could be a scammer who’s asking, not your friend. The scammer may have created an account to impersonate your friend, or your friend might have lost access to their account. If this happens, contact your friend through another channel, like over the phone or in person, and ask them about it. If it is a scam, you should be able to report the account.

-Remember that what goes online, stays online

(https://www.cert.govt.nz/individuals/guides/cyber-security-social-media/)

Traffickers often use social media as a gateway to reach their victims. “Increased availability of technological resources leaves impoverished populations particularly at risk for trafficking”. Thereby, more people have access to becoming lured by a trafficker online than ever before. They not only use technology for luring purposes, but continue to use technology as a way to keep their victim bound.“Social media has been used by traffickers to recruit victims, to proliferate their trafficking operations, and to control victims through restricting their social media access, impersonating the victim, or spreading lies and rumors online” (Polaris, 2020). Traffickers can use the internet as a way to approach vulnerable victims.

“Traffickers pose online as “boyfriends” or offer fake modeling jobs, to recruit women and girls into commercial sex and then advertise them on social media. Supervisors of traveling sales crews post about how much money they are making to entice victims to their ranks. Remote interactive sexual acts – aka webcams – depend on social media. Potential traffickers manipulate their victims’ access to social media, impersonate the victim, or spread lies and rumors about them on social media. However, social media is also how many survivors stay in touch with their loved ones, reach out for help, and build community that helps them to heal” (Polaris, 2018).

Facebook is a common platform which traffickers gain access to their victims. Unfortunately Facebook “...enables all three stages of the human exploitation lifecycle (recruitment, facilitation, exploitation) via complex real-world networks," and identified some commonly-used naming conventions for domestic servitude accounts to help with detection. Traffickers from labor "recruitment agencies" used "FB profiles, IG Profiles, Pages, Messenger and WhatsApp to exchange victims' documentation ... promote the victims for sale, and arrange buying, selling and other fees…” (Duffy, CNN, 2021). It is crucial to recognize how social media affects all sides of trafficking.

“Understanding how both human traffickers, victims and survivors interact with social media as it is commonly understood – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. – offers a new realm of insights that are potentially more actionable for a wider range of players, from trafficking victims looking for help, to law enforcement seeking to disrupt trafficking networks, to technology companies looking to keep their users safe on their platforms. Human trafficking, like technology, is a dynamic business, endlessly innovative and infinitely adaptable. Only by understanding how these two sec- tors interact can we get the best out of the one and begin to shut down the other” (Polaris Project, n.d.).

- How to detect legit/safe websites/apps

- How to detect non legit and unsafe websites/apps

How you can be an advocate

Social media’s engagement is now being used as a platform for advocacy. “The rise of social media has seen its concomitant celebration as a ‘liberation technology,’namely a technology that supports social, political, and economic freedoms (Diamond, 2010). Though most notably manifest in the media fervor around the ‘Twitter revolutions’ and ‘Facebook revolutions’ of the Arab Spring, techno-optimism about social media’s potential for human rights persists in both the popular and academic consciousness” (McPherson).

The role of social media is used with the intention of advocacy purposes. “As important as innovations and partnerships with civil societies are, it remains a core governmental responsibility to fight against modern slavery” (Luis CdeBaca, 2011). For example, the use of certain platforms, such as Facebook, allows for individuals to advocate for social rights. An example includes anti-trafficking awareness campaigns.

Please watch this video and then complete the fill in the blank below:

https://love146.org/videos/

“Around the world, many child trafficking survivors in our care are first connecting with their traffickers on Facebook...” (Love146, 2019).

                                                                Fill in the blank

1.  Facebook settings allow _________ to easily find and groom children in private messages.

2. "Hey, I saw your post. U ok? Just know theres someone here who _____ about you".

3.  ________'s default privacy shouldn't put kids at more risk. 

Social media’s engagement is now being used as a platform for advocacy. “The rise of social media has seen its concomitant celebration as a ‘liberation technology,’namely a technology that supports social, political, and economic freedoms (Diamond, 2010). Though most notably manifest in the media fervor around the ‘Twitter revolutions’ and ‘Facebook revolutions’ of the Arab Spring, techno-optimism about social media’s potential for human rights persists in both the popular and academic consciousness” (McPherson).

The role of social media is used with the intention of advocacy purposes. “As important as innovations and partnerships with civil societies are, it remains a core governmental responsibility to fight against modern slavery” (Luis CdeBaca, 2011). For example, the use of certain platforms, such as Facebook, allows for individuals to advocate for social rights. An example includes anti-trafficking awareness campaigns.

-Discern a legit job offer/signs of potential trafficking

-It is crucial to recognize the signs of potential trafficking cases.

Online safety use through legit/safe websites/ apps (what are the main points of online safety): online trafficking and online safety tips

• “Online recruitment has existed for as long as there has been widespread access to internet platforms. The National Human Trafficking Hotline has recorded recruitment in all types of sex and labor trafficking on social media platforms including, but not limited to, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Kik, Meetme.com, WhatsApp, and dating sites/apps like Tinder, Grindr, and Plenty of Fish. Traffickers may build an intimate relationship with a victim through social media or advertise fake or deceptive job opportunities. Recruiters of traveling sales crews even post brazen photos of daily cash profits to entice potential victims and agricultural labor recruiters may advertise for U.S. visa contracts via social media” (https://polarisproject.org/human-trafficking-and-social-media/).

In this section, we are going to talk about effective assistance.

Effective assistance provides victims with proper care and resources.

"Benefits and Services Available to Victims of Human Trafficking"
Certified and eligible victims of human trafficking can receive benefits and services necessary for their safety, protection, and basic wellbeing. These include:

• Housing assistance

• Food assistance

• Income assistance

• Employment assistance

• English language training

• Health care

• Mental health services

• Foster care

(U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children & Families- https://www.acf.hhs.gov/orr/fact-sheet/fact-sheet-victim-assistance-english)

In this section, we are going to talk about effective assistance.

Effective assistance provides victims with proper care and resources.

"Benefits and Services Available to Victims of Human Trafficking"
Certified and eligible victims of human trafficking can receive the benefits and services necessary for their safety, protection, and basic well-being. These include:

• Housing assistance

• Food assistance

• Income assistance

• Employment assistance

• English language training

• Health care

• Mental health services

• Foster care

(U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children & Families- https://www.acf.hhs.gov/orr/fact-sheet/fact-sheet-victim-assistance-english)

Effective Victim Services Video & Fill in the Blank: Please watch the video"Faces of Human Trafficking: Effective Victim Services" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4bga2CnZnc) and then complete the fill in the blank.

“This video, the fifth in a nine video series on human trafficking, includes information on the importance of providing victim-centered, trauma-informed services to meet the wide array of needs experienced by trafficking victims. Coordination and collaboration are critical in responding to the diverse population of trafficking survivors, as no one provider can meet all of the needs of all types of trafficking victims” (Office of Victims for Crime).

1. You’re sometimes relying on homeless shelters, because not many ________violence shelters, at this time, tailor to the needs of _______ victims.

2. The way we provide is through ______ -centered approach, which means that we allow the ______ to tell us what their goals are and what their ______ are.

3. The hardest thing about providing _______ is maintaining the correct ________ in trying not to __________ , while still maintaining necessary information.

4. If the _____ understands that they have _______ from the beginning, they trust and are accepting of the resources that you’re offering them.

“Santa Barbara is a well-known, affluent area, and obviously people come to try and make money. That’s why we get traffickers who bring survivors here, to prey upon our wealthy community,” county Sheriff’s Sgt. Neil Gowing explained. “It is true even for North County—where it may not be as affluent—we have a decent sized middle class population that makes a decent wage. … It’s a niche market where they think they can come in and make money without as much competition” (Santa Maria Sun, 2022).

“California is ranked as one of the top four U.S. human trafficking destinations. Our central coast has been identified as a natural transit corridor for trafficking activity between major metropolitan areas to the south and north. Santa Barbara County, a tourist attraction with conference venues, a transitory population, and migrant labor makes it vulnerable to trafficking activity as well. It is estimated that 55% of forced labor victims and 98% of sexually exploited victims of human trafficking are young girls and women. These victims are stripped of their freedom and are frequently isolated and without social and family support. They are unsure of where to turn for assistance, and are often too intimidated to ask for help” (County of Santa Barbara).

LOCAL RESOURCES

These are locations which provide assistance to victims of trafficking. You can contact them if you are interested in learning more about what is going on in the local community, or if you would like to get involved. Many include shelters or local non-profit organizations.

Effective assistance- Effective assistance provides victims with proper care and resources. It can be seen through local resources. It is necessary to understand how to spot trafficking, as well as the warning signs of trafficking.

"Benefits and Services Available to Victims of Human Trafficking": Certified and eligible victims of human trafficking can receive benefits and services necessary for their safety, protection, and basic wellbeing. These include:

• Housing assistance

• Food assistance

• Income assistance

• Employment assistance

• English language training

• Health care

• Mental health services

• Foster care

(U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children & Families, n.d.)

If you are interested in being more involved in anti-trafficking, please locate your local anti-trafficking non-profits for more information. You can give your time or resources. Please remember to be aware of your surroundings and to report suspected crime to your local law enforcement. You can also call the National Human Trafficking Hotline (Call 1-888-373-7888 ( TTY: 711)|*Text 233733)