I think we're all questioning the motive of SP's abductors. But I am in utter disbelief at the continued questioning of motives of SP, her family, and LE. Irregardless of what personal beliefs she may/may not have held 13 years ago (age 21), she is a victim of a horrendous crime. My daughter is 19 yr. old college student who is VERY outspoken on her social media, as is the vast majority of the people I see on SM her age. I shutter to think of the character assassination that would ensue if she ever went missing. I also know that her views (and the need to publicize them) will change dramatically in the next 10 years. Her brain won't be fully developed until she's 25. Getting married and having children will affect her in a way she can't possible begin to imagine at her age.
The case that brought me to WS was Heather McDonald. There was a flurry of speculation regarding drug use, extramarital affairs, prostitution, you name it. It was heartbreaking to see the lack of support in searching for her from a town I called home for over 20 years, IMO, based mainly on rumors. Fortunately, SP's family and additional resources kept her in the public's eye and she was found ALIVE. Why aren't we all rejoicing? Heather was not fortunate, her body was found 6 weeks later, discarded in the woods.
I have always believed SP was abducted. KP was genuinely distraught and immediately convinced that someone had taken her. He suggested and voluntarily submitted to a LDT and has LE has said KP has fully cooperated with the investigation. Their lives have put under a microscope for nearly 4 weeks. Why would anyone subject themselves to that kind of scrutiny if they didn't believe whole-heartedly their loved one was in danger? We can't talk about the outpouring of support for SP from those who knew her personally, but it's evidenced in many of the FB pages. The reports of local sex trafficking rings are also on many of those pages.
I was one of the first to mention sex trafficking as a motive to SP's abduction and I accept that many still do not subscribe to this theory. Hearing that SP is "not pretty enough" to be a victim is just absurd, IMO. She is a very attractive woman. If she we wearing a cap with a long ponytail jogging, I would imagine she would garner glances from both men and women alike. California leads the country in sex trafficking and contrary to what some may think, abductors don't exactly interview you to see if you are young enough, pretty enough, thin enough to be taken and tortured. They don't care. You are a commodity and by all accounts, SP could have been a hot commodity had she not received so much attention (and possibly a higher price-tag to get her back). But we need to dispel the myth that traffickers only take troubled teen girls. Anyone who is not educating their children and themselves on the dangers of human trafficking (including sex trafficking), IMO, is doing a grave disservice.
My heart goes out to SP (and her family). It's the wounds that didn't leave any bruising or scarring that could take a lifetime to heal. We haven't heard the extent of her abuse, but if she was taken for trafficking, there are almost always sexually assaults and drug use during the breaking period. I'm in no way implying this is what happened to SP, I clearly have no knowledge. But while we may not know the extent of her injuries and abuse, I hope we can all agree that she is a victim and worthy of our compassion. MOO
ETA, BBM, I can see traffickers cutting her hair (for shaming), but leaving it long enough for her to be marketable. I do think the women could have played an integral part, but there definitely men involved in her captivity. I also think SP did not immediately return home Thanksgiving Day and may have sought treatment elsewhere, which could've contributed to the delay in her reunion with the children. MOO
Sex traffickers use a variety of ways to condition their victims, including subjecting them to starvation, rape, gang rape, physical abuse, beating, confinement, threats of violence toward the victim and victims family, forced drug use, and shame.
Human trafficking is one of the fastest growing criminal enterprises because it holds relatively low risk with high profit potential. Criminal organizations are increasingly attracted to human trafficking because, unlike drugs, humans can be sold repeatedly.
Human trafficking is estimated to surpass the drug trade in less than five years. Journalist Victor Malarek reports that it is primarily men who are driving human trafficking, specifically trafficking for sex.
In approximately 54% of human trafficking cases, the recruiter is a stranger, and in 46% of the cases, the recruiters know the victim. Fifty-two percent of human trafficking recruiters are men, 42% are women, and 6% are both men and women.
http://www.factretriever.com/human-trafficking-facts
Human trafficking is not a topic that comes up frequently on the North Coast, and its not a problem that many local residents are aware can happen here. Theres a problem with recruitment everywhere, even in rural communities, says Elle Snow, a sex trafficking survivors advocate based in Humboldt County, but it takes the community to start realizing theres a problem.
http://www.willitsnews.com/article/NR/20160420/NEWS/160429990