So
So very disturbing. I guess I have liked a very sheltered life. Thank GOD! I would like to find the statistics for my area. The age range for females is horrifying. At that age I had no idea what sex was.
But let’s put this into perspective. From the article:
“In the U.S., we have found that there is a typical model,” Potter said. “The average age is 12 to 14 in relation to females. It’s usually a young girl who has come from an abusive, dysfunctional family setting, and she’s easily lured into trafficking because of it. Sometimes she’s a runaway or a girl on the street. She is vulnerable. The trafficker will pose as someone who will care for her. … And he will take care of her: he will buy her stuff and make her believe that he will never hurt her.”
Usually, after he has emotionally bound the girl to him, the trafficker, or “pimp,” makes her sell herself.
Drugs are often a factor with victims, Potter said. Many of the women rescued by The WellHouse have been victims of child or sexual abuse or some type of domestic violence. Many are homeless, struggling with substance abuse, or dealing with mental-health concerns.
“There is still a mindset to view these girls as prostitutes, but these are people who are actually struggling,” Potter said.
Actually snatching small, wanted children off the street and selling them in sex rings? That’s really mythical. As much as people like to describe these powerful conglomerates the reality of trafficking is really much more gritty and low rent.
Btw? I am skeptical of the narrative of the woman in the story. They’re forcing her to prostitute still at 55? Flying her around the world? It would be more expensive to house her and pay for her travel than a middle aged prostitute is likely to get. She also looks super fresh for someone who has been dragged around the world, repeatedly drugged and raped for decades.
It’s a fanciful narrative. And a lot of trouble to go through with a woman from an educated, successful family who could case them a lot of trouble.
Traffickers tend to do “business” using easier prey - like the article says.
Human trafficking victims involved in selling sex are predominately minorities, and/or LGBTQ persons (in the US) who are typically at least teenaged and come from extreme family dysfunction and/or suffer serious mental illness or addiction issues.
Or, they’re immigrants brought from one country to another, like the “Natasha’s” who are pretty girls from Russia who think there going to “model” in Greece or Japan and are really just prostituted once they get there. Or like women from Asian or African nations who are brought to another country owing money to the person who helps them “immigrate”. They are then told they have to pay off the debt via sex.
Little babies like Cupcake aren’t really involved in that industry. Maybe children of adult prostitutes could get caught up but they’re born into it. Not stolen off the street in the US. Not at that age.