The world today seems so dismal at times and the upsurge in crime and violence are a couple of the main contributors to such wayward feelings.
While much of the conversations regarding crime is centered on gun violence – and understandably so – there is also another heinous crime that has reached unspeakable heights in recent years: sex trafficking.
Sex trafficking is commonly referred to as the “the new American slavery,” and it is increasing by leaps and bounds.
According to the Department of Homeland Security worldwide, sex trafficking (also known as human trafficking) is a $32 billion per year industry. In the United States, places like Georgia and Ohio are becoming increasingly dangerous zones for trafficking. In Atlanta alone, the illegal sex industry generates $290 million a year with some traffickers making more than $32,000 per week.
In the U.S. traffickers, or pimps, often attract young girls by initially appealing to their weaknesses. If a girl is a loner, the pimp acts as a trustworthy friend. If a girl is insecure about her physical appearance, the pimp tells her how beautiful she is. If a girl has a disruptive home life, the pimp tries to entice her with affection and stability.
But it is all a façade to gain the girl’s trust or instill enough fear in her that she will do anything for the pimp – that includes having sex for money.
I recently read the story of Sacharay, a 14-year-old African-American girl who was looking for a friend. In school, Sacharay was often teased for being dark-skinned and wearing glasses. Very few students talked to her but one day she met an upperclassman who befriended her. The two girls became inseparable. Sacharay felt she finally had the best friend she had always dreamed of – the type of friend you could tell everything to.
One day, Sacharay’s friend encouraged her to skip school. The two went to a barbershop where they talked to some men. One man in particular took an interest in Sacharay. At first the 30-something-year-old man acted like a father figure to young Sacharay. But eventually the “relationship” turned sexual. Before long, the man coerced Sacharay to have sex with other men. He told Sacharay he loved her. He told her she meant the world to him.
Eventually, Sacharay was having sex with multiple men in a day – she remembered as many as 40 on one particular day.
Unfortunately, Sacharay’s story is not unique. Millions of underage children are being forced by men to have sex for money each day. And the pimps are growing more repulsive. Now, it is not uncommon to see a tattoo on a girl’s body that serves as a brand from her pimp. It may be his name across her chest, a money bag on her inner thigh, or even a barcode on her wrist. Marking their “product” is a now the norm in the dark world of trafficking.
I could go on and on about the horrific things traffickers make their victims do, but instead, I will focus on what needs to be done to reduce human trafficking overall.
First off, politicians must get involved. What happens in the dark must come to light and law makers are the ones who can expose the ugliness of human trafficking while also imposing laws that harshly punish people who manipulate girls to have sex. In addition, the individuals who actually have sex with the underage children should also receive hefty punishments.
There are so many topics that make it to a politician’s agenda list – many having impact on very few people. Legislation that protects sex victims should be top of the list for politicians. I have little tolerance for elected officials who make a big deal out of fluff topics, but ignore more serious, life threatening subject matters.
But politicians are not the only ones who can reduce the influx of individuals who are trafficked. So too can parents and it starts with the basics: showing your children love so they don’t seek it elsewhere. Letting your children, specifically girls, know their self-worth and why virtues are important. Tell your daughters they are beautiful so they won’t be overly impressed when a man tells them the same thing. Know who your children are spending time with, as some friends are poor influences. And spend time with your children – make them feel special. Fathers, be in your children’s lives. A recent study showed that many of the female sex trafficking victims did not have a father in the home. That unfortunately, speaks volumes.
We must do more to eradicate human trafficking. We can make impactful change if we all do our part individually.
