This is my 100th post on steemit and for this milestone, I want to blog about something important that has been on my mind for some time: Sex Trafficking.
I believe sex trafficking is the new slave trade but on steroids. The African slave industry in the U.S was worth 3.5 billion dollars. Sex trafficking in the U.S. alone is a 20 billion-dollar industry. We had a civil war over $3.5 billion dollars. We haven't done much in our policies on a federal level to address this problem. I wonder why? This time around, it's not a Southern issue; it's nationwide. Actually, it's global.
There are a lot of similarities between African slavery and modern-day sex slavery. Just as back then, we hear about these slaves, but sleep well through the night regardless. Sometimes we even take pity on them. But ultimately, we move on with our lives, just as most people did back then. This is one of the most disturbing crimes of modern times that most of us don't really understand. I'm guilty of being indifferent sometimes because I assumed these victims can just run away when they have an opportunity. It's not like there is a law in place keeping them captive. But the more I think about it, the more I realize it is not that simple.
Remember Elizabeth Smart? She was abducted at knifepoint from her bedroom in her family's house in Salt Lake City, Utah in 2009. She had multiple opportunities to escape but didn't. I learned of another victim in another case who became a recruiter for her captor. There has to be more going in the minds of these victims. During the slave era of American history, most slaves didn't run away because of fear. Even a lot of freed slaves stayed on their former master's land as sharecroppers.
Psychological trauma has the power to enslave people on a level that is more powerful than physical chains. Just think about it! Rape alone is traumatic. Now imagine being raped 40 times a day, 7 days a week as a trafficked victim. Now add starvation, beatings, and isolation. The average age of a trafficked victim is 12 to 14 years old. They use the three F's to recruit their victims: Force, Fraud, Coercion. Nowadays, the typical recruiter is another female.
They target runaways and throwaways and kids with low self-esteem. They even go into schools, bus stations, train stations looking for their next sex slave. There's a reason traffickers go after them so young: easier to brainwash, control, and manipulate. Some of these people post profiles on dating sites and once they pick up their dates, it's over.
Who are these people that pay to have sex with children and trafficked victims? If you ever watched that show Chris Hansen "To Catch a Predator", you will see these people are everywhere.
It's the mailman, cops, politicians, judges, actors, pastors, and your neighbor. Even our own President said he can touch women whenever he wants because of his celebrity status. And then there is Bill Cosby in recent times. I propose castrating sex offenders. If I ever become president, that would be my first bill. But that law will never pass because our lawmakers would be missing their egg rolls. In the photo below, can you guess which one is a Judge and which one is a pastor?
I think more needs to be done to protect the most vulnerable people in our society. If you have kids, I advise you to trust no one around them. Better to be paranoid than a statistic. But beyond your household, what can you do to help? Pay attention. If you live in the states, save this number on your phone.
National Human Trafficking Resource Center: (888) 373-7888
If you see something, say something. Even if you're not sure, call it in. You may save a life...