Home Target Deception Grooming Abduction Coercion Trauma Victim Challenges
"We were conditioned to do what we were told,
to satisfy the gruesome desires of men.
My identity, value and innocence were stolen from me. "
Trauma
Many DMST (Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking) victims have suffered from previous mental, physical, psychological, or sexual abuse. Because of the high degree of trauma victims often exhibit a complex set of symptoms while in their rescue and recovery processes.
Beautiful, vibrant, and full of life. Below is the same young girl, following a series of arrests, as she endured the harsh and ugly world of sex trafficking. Many times a trafficker will force his his or her victim to do drugs because they know once they are addicted, their chances of escaping become almost nonexistent. Every arrest that took place was a missed opportunity to help rescue her from the life of human trafficking.
Trauma Experiences
They are drugged
Their bodies are used in unintended ways
They are beaten
They are arrested
They are put in jail
The trauma experience depends on:
Age of victim
Age of perpetrator
Relationship of perpetrator
Type of abuse/trauma
Cultural factors
Personality of victims & resiliency
Existence of violence
Presence of a support system
Age of victim disclosure
Reaction of family/friends at disclosure
Trauma Bonding (Pimp Control)
This type of bonding occurs between the trafficker and his or her victim. There are several three different ways in which this binding can occur:
Finesse Pimp
| Gorilla Pimp
| Gang
|
(+ others similar to Gorilla & Gang type pimping)
The finesse pimp (trafficker) is often so smooth in his tactics that he will get his victim to go willingly into sex trafficking. He may adopt the role of a “boyfriend” or “father figure” by pretending to care for and love his victim. He knows very well that his victim is missing what a father offers (such as protection and care) and he will use this weakness to exploit his own interest into making his victim believe that he cares for them.
The gorilla pimp (trafficker) is quite different in his approach. Often times, the gorilla pimp will do whatever he has to do to get his victim right where he wants. Once he does this, he will begin to all means of violence and coercion (such as threatening to kill the victim’s family) to keep his victim from running away.
The gang (traffickers that tend to work together) will often convey a sense of family to their victims. They will tell each victim that he or she is special and they wouldn’t be a family without them. They give their victims a false of hope, by making it appear as if they really are one big happy family and should one of the victims try to escape, they will beat them, or in some cases even kill them, in order to set an example to the other victims of what happens when you try and run away.
Video Name: Predator 101 Video: Alicia's Story.wmv
Time: 2:35 - 3:18
Summary: Alicia’s Description of What Her Abductor Did
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hR0bXZrIErE
Video Name: The Shaniya Davis Story
Time: Whole Video
Summary: The story of Shaniya Davis who was trafficked by her mother
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGuCWXAN2WI
Houston Criminal Justice Student Finds Salvation After Her Own Trafficking Nightmare Imagine being ripped away from your family at the age of 3 and sold into the slavery by traffickers. Breanna Bryant, a Criminal Justice student at Sam Houston State University has shared her story on their local campus newspaper. After she was kidnapped at the age of 3, she endured several years of being trafficked."The next two and a half years of my life were horrific," said the student, now a junior Criminal Justice major as Sam Houston State University. "I was taken 17,000 miles away from my home and lived among a few other girls. But this group home was much different than any other I had been to. We were conditioned to do what we were told, to satisfy the gruesome desires of men. My identity, value and innocence were stolen from me." She was "adopted" in the by a family in a black market adoption agency where she stayed for several more years. Her grandfather had hired a private detective, and finally after 3 years of searching, information was leaked and she was brought back home. She says this after she was brought back home. "I was a mess. After so many years of being raised in corruption, how could I begin to learn any different?" Bryant said. "I had to be taught what was appropriate behavior for a child. I suffered severally from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and fear had its grip on me. I was afraid of the night, anyone getting close to my face, and especially having the feeling of being suffocated. None of these things go away over-night and still the consequences of these events live with me. Bryant is now working towards her degree in criminal justice, where she eventually wants to work on after-care for victims of trafficking. Source: article no longer available---website redirected to: http://www.houstonianonline.com/ |
Former Teenage Trafficking Victim Inspires Lawmakers in MN A 35 year old Minnesota woman was 10 years old when her stepfather sexually abused her. Soon after that her mom began telling her she didn't care if she ran away. Amber believed what she heard and began searching for love and protection in other places. At age 13 she met her pimp, a smooth talking man who wore nice things and told her all the things she wanted to hear. Her pimp got her a fake I.D., transported her to Dallas, and forced her into the sex trade he ran. When she didn't bring back her $1000 a day quota he beat her and sent her back to the streets until she did. "Basically, what I was just doing was just searching for someone to love me. I was searching for a father figure," Whitefeather said. "He said, 'We're going to be together for life. We're going to be doing this as a family.' It was more like a family team effort, like I'm a part of something." Instead of being treated like a victim when police found her, she was put into jail with adults and had to fend for herself until she could finally escape from her pimp shortly before her 18th birthday."It's just a horrible thing when they get them young, because it just sets a pattern of destruction," she said. "It's just a hole in your soul." Though she searched for a better life, the woman soon found herself stripping and doing drugs so she could support herself. She believed this was all her life was to amount to. Now, at 35, she is working to support kids and overcome the emotional and physical trauma she endured as a teenager. This woman's story is one of the reasons Minnesota lawmakers are considering changing trafficking laws to help domestic minor sex trafficking victims. If the law is passed, Minnesota would be the fifth state to protect children from being prosecuted for prostitution. Current Minnesota law treats trafficked minors as both victims and delinquents. In most cases, minors that are coerced and forced into the trafficking world are looked upon on delinquents, not victims. They have two options to escape from the trafficking world - to go to jail or return to the streets. It is important to realize the best option may be the one that Minnesota is hoping to give - a way out for victims, a place to receive treatment for all that they have endured. Source: Minnesota Public Radio News (Link) |
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