Going in a New Direction: Overcoming Three Societal Hurdles
There are three societal hurdles that we can work on overcoming to change a culture that reinforces stereotypes, racism, oppression and oversexualization. Addressed are the influences of social media, improving sex education, and addressing the roots of violence and oppression.
Sold a Dream: The Cultural Narrative of Pimps and Prostitutes
How culture defines pimps and prostitutes influences our perceptions causing us to miss those that are being trafficked.
Depersonalized: Pornography and Human Trafficking
The link between pornography and human trafficking is difficult to understand. The depersonalizing nature of pornography makes it seem like a victimless crime. It separates the individual who is being forced to make pornography from the viewer who believes that they are just watching consenting adults and “how would they know any different.” This blog explores the link between pornography and human trafficking.
Deconstructing “Sex Sells”
A sexualized society is one built upon structures of oppression, engendered violence, fetishism and capitalism. In this blog we examine the phrase sex sells and how it influences culture today and the anti-human trafficking movement.
Overcoming Obstacles to Stability and Safety
When individuals are marginalized, oppressed, and devalued, they are dehumanized, which makes it easier for traffickers to take advantage of this vulnerability. One of the greatest obstacles we can overcome to help provide safety and stability to survivors is to see them as human again. By restoring dignity and choice, empowering through legal and social services, housing, and access to basic needs, we will be helping survivors move away from living lives controlled by exploitative situations. The obstacles above are huge societal issues that will take work and time, but we all can start by practicing kindness, and doing our part in addressing our personal biases. Small steps always lead to big outcomes, so let’s keep moving forward!
The “Big Three”
When it comes to talking about the lack of stability and safety, we cannot escape a discussion about how some individuals are more vulnerable to trafficking than others due to three big systems of oppression, violence and marginalization. This is directly linked to racism, gender-based discrimination and violence, and sexual orientation. For each of these areas there is inequity, where there is a lack or even a denial of access to necessary resources such as safe housing, making a living wage, educational training, childcare that is safe and affordable, and being able to receive protection from the legal system, Each of these factors makes these populations more at risk than others to poverty, economic inequality, and more at risk for homelessness and as a result more vulnerable to being exploited through labor or sex trafficking.
3 Ways Human Traffickers Lure Economically Vulnerable and Homeless Individuals
A human trafficker takes advantage of systems of oppression and inequity that are already at work in our world making certain populations vulnerable. For individuals in poverty or facing homelessness promises of economic stability and shelter are lures that human traffickers use to exploit their vulnerabilities and take advantage of their basic needs.
3 Ways to Create Safe Spaces for Survivors to Grow Relationally
Supported by psychological research, we are beings of attachment that are both harmed and healed in relationships. For survivors of trafficking and exploitation, learning how to trust and grow relationally again after so deep a betrayal is one that takes great risk, repeated exposure to safe relationships, and time. This requires allies to know how to create safe relational spaces by doing their own personal work to deal with their own relational hurts and trauma. This is so they don’t foster unhealthy relational dynamics for survivors, especially as staff working with direct service providers.
5 Ways Traffickers Build False Safety Through Trauma Bonding
Individuals who exploit others exploit our innate need for connection and twist relational bonds to coerce and manipulate individuals making them feel loyalty and connection with their abuser. They make false promises of love, shelter, family, security and belonging that turns out to be a false front for a usury relationship between the trafficker and the individual being exploited.
A Vignette of Vulnerability
This blog covers how abuse becomes a normalized way of living. When it is all, you have known, you don’t see how it is exploitive or harmful. Love has been redefined. Exploitation is an abuse of trust, and individuals taking advantage of vulnerabilities caused by childhood adverse experiences. People who are exploited are not different from the rest of us. Any one of us could be lured into an abusive and controlling relationship because we are built to want safety, love, and our needs met.