Why #SavetheChildren isn’t Saving Anyone
Hello! It's me -- your friendly neighborhood anti-sex trafficking advocate! I see you posting photos and memes like this one. I'm so glad you have developed a new interest in addressing sexual exploitation!
But, please, let me caution you. This kind of discourse is actually harmful to the anti-trafficking movement.
Creating unnecessary sensationalism distributes misinformation and distracts from the real, though sometimes more mundane, reality of sex trafficking. Images depicting bondage, violence, and kidnapping are disempowering for survivors and advocates, as it ignores the reality of psychological manipulation so common in the sex trafficking experience. While the heart behind it is to raise awareness, the spread of misinformation ruins our credibility and makes it difficult for the public to identify and support victims of sex trafficking whose experiences are different from what is presented (which is the case for more victims).
This type of discourse is divisive and a red herring fallacy. Sex trafficking cannot be extracted from the vulnerabilities that lead to exploitation, like poverty, racism, and abuse. These vulnerabilities are amplified during a global pandemic, meaning more individuals are vulnerable to exploitation now than ever before in recent history. Addressing these vulnerabilities, like reducing the spread of a virus, IS caring for victims of sex trafficking and those who are at risk.
And to state that "no one cares" or "no one is doing anything" is just not factual. My wonderful colleagues and I have been working for years to improve our global response to sex trafficking. In Georgia, we now have the fourth best human trafficking laws in the nation and our models for survivor care are sought after internationally.
If you are interested in addressing sex trafficking, there are so many ways to get involved!
REACH OUT: I will be so happy to have a conversation with you!
EDUCATE YOURSELF: There are so many excellent resources that I'm happy to recommend to you to learn more about the issue.
VOLUNTEER: I spent over a decade developing creative ways for the everyday person to get involved in actively ending exploitation.
DONATE: Nonprofits haven't stopped serving survivors because of COVID-19. We need your support!
Sure, post on social media. I'm doing it right now! But don't stop there. Please, we need you!
