Sex Trafficking Presentation

2018/07/20

“Think Like A Trafficker” Brooke A. Ayars, PhD Sociology Arizona Western College & Northern Arizona University https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSgTmcq-bBk [Nightline, 2015]

…About Dr. Ayars… ◊PhD - Sociology [Oklahoma State University, 2005] ◊MA - Psychology [University of Houston, 1997] ◊BS – Applied Behavioral Sciences [Ohio State University, 1994]

◊Domestic Violence Pretrial Investigator / Court Casemanager, Chesterfiled County, VA [1999-2000] ◊Juvenile Mental Health Court Casemanager, Springfield, OH [2000-02] ◊Primary Treatment Therapist at American Legion Childrens’ Home, Ponca City, OK [2005-06] ◊Executive Director of Family Promise [Displaced Families], White County, GA [2013]

◊Lived and worked in Kingdom of Bahrain, Middle East for four years… ◊Studied in Cuernavaca, Mexico; San Jose, Costa Rica; Buenos Aires, Argentina ◊Current Research: Investigating ‘Social Dynamics of Strip Clubs’ along Mexican-American border in search of possible ‘sex slaves’

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Regional Sex Trafficking Victims and Profits [2015] Kara, Siddharth [2017]. Sex Trafficking, Table 0.1, xii.

“10 Countries Most Afflicted by Modern Slavery” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2FSPdgEguk [August, 2017]

REGION VICTIMS PROFITS [billions] •South Asia 415,000 $5.7 •East Asia/Pacific 385,000 $6.2 •West Europe 170,000 $14.7 •Central/East 145,000 $6.3 Europe •Latin America 140,000 $4.1 •Africa 140,000 $1.9 •Middle East 105,000 $7.0 •North America 90,000 $6.2 TOTAL: 1,590,000 $52.1

Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons: “Palermo Protocol” [United Nations, 2000]

“…the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs.” Link: https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=IND&mtdsg_no=XVIII-12- a&chapter=18&lang=en Your Logo or Name Here

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“A National Crisis?” •National Center for Missing and Exploited Children •FBI Deputy Assistant Director Chip Burrus, Innocence Lost Project

…A growing concern in the United States because  • Human trafficking is second largest global criminal enterprise… • On average, 16,000 people are trafficked into the United States via air, border crossings, and/or smuggled to key cities such as: Portland, Las Vegas, San Diego, Phoenix, Atlanta, New Jersey… • Estimated 199,000 American youth are sexually exploited each year [Clawson, et al (2009). “Human Trafficking Into and Within the United States”; literature review]… • Nationally, 450,000 children run away from home each year while 1 in every 3 of these street kids will be lured by traffickers within 48 hours of leaving home [Connecticut Department of Children and Services, n.d.]… • Average age of entry into sex trafficking is 12-14 for girls and 11-13 for boys [i.e., estimates for minors] while roughly 76% of victims are female followed by males then transgendered youth… • The average pimp makes roughly $200,000 per year on one victim; victims are trafficked on average for seven years…

•Belles, Nita [2015]. In Our Backyard: Human Trafficking in America, 24-25.

Trafficking Victims Protection Act [TVPA], 2000

a] A commercial sex act induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such act has not attained 18 years of age; or [Section 8a]

b] …the recruitment, harbouring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery [Section 8b] • ttps://polarisproject.org/current-federal-laws • https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/898Your Logo or Name Here

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International Sex Trafficking Sex Trafficking in the US

• Highly organized and comprised of • Only 5% of the global sex trafficking multiple layers and players generally market… associated with large criminal networks [i.e., mafia]… • Why? Stricter laws that are enforced by • Extreme forms of coercion, threat, brutally, non-corrupt law enforcement and and torture are employed to ‘break and prosecuted by progressive courts…. deter escape’ of victims… ‘physical control!’ • Smaller networks that are more ‘localized’ and/or ‘individualized’ [i.e., 2- • Movement of women and children from 20+ persons]… impoverished villages in poor countries across porous borders with the assistance • The use of fraud and coercion are the of corrupt local law enforcement and lax preferred forms of solicitation… trafficking laws… ‘psychological control!’ • To ‘wealthier more populated’ destinations where they are auctioned, delivered upon • Emotional bonding, fear and humiliation, request, rented or sold… guilt, desensitization, normalization, and physical threats are used to create • To brothels, clubs, and fronted businesses ‘acceptance’ of sex industry lifestyle… MARGIE'S TRAVEL MARGIE'S that tend to ‘house’ large numbers of victims [i.e., 20-60+]… • Numerous local and national hotlines, • Escape is rare due to: family obligations, social services, and resources are language barriers, corrupt policing, bribes, available to rescued victims… cultural norms regarding violence towards women and children, lack of local “The ‘United States’ makes it difficult to services, cannot buy way out, and death… traffick victims into, across, or out of this M country!”

8 Anatomy of Sex Trafficking… • Kara, 2017; 5-15. •Royal, M. [2018]. The Pimp Guide.

• Use of fraud, seduction, coercion, force, abduction, or sale of women and children…

• Within national or across international borders by agents, recruiters, traffickers, and transporters from areas of high poverty, limited education, diminished employment opportunities, corrupt law, and poor social institutions…

• To locations and venues primed for the sex industry: strip clubs, truck stops, massage parlors, apartments, hotels, private parties, and the streets where they must work to buy their way out…

• By key players: mafia and organized networks, gangs, MARGIE'S TRAVEL MARGIE'S traffickers and pimps, bottom girls, macks and hustlers, facilitators, and tricks…

• Via means of local advertisements, false-front businesses, M and the Internet.

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“Trafficking [i.e., in the US] more commonly involves survival sex of minors and ‘boyfriend’ pimps.” [Nichols, 83] RISK FACTORS: • ‘Runaways’ and foster care kids! • Kids hungry for ‘special’ attention and material items! • Victims of physical and sexual abuse during childhood… • Dysfunctional, broken families resulting in Characteristics of ‘Ideal Victim’ normalization of ‘worthlessness’… • Low self-esteem impacted by learned Kara, Siddarth [2017]. Sex Trafficking. helplessness and displayed as ‘dependent’ personality… Nichols, Andrea [2016]. Sex Trafficking in the United States. • LGBTQ+ youth… Royal, Mickey [2018]. The Pimp Game: Instructional Guide • Drug and alcohol dependencies… Your Logo or Name Here • Undocumented status…

“If you wish to catch or trap prey, you must put yourself in its place and think like it would think!” [Royal, 2018, 85] Be Alert! • Schools / College Campuses • Local public places where vagrant youth might loiter: parks, motels, convenient stores, bus stops/stations, airports, business fronts, abandoned buildings and Locations to find ‘Ideal Victim’ homes Belles, Nita [2015]. In Our Backyard. • Large events: professional sports, concerts, fairs, bars & clubs… Dines, Gail [2010]. Pornland. • The Internet: Local Classified Ads Kara, Siddarth [2017]. Sex Trafficking. • The streets! Nichols, Andrea [2016]. Sex Trafficking in the United Your Logo or Name Here States.

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11 A Pimp’s Perspective…

“A prime target is driven by her insecurities. A prime target is ‘lost.’ For example, her self-hate is the leash around her neck. Her insecurities are handcuffs. You find out what her insecurities are and use them against her. Next, find out what brings her pleasure, then use this knowledge to keep her weak, humble, loyal, and working! When determining proper bait to execute this, you must show them 30% of something familiar, 50% of something they want, and 20% of the ‘unknown.’ And finally, you don’t do anything for her without receiving sex. You have to get it into her head subconsciously that money and favors come from sex!” MARGIE'S TRAVEL MARGIE'S

[M. Royal, 2018, 68-69] M “The Pimp Game”

The ‘Bottom Girl’s’ Contribution… The bottom girl is the most loyal and important of all the girls in the stable… she is the trafficker’s business partner, recruiter, and stabilizer! “Once you knock your bottom girl, she will go out and recruit ho’s for her pimp. He has absolute power over his bottom woman and MARGIE'S TRAVEL MARGIE'S has so absorbed her soul that he has an almost telepathic connection with her!” M Royal, 2018; 44-46.

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Know The Game! “Characteristics of Traffickers”

“Traffickers and pimps are not born, but made!” • Violent childhood living in marginalized neighborhoods… • Socialized to criminal lifestyle and ‘groomed’ to be trafficker… • Victims of physical and sexual abuse including neglect… • Display of hedonistic, narcissitic, and anti‐social personality qualities… • Keen ability to ‘interpret’ other’s pain and suffering due to their own pain and suffering… • Thus, charm and charisma—followed by violent threats—are used to deceive, manipulate, and control!

Knocking? “Breaking a Victim”

“Victims are not born, but made!” • Many victims are already relatively ‘broken’ before discovered by the trafficker due to violent, traumatic, neglectful upbringing! • Psychological breaking creates victim’s remorse resulting in the victim accepting and often embracing his/her role while protecting the perpetrator whom one is now dependent for everything! • Physical breaking creates fear and establishes high degree of control! • The use of humiliation is extremely effective reminding the victim of his/her place!

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Stockholm Syndrome? “Trauma Bonding…”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_kXuQHZmWs [Barbara Amaya, 2015] “It’s not difficult to take and break a person who lives and works on the streets because he/she is always needing and wanting something: money, food, shelter, drugs… security, love and respect!” “A ‘ho’ is a captive…she is held captive by her life, kids, insecurities, traumas, addictions, etc. She hates everything in her life. And, it’s the things in our lives that make us who and what we are. So, the ‘ho’ subconsciously hates herself. She is in constant pain—whether she admits it or not! That’s why so many ‘hos’ are alcoholics, meth addicts, and weed heads. These chemicals provide temporary relief to nonstop emotional pain. A small solution to a BIG PROBLEM!” [Royal, 2018, 63]. “Feed them the poison, then sell them the cure!” [Quote from Pimp, July 2018] “None of us set out to become victims… we were seeking something else —escape from pain perhaps, or something to make up for our losses and brokenness—or maybe, we had a subconscious desire for self‐destruction” [Victim, July 2018]. “The psychological mystery of falling in love with your abuser… Stockholm Syndrome!”

Types of Traffickers in the US!

• Intimate Partner Trafficker… ‘Boyfriend / Chili Pepper Pimp’ • Trafficked Trafficker… ‘Bottom Girl Pimp’ • Strong‐Arm Trafficker… ‘Gorilla Pimp’ • Familial Trafficker… ‘Parent Pimp’ • Pornographic Trafficker… ‘Online Pimp’

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Intimate Partner Trafficker! AKA: Boyfriend or ‘Chili Pepper Pimp’ “You take away everything she has then give her what she needs. You, the pimp, are the cause as well as the solutions to all her problems. You give her the poison, then sell her the cure. Once she has chosen you to deliver her dreams, then you are in control!” • Victim Type  Distressed home life hungry for ‘something better’ and ‘nice things’ suffering from low self‐esteem and boredom with few established goals

• Key Locations  Schools, ‘friend‐of‐a‐friend,’ parties, hangouts, bars, the streets…

• “Breaking the Victim”  1] Outshine everything in her world while buying her nice things, 2] Turn her against those she cares about, 3] Kill her spirit by humiliation, 4] Separate her from society and create a new, normalized world enveloped in ‘sex and servitude’ while reinforcing her the bare minimum!

• Rescue / Escape? Family and friends’ efforts to track down victim and intervene! ‘De‐ socialize then re‐socialize through cognitive restructuring and CBT!’

Intimate Partner Trafficker! AKA: Boyfriend or ‘Chili Pepper Pimp’ Humiliation is one of the fastest ways to break her….! “I had a ‘ho’ over at a partner’s house. He and I played dominoes while she was made to strip nude. People came and went. While standing nude, visitors poked, prodded, verbally insulted, and even physically assaulted her. I could feel her pain; so, I made it stop. See, I created the pain…then, I made it stop! In that moment, I became her protector and not her punisher! It’s a mind game they are all too willing to play!” [M. Royal, 2018, 61‐65]

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5_p_k1Mu5Q Trafficked Trafficker! [Convicted Sex Trafficker in Scottsdale, March 2018] AKA: ‘Bottom Girl’ Pimp “The bottom girl is extremely valuable in an operation Smallvilles’s Allison Mack granted $5M Bond in Sex Trafficking Case; 2018 trafficking multiple women and children or in debt bonded businesses because she teaches the necessary skills for the trade, recruits, overseas daily operations, establishes ‘contacts,’ meets the needs of the girls in the stable, protects the key trafficker…and, she is encouraged to be as ruthless as the trafficker!”

• Victim Type  Other ‘persons’ who the bottom girl befriends or is forced to ‘break’ [i.e., bonded laborers] • Key Locations  School, hangouts/parties, fronted businesses involving debt laborers, the streets… • “Breaking the Victim”  1] Persuasion, 2] Sell‐the‐ lifestyle, 3] Moral support, encouragement, and guidance, 4] Friendship and ‘sisterhood,’ 5] Physical harm and neglect… • Rescue / Escape? …the bottom girl trusts the victim and becomes ‘lax’ in supervision OR ‘jealousy’ regarding 19 bottom girl’s status in stable!

Strong‐Arm Trafficker… AKA: Gorilla Pimp! • Victim Type  Non‐intimate relations or • “Breaking the Victim”  Excessive sexual ‘strangers’ whom you grab easily with violation, gang rape, physical abuse, forms of minimal detection…use of kidnapping and torture, neglect, and drugs! captivity… these victims rarely see the light of day! • Rescue / Escape?  Law enforcement ‘sting • Key Locations  Places with limited security operations’ and tips from community members and surveillance… or businesses…

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Familial Trafficker! AKA: Parent Pimp https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNq2WS‐QFcc [TEDTalk: Sex Trafficking in the US, Yolanda Schlabach, October 2016]

• Victim Type: Children within a household fueled by chemical dependency, poverty, pornography, violence...and transient!

• Key Locations: Within family dwellings…

• “Breaking the Victim”  GROOMING followed by abuse in all forms then the normalization of the lifestyle… it is realistic to assume that child victims will become adult perpetrators!

• Rescue / Escape? Tips from observant neighbors, teachers and school officials, 21 friends of the victims….

Pornographic Trafficker! “Pseudo‐child pornography is the ‘gateway drug’ to purchasing AKA: ‘Online Pimp’ children for sex!” Andrew Sustaita, Jr. , Houston, TX [June, 2018] • Victim Type  YOUNG men and women interested in modeling, acting, or even pornography thirsty for fame and fortune…or, possibly ‘blackmailed’ due to inappropriate activities he/she was persuaded to take part in…

• Key Locations  Online sites… Google: ‘local escort services, adult fantasy, teen porn’…viewer has full access to ‘gonzo porn’ which includes pseudo‐child pornography [i.e., PCP] and incest porn…

• “Breaking the Victim”  1] Coercion and manipulation, 2] Violence, 3] Blackmail…

• Rescue / Escape?  Victims age out, become recruiters for the industry, or located by concerned friends/family via private investigations…

22 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUmfsvegMRo [Ashton Kutcher Speaks on Human Trafficking to Congress: ABC News, 2017]

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Pornographic Trafficker! AKA: ‘Online Pimp’ • Gonzo Pornography  ‘Wall‐to‐wall’ pornography characterized by sex scene after sex scene with no attempt at a story line; promotes physical and verbal aggression, shaming, and humiliation… • Pseudo‐child Pornography [i.e., PCP] …characterized by ‘childified’ adult performers found in the subgenre of ‘teen sex’ or ‘teen porn’ • Incest Pornography  Sites that sexualize and legitimize incest and bestiality… • Child Pornography  Child performers found on Deep Web!

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/13/the‐dark‐ 23 • Dark & Deep Web  web‐and‐how‐to‐access‐it.html

What Now? Problems with Prosecuting Traffickers… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBleknJXVvM [San Diego Investigation, 2016] • Catching the trafficker…most trafficking has moved behind closed doors and online! • The general public is more sensitive to ‘victim signs’…but not to profiling traffickers! • Determining ‘runaway status’ from ‘trafficked status’… •Interpreting ‘voluntary sex service’ from ‘fraud, coercion, or forced servitude’… • Complexity of trafficking laws… • Unintentional mistakes made at time of arrest that favor the trafficker and network … • Viewing the prostitute as ‘immoral and corrupt’ rather than a victim of trafficking! • Victims’ failure to press charges and testify against perpetrator!

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Victim Remorse… …As a result of being ‘knocked and broken,’ victims learn to protect their perpetrator, fear law enforcement, and avoid the criminal justice process. The victim is convinced through psychological manipulation that he/she is ‘choosing to sell their body.’ Therefore, powerful feelings of guilt, shame, and personal responsibility are bound with the assumption, “I caused this to happen to me.” It is a perpetual cycle of victimization the victim fails to recognize. If they are to escape, many victims have no where to go but back on the streets. Some refuse shelters due to the stigma. Others suffer from chemical dependency. Yet others, must protect family and friends from danger and death. I CAN’T!

“Indicators of Human Trafficking? The Polaris Project, “Recognizing the Signs”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrxhptvEOTs [TEDTalk, Kanani Titchen, 2017] • Fearful, anxious, or paranoid while avoiding eye contact…particularly nervous around law enforcement…and a sense of unfamiliarity between ‘individual’ and ‘guardian’… • Not allowed to speak, refuses to speak, or cannot speak English while appearing ‘disoriented’ regarding time and location… • Unfamiliar with whereabouts, has few personal belongings, does not possess own identification, has no money, and possibly ‘branded’… • Highly controlled and ‘watched,’ cannot come‐and‐go at will, works excessively long hours at odd times, and always appears ‘exhausted’ with strained appearance… • High security measures at work or living location with boarded windows, bolted doors, and people coming‐and‐ going at strange hours… • When questioned about ‘personal history,’ the story is vague and inconsistent…

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Truckers Against Trafficking! http://truckersagainsttrafficking.org/ “Truckers are now one of the most motivated and well- organized industry groups working this issue, and their reports have led to countless arrests and recoveries of victims across the country”

[Nicole Miller, Director of the National Human Trafficking Resource Center]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDj4SQmBOBw [Human Trafficking in Travel & Tourism, May 2018] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yMLyj8PW8Q [Colorado Sex Trafficking Sting Operation, 2017] Contoso Ltd.

Individual / Local Solutions? Systemic Solutions?

• Educate and Advocate… • Increase the price of commercial • Get involved with local causes sex acts while continuing to devoted to fighting trafficking criminalize it… and sexual exploitation… “When the retail price of a commercial • Is your place of employment a sex act doubles, demand drops by possible key location for 76%...thus, demand-side interventions soliciting victims or trafficking? If have the most potential in reducing so, can your human resource sex trafficking in the near-term” office provide training on ‘signs [Kara, 2017, xiii] of trafficking?’ • Demand Abolition: Organization • Are your local businesses aware testing the theory that consumer- of possible trafficking: WalMart, deterrent policies coupled with Family Dollar, hotels & motels, elevated costs and risks to the convenient stores, casinos, fast

MARGIE'S TRAVEL MARGIE'S trafficker is our best chance to food restaurants? impact the sex trafficking • Get local school systems and industry… hospitals involved… “No Buyers = No Business” M • Stay informed… https://www.demandabolition.org/

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“See Something… …Say Something!”

•National Human Trafficking HOTLINE: 1‐888‐373‐7888 •Text “HELP” to BeFree [233733] • 1‐800‐The Lost

TREY research