“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’ Regional Sex Trafficking Victims and Profits [2015] Kara, Siddharth [2017]. Sex Trafficking. 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, 2004] “…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.” Your Logo or Name Here “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… • Human slave trade is vastly larger and more expansive than the transatlantic slave trade from centuries ago… •Belles, Nita [2015]. In Our Backyard: Human Trafficking in America, 24-25. Trafficking Victims Protection Act [TVPA], 2004 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] Your Logo or Name Here 7 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, 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… • By key players: mafia and organized networks, MARGIE'S TRAVEL traffickers and pimps, ‘macks’, bottom girls, hustlers, facilitators, and tricks… • Via means of local advertisements, false-front M businesses, and the Internet. 8 International Sex Trafficking Sex Trafficking in the US • Highly organized and comprised of multiple layers and • Only 5% of the global sex trafficking market… players generally associated with large criminal networks [i.e., mafia]… • Why? Stiffer laws that are enforced by savvy, highly trained, non-corrupt law enforcement! • Extreme forms of coercion, threat, brutally, and torture are employed to ‘break and deter escape’ of victims… • Smaller networks that are more ‘localized’ and/or ‘individualized’ [i.e., 2-20+ persons]… • Movement of women and children from impoverished villages in poor countries across porous borders with • The use of fraud and coercion are the preferred the assistance of corrupt local law enforcement and lax forms of solicitation… trafficking laws… • Emotional bonding, fear and humiliation, guilt, • To ‘wealthier more populated’ destinations where they desensitization, normalization, and physical threats are auctioned, delivered upon order, rented or sold… are used to create ‘acceptance’ of sex industry MARGIE'S TRAVEL lifestyle… • To brothels, clubs, and fronted businesses that tend to ‘house’ larger numbers of victims [i.e., 20-60+]… • Numerous local and national hotlines, social services, and resources are available to rescued • Escape is rare due to: family obligations, language victims… barriers, corrupt policing, bribes, cultural norms regarding violence towards women and children, lack of “The ‘United States’ makes it difficult to traffick M local services, and death… victims into, across, or out of this country!” “Trafficking [i.e., in the US] more commonly involves survival sex of minors and ‘boyfriend’ pimps.” [Nichols, 83] RISK FACTORS: • Disconnected, vagrant, youth… • Kids hungry for attention and material items… • Emotional, physical, and mental vulnerabilities… Characteristics of ‘Ideal Victim’ • Uneducated and weak… • Dysfunctional, broken families… Kara, Siddarth [2017]. Sex Trafficking. • LGBTQ+ youth… Nichols, Andrea [2016]. Sex Trafficking in the United States. • Drug and alcohol dependencies… Royal, Mickey [2018]. The Pimp Game: Instructional Guide “Bored, lonely and the desire to be wanted, loved, and rewarded withYour Logo nice or Name things!” Here “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 • Large events: professional sports, concerts, Belles, Nita [2015]. In Our Backyard. fairs… Dines, Gail [2010]. Pornland. • The Internet: Facebook, Craigslist, Bedpage, OLX, Fijijij, Oodle, Geebo, Classified Ads Kara, Siddarth [2017]. Sex Trafficking. • The streets! Nichols, Andrea [2016]. Sex Trafficking in the United Your Logo or Name Here States. 11 A Trafficker’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 [M. Royal, 2018, 68-69] M 12 A Bottom Girl’s Perspective… 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 has so absorbed her soul that he has an almost telepathic connection with her!” M Royal, 2018;44-46. Know The Game! “Characteristics of Traffickers” …Profiling a trafficker can be challenging! Knocking? “Breaking a Victim” …One can also think of this as ‘grooming your prey’ 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’ Intimate Partner Trafficker! AKA: Boyfriend or ‘Chili Pepper Pimp’ • Victim Type • Key Locations • “Breaking the Victim” • Escaping? Trafficked Trafficker! AKA: ‘Bottom Girl’ Pimp https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5_p_k1Mu5Q [Convicted Sex Trafficker in Scottsdale, March 2018] • Victim Type • Key Locations • “Breaking the Victim” • Escaping? 17 Strong‐Arm Trafficker… AKA: Gorilla Pimp! • Victim Type • “Breaking the Victim” • Key Locations • Escaping? Familial Trafficker! AKA: Parent Pimp https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNq2WS‐QFcc