You recognize there’s a misinformation downside interfering with fact-based anti-sex trafficking efforts when established, respected anti-trafficking organizations begin publishing articles debunking myths and rumors about trafficking.
Now we have joined these organizations as we’ve continued our efforts to share correct details about the day by day realities of intercourse trafficking within the USA and counsel long-term options.
But, false theories proceed to flow into on-line. Whereas a few of these warnings are well-intentioned, they do extra hurt than good.
Within the final couple of years, the Nationwide Human Trafficking Hotline operated by the Polaris Challenge, one of many largest anti-trafficking organizations on the planet, was inundated with a whole lot of calls reporting discredited intercourse trafficking theories. As a substitute of serving to, these calls took time and sources away from real victims in want.
This is only one tangible instance of how actual victims aren’t getting the assistance they want from human trafficking organizations resulting from viral theories. The extra viral misinformation there’s about trafficking, the extra vitality is wasted. This vitality ought to be directed towards serving to actual victims, not dispelling myths. Actual victims’ voices aren’t being heard resulting from conspiracy theories, so we’re doing our half right here to advocate for them.
We wish to be clear in saying that we perceive why individuals purchase into theories that usually embody the “Hollywood” model of intercourse trafficking, as seen within the film “Taken.” There are grains of fact in these theories as a result of the fact is that intercourse trafficking can occur to anybody in any nation of any gender, age, nationality, or another diversifying issue. Trafficking can contain a stranger, somebody the sufferer is aware of nicely, and even simply an acquaintance.
All of these items thought of, anti-trafficking specialists preserve that many human traffickers function with established patterns and behaviors. We err on the aspect of this established truth and analysis whereas additionally contemplating every concept we encounter and valuing professional suggestions on these theories.
As a company, we don’t deal with myths or conspiracies. We share information about pornography’s dangerous results. We additionally spotlight its connection to the underground trafficking business. Please confer with our weblog to see the a whole lot of articles now we have about actual intercourse trafficking stats and reviews, in addition to tales from survivors.
Established anti-exploitation organizations take a stand
Together with the Polaris Challenge, the Nationwide Middle on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) strongly expressed concern about intercourse trafficking theories as a distraction to the actual work needing to be achieved:
“We can not merely ignore ill-informed takes on intercourse trafficking as a result of the huge and pervasive unconscious acceptance of the narratives they create makes it tougher to unfold the reality and implement efficient change and reform.”
Anti-child abuse and exploitation group Thorn additionally got down to dispel theories and myths that serve to misinform individuals about how baby intercourse trafficking works moderately than assist remedy the difficulty at massive.
Now, it’s our flip. To fight this difficulty, we should begin with consciousness of the proper data. Most of us aren’t answerable for beginning false trafficking theories. Nevertheless, sharing or retweeting them is one other matter. Even when shared with good intentions, it could actually nonetheless be dangerous. Although it may be simple to impulsively share a narrative after solely studying the headline or with out making an attempt to confirm the data, we wish to emphasize the significance of checking information earlier than sharing data on points as severe as these.
If one thing sounds too “far-fetched” to be true, it could be. In fact, it’s necessary to do not forget that something can occur. Whereas remoted incidents might happen, anti-trafficking specialists affirm that traffickers don’t usually function as these theories counsel.
The necessary factor is to remain knowledgeable, keep conscious of your environment, and report something you personally see that’s suspicious.
So, let’s speak about what’s true and factual and what’s not.
Debunked myths, rumors, and conspiracy theories in response to specialists
Intercourse trafficking is a sophisticated subject. There isn’t any single state of affairs that describes how a sufferer results in a intercourse trafficking state of affairs, however there are confirmed patterns.
But lots of the unfounded theories incorrectly depend on the parable that the majority or all victims are kidnapped when, in reality, most victims know and belief their trafficker earlier than the trafficking takes place.
To boost consciousness, now we have compiled an inventory of debunked intercourse trafficking rumors. Observe that whereas a few of these might have spiritual or political contexts, Struggle the New Drug is a non-religious and non-legislative nonprofit group.
Additionally be aware that, once more, whereas remoted incidents of a few of these misinformed theories might have occurred, anti-trafficking specialists preserve that traffickers don’t usually function en masse within the methods these theories describe.
Many of those theories are unsubstantiated, however it’s necessary to fact-check with established anti-trafficking organizations earlier than spreading any unsubstantiated data.
1. Pizzagate and a political cabal
Although there have been eventualities the place celebrities and high-profile people have been accused of intercourse trafficking with credible proof, Pizzagate just isn’t a kind of.
Pizzagate dates again to 2016 when 4Chan customers speculated {that a} pizza restaurant in Washington D.C. was getting used because the headquarters of a kid intercourse trafficking ring led by elites within the Democratic celebration.
This can be a usually false conspiracy concept that immediately resulted in a minimum of one occasion of violence. A 28-year-old North Carolina man drove to the restaurant to conduct his personal investigation whereas armed. He was arrested and sentenced to 4 years in jail.
On-line theorists have used quick meals names on multiple event to unfold rumors about intercourse trafficking that sound probably true however aren’t.
Past Pizzagate, there’s a perpetual rumor that traffickers converse in code, referring to boys as “scorching canines” and ladies as “pizza.” Even t-shirts with slogans like “In Pizza We Belief” or “Need a Pizza Me” are incorrectly believed to sign baby intercourse trafficking. To study extra about why this concept just isn’t backed by information and information, click on right here.
2. Children in cupboards and high-priced gadgets
In July 2020, a Reddit put up went viral. A consumer found utility cupboards on the web furnishings retailer Wayfair, priced above $10,000 and reportedly named the identical as lacking youngsters.
Customers on-line made an incorrect bounce in logic and assumed the costly cupboards have been an indication of kid intercourse trafficking and that when bought, the client would obtain a toddler for exploitation. Related accusations unfold to different retail websites like Amazon or Etsy, the place customers may dig up high-priced gadgets and say it was an indication of intercourse trafficking.
This concept has been completely debunked, with a number of nationwide anti-trafficking organizations saying this isn’t how intercourse trafficking truly occurs. What’s extra, no survivors have come ahead to corroborate these claims. There aren’t even recognized remoted incidents reported of this taking place.
3. Masks-wearing will increase trafficking
Because the COVID-19 pandemic unfold the world over, rumors additionally unfold that face masks are dangerous for intercourse trafficking victims. The idea goes {that a} face masks makes it troublesome to see if a toddler is in misery, however this ignores the truth that many trafficking victims are psychologically manipulated or groomed and should not categorical misery within the first place.
Those that consider this rumor have used Elizabeth Sensible’s story for instance, saying she wore a masks that prevented her from being found sooner.
In actuality, Sensible was disguised by her captors in a gown, wig, sun shades, and veil, not a medical or fabric masks. To ease issues, specialists proceed to emphasise that sporting a face masks to forestall the unfold of COVID-19 is not a menace to intercourse trafficking victims.
4. Textual content messages about unclaimed packages
A “smishing” (SMS phishing) rip-off sparked a rumor that textual content messages with hyperlinks to unclaimed packages are a part of a intercourse trafficking scheme.
The worry was that clicking the hyperlink within the textual content would allow intercourse traffickers to trace an individual’s whereabouts. Whereas these messages do look like scams, this occasion of smishing is not a intercourse trafficking scheme.
5. Kids’s swimwear web sites
One other false rumor suspects web sites that promote youngsters’s swimwear as fronts for intercourse trafficking operations. This one is hard as a result of it’s true that some people concerned in baby pornography accumulate, produce, and distribute photos of youngsters in swimwear. These photos don’t meet the authorized definition of kid pornography however are sexualized inside that group.
We wish to be clear: sexually exploiting youngsters is rarely acceptable. With regard to this rumor particularly, it’s necessary to know that almost all of on-line retail websites promoting youngsters’s swimwear are real and aren’t reportedly linked to baby abuse.
6. “800,000 lacking youngsters a yr” stat
There aren’t any extensively agreed-upon figures for baby intercourse trafficking victims annually, however a misinterpreted statistic persists.
You might have seen the declare on social media that 800,000 youngsters go lacking yearly within the US, adopted by a proportion of those that are intercourse trafficked. That is an previous quantity and, because the Polaris Challenge put it, “nearly meaningless” as a result of it contains repeat reviews and kids who return dwelling or are shortly discovered, many unhurt.
Any variety of lacking youngsters is devastating, and when there’s extra correct data out there, we ought to be conscious. Let’s attempt these information as a substitute. The FBI reported 421,394 entries for lacking youngsters in 2019. The Nationwide Middle for Lacking and Exploited Kids (NCMEC) discovered that 91% of instances reported to them concerned endangered runaways in the identical yr. Of these, 1 in 6 have been doubtless victims of intercourse trafficking.
7. White passenger vans
In a TV interview, Baltimore Mayor Jack Younger warned residents about an individual in a white van abducting ladies for human trafficking. When pressed the place he obtained this data, he mentioned it was “throughout Fb.” The Baltimore police mentioned that they have been conscious of the social media posts however had not obtained any reviews of precise incidents.
Mayor Younger was neither the primary nor final to consider this false menace that white passenger vans are indicators of trafficking. Traffickers drive every kind of automobiles, and there’s no proof they favor white vans.
8. Zip ties and marked vehicles
One other warning about intercourse trafficking concerned zip ties and tagging automobiles. One concept was that traffickers have been putting zip ties on automobile door handles to trick ladies into trying down or of their purses for one thing to chop the tie with, and as soon as they have been distracted, a trafficker would abduct them. This will likely occur in remoted incidents. Nevertheless, the proof doesn’t counsel it’s a frequent technique traffickers use to abduct victims.
Equally, one other warning claimed baby traffickers have been scribbling codes onto vehicles to determine potential victims. This tagging method, just like the zip tie, doesn’t occur generally.
Natalie Ivey of the Group Coalition In opposition to Human Trafficking in Tennessee mentioned that these plots require extra work for the traffickers and dramatically improve their danger of getting caught—one thing they wish to keep away from.
9. Deserted automobile seats
In October 2021, Paige Marie Parker, a TikToker with 122,000 followers, posted a video. She alleged that traffickers use deserted automobile seats to lure and kidnap unsuspecting victims. The video was seen over 12.2 million instances on the primary day it was posted.
The idea got here from a put up Parker noticed on social media. It was not from trafficking specialists or survivors. The put up featured a photograph of an deserted automobile seat in a Walmart car parking zone in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. The put up included allegations that it was a entice.
In keeping with a put up by the Wilkesboro Police Division, two Walmart clients had left their previous automobile seat within the car parking zone after shopping for and putting in a brand new one.
“At no time was this incident deemed to be concerned in any prison exercise,” the put up, which has solely 255 shares versus Parker’s video, which has greater than 264,000 shares, concludes.
Megan Cutter, director of the Nationwide Human Trafficking Hotline—operated by Polaris—says traffickers putting automobile seats to lure victims “isn’t a sample we’re conscious of or have heard from survivors.”
Rolling Stone reviews that Cutter says the hotline has obtained “fairly a number of” ideas primarily based on Parker’s TikTok from simply throughout the first 24 hours.
“Persons are calling and repeating the identical data from TikTok as a result of that’s what the put up requested they do,” she mentioned. “It may be difficult as a result of we’re persevering with to spend time and sources responding to that, moderately than to survivors.” calling to get assist.”
You’ll be able to combat misinformation
Many of those theories are unsubstantiated, however it’s necessary to fact-check with established anti-trafficking organizations earlier than spreading any unsubstantiated data.
A standard retort we’ve seen when sharing fact-checking on myths and conspiracies is that nobody believed billionaire Jeffrey Epstein was trafficking dozens of underage ladies, and but it was true. “How will you know that these theories aren’t true when the theories that sounded inconceivable about Epstein have been true?” many have mentioned in response to fact-checking. However it is a false equivalence.
Any of those theories, and plenty of extra we didn’t share right here, can’t be pretty in comparison with Epstein’s trafficking ring. For one, the reported trafficking of dozens and dozens of younger ladies allegedly achieved by Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein left a path of police reviews, survivor testimonies, and eyewitness accounts. In distinction, none of those theories above have any survivor-backing, nor paper trails of police reviews, and many others. See the distinction?
So, what do you do in case you are “doomscrolling” and are available throughout a declare about intercourse trafficking? Possibly it’s a warning or accusation a couple of particular occasion of intercourse trafficking. What’s your subsequent transfer?
A few teachers provided some recommendation. They have been researching social media propaganda about COVID-19, however their strategies under on how every of us can fight misinformation are relevant to intercourse trafficking myths.
- Be crucial when scrolling social media.
- When unsure, confirm the data.
- Don’t go away false data in your on-line networks. You’ll be able to politely ask the one who shared it to take away it.
- Report false data to the internet hosting platform.
- Make extra noise than the individuals sharing false data.
Intercourse trafficking itself just isn’t a fantasy, however there are myths about intercourse trafficking. Begin with factual data if you wish to assist rescue victims and advocate for survivors. Info that anti-trafficking specialists and survivor-led organizations help. They’ll level us in the correct course and maintain the combat factual.
The underside line: It’s necessary to remain conscious of your environment, and must you wish to report or search companies associated to a case of human trafficking, you possibly can contact the Nationwide Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or e mail [email protected].
To learn the way intercourse trafficking and pornography are linked, click on right here.
