{"id":520,"date":"2018-04-03T20:27:30","date_gmt":"2018-04-03T20:27:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.couleedevserver.com\/exodus\/understanding-human-trafficking-with-empathy\/"},"modified":"2021-05-10T15:46:04","modified_gmt":"2021-05-10T15:46:04","slug":"understanding-human-trafficking-with-empathy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.couleedevserver.com\/exodus\/understanding-human-trafficking-with-empathy\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding Human Trafficking with Empathy"},"content":{"rendered":"[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_spacing=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]Read this sentence and see how it makes you feel: There are millions of victims of\u00a0human trafficking<\/a>\u00a0in the world right now.<\/p>\n

Anything?<\/p>\n

Try this one. Imagine a teenage girl you know. Think of her name. Maybe she’s your daughter, niece, or neighbor. Imagine that someone she trusted has tricked, manipulated, or forced her to sell sex to strangers. Her phone’s been taken away, she doesn’t know where she is, and she can’t get help. As she’s abused day after day, she feels like the world has forgotten about her.<\/p>\n

Would you look for her?<\/p>\n

the\u00a0disconnect<\/h2>\n

The problem with human trafficking is not that we don’t have enough information. The problem is that we don’t connect to it. We hear ‘human trafficking,’ and we don’t have emotional context for it. The most we might have are media portrayals of prostitution, which don’t equip us with empathy or compassion. We think injustices\u00a0that<\/em>\u00a0bad happen to people who are different\u00a0from us.<\/p>\n

Because we can’t connect, it makes it harder to understand the problem. It’s complex. We don’t know how it really works.<\/p>\n

What if understanding the problem is as simple\u2014and as difficult\u2014as acknowledging the humanity of every single person who is literally sold like a product and abused? What if we could stop for a minute and just sit in the realities of these people with names, faces, families, and futures?<\/p>\n

It would be uncomfortable. It would be downright painful. But\u00a0maybe<\/em>\u00a0it would lead us toward action.<\/p>\n

understanding with empathy<\/h2>\n

At The Exodus Road, whenever the U.S. staff gets a new rescue announcement\u2014news from one of our investigative teams that a successful\u00a0operation has\u00a0occurred\u2014we take time to celebrate and reflect.<\/p>\n

Every few months, we practice an empathy exercise to help us connect with\u00a0a real rescue that just happened on the other side of the world. We write down the names of people we know who are the same age and gender as the survivors.<\/p>\n

Recently, we each wrote down the names of four boys, ages 14 to 17. We imagined that those four boys we know were the ones rescued\u2014the ones who had been afraid, alone, and exploited. Suddenly, those four boys rescued in Southeast Asia aren’t just numbers.<\/p>\n

We wonder how they’re feeling right now as they sit in a government home. We wonder if they are able to sleep at night. We feel their pain\u2014even if just a fraction of it. We believe this is what it takes to form a real connection: wading into the dark waters that are someone else’s experiences and saying,\u00a0I will feel this with you because you matter.<\/em><\/p>\n

human trafficking terms & definitions<\/h2>\n

If you’re starting\u2014or continuing\u2014down the path of\u00a0connecting\u00a0with human trafficking\u00a0and the people affected by it, we want to help you along the way.\u00a0A good start is to break down the terms used in the conversation\u00a0around\u00a0trafficking and connect the ideas to real people.<\/p>\n

HUMAN TRAFFICKING<\/h3>\n

Definition<\/h4>\n

The business of inducing a person to perform labor or engage in prostitution through force, fraud, or coercion.<\/p>\n

Connect<\/h4>\n

A\u00a0person makes a profit by kidnapping, abusing, threatening, deceiving, or manipulating another person to work or perform sexual services. The deceit and manipulation can look like a fake job offer, promised help with immigration, a romantic relationship, or a place to stay.<\/p>\n

SEX TRAFFICKING<\/h3>\n

Definition<\/h4>\n

The illegal business of recruiting, harboring, transporting, obtaining, or providing a person (often\u00a0a minor) for the purpose of sex.<\/p>\n

Connect<\/h4>\n

Some sex trafficking situations are obvious; victims are kidnapped, abused, and unable to leave. Other situations aren’t as black and white, and individuals\u00a0may not even realize they’re victims. Traffickers can be very emotionally and mentally manipulative,\u00a0persuading their victims to believe they chose the situation\u00a0or that they’re\u00a0in a romantic relationship with their trafficker. For this reason,\u00a0sex trafficking can often appear to be willing prostitution<\/a>\u00a0on the surface.<\/p>\n

TRAFFICKER<\/h3>\n

Definition<\/h4>\n

A person who is engaged in the illegal transportation of people from one country or area to another, typically for the purpose of forced labor or sexual exploitation.<\/p>\n

Connect<\/h4>\n

Traffickers keep vulnerable people in jobs that they don’t want\u2014for manual labor, work of any kind, or forced participation in the sex industry. Sex traffickers can be called \u201cpimps\u201d in popular culture and use a variety of means to manipulate, control, and sell\u00a0individuals for sex. A trafficker can range from\u00a0someone exploiting a friend or family member to the head of a large criminal operation.<\/p>\n

VICTIM<\/h3>\n

Definition<\/h4>\n

The Trafficking Victims Protection Act defines a human trafficking victim as a person induced to perform labor or a commercial sex act through force, fraud, or coercion. The Administration for Children and Families adds that even if victims initially offer consent, that consent is rendered meaningless by the actions of the traffickers to exploit them for labor, services, or commercial sex.<\/p>\n

Connect<\/h4>\n

Men, women, and children under the control of traffickers are victims, not offenders, who typically have one or more layers of vulnerability that traffickers exploit for personal gain (e.g. unstable home, personal insecurities, mental or emotional disabilities, drug use, or history of physical or sexual abuse).<\/p>\n

creating a free world<\/h2>\n

Empathy is one of your greatest tools in the fight against human trafficking. It will take a million small steps. We will sometimes fail and have to try again. But if we can have the courage to care about our neighbors and feel the experiences of others, we can help create a world where everyone is free.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”full_width_background” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” equal_height=”yes” content_placement=”middle” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” bg_color=”#f4f4f4″ scene_position=”center” top_padding=”80″ bottom_padding=”80″ text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_spacing=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”center” phone_text_alignment=”center” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_custom_heading text=”The Truth about Sex Trafficking” font_container=”tag:h2|font_size:52|text_align:left|line_height:56px” google_fonts=”font_family:Roboto%20Condensed%3A300%2C300italic%2Cregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1614811503685{margin-top: 15px !important;}”]Download our free eBook today.<\/em>[\/vc_column_text][divider line_type=”No Line”][vc_raw_html]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[\/vc_raw_html][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_spacing=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]\n

<\/h3>\n
\n

SOURCES<\/span><\/sup><\/sub><\/strong><\/p>\n

Breaking Free\u2019s Sisters of Survival<\/a><\/span><\/sup><\/sub><\/p>\n

\u201cDomestic Sex Trafficking: The Criminal Operations of the American Pimp\u201d<\/a><\/span><\/sup><\/sub><\/p>\n

\u201cGlossary of Sex Trafficking Terms\u201d<\/a><\/span><\/sup><\/sub><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Secret Prostitution Code, and What it Says About Johns\u201d<\/a><\/span><\/sup><\/sub><\/p>\n

Merriam Webster Legal Dictionary<\/a><\/span><\/sup><\/sub><\/p>\n

Oxford Dictionary<\/a><\/span><\/sup><\/sub><\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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