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Folks keep asking me why media isn’t covering all these child sex trafficking stories, and tbh it’s because most of these stories aren’t happening as initially reported, and the follow ups aren’t what people are expecting/looking for.
What I mean by that is...
What I mean by that is...
When a news story breaks, the headline is something like “law enforcement rescues 20 children”
Nice headline. Males LEOs look good, implies child trafficking which is very click baity, everyone wins.
Unfortunately the reality of stories like this is more likely to be
Nice headline. Males LEOs look good, implies child trafficking which is very click baity, everyone wins.
Unfortunately the reality of stories like this is more likely to be
Police found 20 “at risk children”
Who were returned home/to foster care.
Look at the arrests in these stings. Charges for trafficking are rare.
It’s much more likely that these kids are runaways or involved in custody disputes than being trafficked.
Who were returned home/to foster care.
Look at the arrests in these stings. Charges for trafficking are rare.
It’s much more likely that these kids are runaways or involved in custody disputes than being trafficked.
This also means the follow ups aren’t what we expect.
The headline is about a task force finding missing kids, but in a few weeks, your local news may mention “man arrested for violating custody order”
Guess what? The child he didn’t return on time was one of those 20.
The headline is about a task force finding missing kids, but in a few weeks, your local news may mention “man arrested for violating custody order”
Guess what? The child he didn’t return on time was one of those 20.
A kid who got mad at her parents and ran away to her boyfriends house was one of those 20 kids.
None of this is suggest trafficking doesn’t happen, obviously it does.
But painting every time a task force finds kids some sex trafficking sting just isn’t helpful.
None of this is suggest trafficking doesn’t happen, obviously it does.
But painting every time a task force finds kids some sex trafficking sting just isn’t helpful.
We can’t actually help someone who needs it if we’re pretending every missing kid has been trafficked.
And it’s really gross how media outlets frame these stories, and how LEOs let them, Bc they want good press.
It’s just not helpful to actually resolving anything
And it’s really gross how media outlets frame these stories, and how LEOs let them, Bc they want good press.
It’s just not helpful to actually resolving anything
And I don’t want to dismiss these other reasons kids go missing either. If it is about visitation, maybe there is an underlying DV issue to look at? But just framing it sex trafficking doesn’t help.
Maybe there’s a reason the kids are running away? Abusive parents exist.
Maybe there’s a reason the kids are running away? Abusive parents exist.
Maybe a teen is running away, Bc they can’t come out at home. How does labeling them a sex trafficking victim help them with their coming out process?
But the idea of sex trafficking allows the perfect mix of pearl clutching and salaciousness. So here we are
But the idea of sex trafficking allows the perfect mix of pearl clutching and salaciousness. So here we are
