In the media, on television, and on the big screen, human trafficking is sensationalized by depictions of kidnapping, women locked in cages, and children’s hands shackled together. While human trafficking does sometimes involve kidnapping and imprisonment, it often looks nothing like how it is portrayed. The trafficking and exploitation that takes place here in San Diego County is more likely to involve the bondage that comes from threats, lies, coercion, isolation, and other mentally controlling techniques. There are often so many misconceptions of what human trafficking and sexual exploitation look like, that even new survivors have a hard time identifying whether or not they have been trafficked. They may not have been kidnapped or imprisoned, but what they often don’t realize at first is that mental bondage can be much stronger.
Sexual exploitation is legally defined as an act or acts committed through exploitation of another person’s sexuality for the purpose of sexual gratification, financial gain, personal benefit or advantage, or any other non-legitimate purpose. Though we use the word “exploitation” to describe the way a survivor’s sexuality has been exploited, it is important to understand that abusers often try to exploit a variety of their needs and vulnerabilities. Traffickers may exploit a survivor’s need for housing, income, their addiction issues, or even their need for emotional support and romantic affection.
Trafficking and sexual exploitation can happen in the workplace, through illegal sex work, in the pornography industry, on the streets, in the music and entertainment industry, in abusive family life, in gangs, or even in religious cults. This process usually involves coercion, meaning that the perpetrator will persuade a person to actively participate in their own exploitation by use of force, threats, or lies, and the emotional abuse usually escalates into isolation, sleep deprivation, starvation, intimidation, gaslighting, blaming, and humiliation.
You can learn more about how to recognize if your loved one is being exploited by reading our past blog about warning signs, but for now, just keep in mind that the biggest warning sign is secrecy and absence from their normal daily life. This may even look like a potential domestic violence situation, when really, exploitation is beginning to manifest. Remember that the survivor you know might not be in shackles, but is more likely to be bonded to her abuser by use of threats, lies, isolation, and other mind-controlling techniques. Typically, survivors are gradually groomed into this process, and though the end result is human trafficking, the beginning stages of exploitation are very subtle.
Exploitation abuse is often an extremely nuanced process, which can make it very difficult for a survivor to overcome. It changes the way young women think, how they form friendships and other relationships, how they function in work and educational environments, and how they respond to stress. This is why our staff takes a holistic approach to healing: Not only do we promote autonomy and independence, but we have a trauma-informed staff, of which 70% are survivors, who use multiple therapeutic activities to help Grace House Residents and new survivors reach greater levels of healing and wellbeing. To support survivors in your hometown of San Diego, please visit our website.
Alabaster Jar Project 