subject: The Sex Slaver Next Door? 29 Arrested in Midwest Sex Trafficking Ring [print this page] The Sex Slaver Next Door? 29 Arrested in Midwest Sex Trafficking Ring
When we hear of human trafficking and sex trafficking, images of young women smuggled in from other countries come to mind. The feds just indicted 29 people for coercing young girls into a life of forced sexual slavery throughout the Midwest. At least one victim was just 12 years old.The ring appears to be controlled by 3 Somali gangs based in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. Those gangs, however, were involved in sex trafficking operations as far away as Ohio and Tennessee.According to the indictments, the goal of the gangs was to recruit young girls under the age of 18. Many of them still children. The girls would then be forced into prostitution to provide money for the gang's alcohol and drug needs. The indictment also says the gang members committed a whole gamut of other crimes.The gang members face life in prison if convicted. U.S. Attorney Jerry Martin said, "Trafficking children for sex is intolerable and the Department of Justice will aggressively enforce trafficking and other laws to eliminate these types of deplorable acts."While the arrest of these despicable thugs is welcome news, the real story is how these rings recruit young girls and can remain operating for years. Police and prosecutors in this case are not saying much, except to admit that this ring kept some girls working as sex slaves for three or more years.It is disturbing that this type of activity can take place in our own neighborhoods and continue for years. What is more surprising is that one of the three gangs was a female gang, the Lady Outlaws. According to one refuge organization, 3 of the women charged with sex trafficking were Muslim women. At least they claim to be Muslim.As a former prosecutor and board member of the Family Violence Project, I have had the opportunity to study human trafficking. Typically, criminals who recruit young women to a life of forced sexual slavery seek troubled girls; they seek those who are vulnerable.Young women living in poverty, those coming from abusive homes, those with drug addictions and those with no support system are often vulnerable to sex traffickers. Young women in the U.S. illegally who fear deportation are also susceptible to recruitment efforts.Once targeted by traffickers, these girls are often subjected to intense repeated physical and emotional brutality. The sick goal of the trafficker is to completely demoralize the victim. While an emotionally healthy victim might be able to resist, those with low self-esteem often simply surrender to their captor's will.Continued sexual abuse, emotional abuse, threats of violence and frequently, the inducement of chemical dependency, keep the women from fleeing. Some traffickers use threats of violence against the victim's family or younger siblings.According to the indictment in this case, one defendant is accused of taking a 13-year-old victim in 2006 and forcing her to be a sex slave. During a two-day period in 2009, she was forced to have sex multiple times with at least 9 different men. What seems incredible is that this same girl attended public school for at least part of the time she was enslaved by the gang members.While that seems incredible to many people, it really is not surprising. The amount of emotional and mental control exerted by sex slavers is tremendous. Once the spirit of the victim is broken, control becomes much easier. Add in threats of violence to the victim's family or forced chemical dependency and their total control of these girls isn't surprising at all.Is the Minnesota sex ring case an isolated incident? Unfortunately, no. Nationwide, the FBI rescued 69 victims of child sex trafficking last month. Several years ago, the federal government estimated there as many as 17,500 girls here in the U.S. that are victims of sex trafficking.It happens daily in virtually every city in the U.S. Chances are, it is happening in your neighborhood.--If you are the victim of child sex abuse, get help immediately. If you are afraid to call the local police, call the sex trafficking hotline at 888-373-7888. You are not alone and help is available. Even if your abuser has taken your identity papers or you are not in the U.S. legally, call for help. Refugee status is available for victims.
