Every Parent's Worst Nightmare: How To Protect Your Children Against The Crime Of Human Trafficking

By: Chris Harmen
Submitted 2010-05-28 06:21:34

Human trafficking is a real problem that is facing the United States today. As more awareness is built on the issue of child slavery, more stories continue to come out about experiences with this tragic pandemic facing the world. Primetime recently reported on the story of a girl that they refer to as 'Debbie' that was a victim of human trafficking.

Taken Right From Her Home

Debbie's story began with a phone call from a friend who wanted to stop by her house. As she was about to go back inside, Debbie went to give her friend a hug. She was forced inside the vehicle where she was tied up and blindfolded. This all happened right in the driveway of her home. Debbie was driven around Phoenix for hours and finally ended up at an apartment that was within a half hour of her home.

At the apartment, the girl was threatened and abused. She described to Primetime that the person who kidnapped her asked her where Debbie would like to be shot. At that point, he began playing with the gun, counted to three, and pulled the trigger. She opened her eyes to see him laughing at her, and she was scared for her life.

After that, Debbie was drugged and gang raped. The perpetrators took her to the living room where a middle-aged man was waiting for a teen to take advantage of. He and four other guys raped Debbie. She was later found by police stuffed in a drawer under the bed, too scared to even cry for help when the police first came through the home.

Predators Use Different Methods To Trap Victims

For some, getting tricked into a human trafficking ploy comes through the offer of a lucrative modeling career. No matter how it happens, the problem is real. An Oklahoma woman shared with a local Fox station that she thought she was going to die. The woman, who goes by 'Jules' to protect her identity, believed that she would end up being a Jane Doe at the morgue. Jules was shocked by the inhumane response of these predators. The 19-year-old at the time told one of her clients the truth about her age, as he thought the girl was a minor. He was only outraged that he had paid $5,000 for what he thought was a minor, and she really was not. Jules said that she was often sold off as a 13-year-old girl.

Jules is now a part of bringing awareness to people throughout the state of Oklahoma. She cautions teens to be wary of what they post on social networks such as Facebook and Twitter. Jules shared that predators look for ways to get at the kids if they are in an argument with parents or are discontent with life.

What Can Parents Do To Protect Their Kids From Child Slavery?

The first step in protecting your child is education. Parents should learn more about various tactics and warning signs that are being used in order to make their child more aware of the potential dangers they face. Informing kids about potential warning signs will help them to make better decisions if they ever face a situation that is potentially dangerous. The key to protecting your kids from child slavery is keeping open lines of communication that allow them to talk to you about what is going on in their life without fear.

Another way to help protect your child is through creating awareness in the community. When people are aware of the problem, they will be on the lookout for suspicious situations that could be related to human trafficking. This will help to reduce and potentially eliminate the demand for child slavery in your community.

Assist organizations that are trying to bring an end to this terrible tragedy happening around the world. Some launch efforts to rescue children, women, and men trapped in human trafficking. Still others look to bring an end to the demand for child slavery, which should bring an end to the problem as a whole. These organizations develop teams that investigate suspected predators which gather evidence and work in coordination with local authorities.

In total, the solution for parents to protect their kids and bring an end to child slavery is to get involved. Be involved with your kids, your community, and organizations looking to protect children, women, and men worldwide victimized by this heinous crime. Petition drives are happening in states across the country to bring awareness to this issue and to get state legislatures to create harsher penalties for those guilty of human trafficking. Americans united together on this front can bring an end to human trafficking.

Every Parent's Worst Nightmare: How To Protect Your Children Against The Crime Of Human Trafficking