Restoring Hope,
Dignity & Purpose

A predator looks for vulnerability within a victim. For some it may be low self-esteem and a predator can easily spot these traits by simply watching how a young girl reacts when he calls her beautiful. If she lowers her head, she is potentially a good target. Social media sites have allowed traffickers more opportunity for immediate connections and faster engagement with vulnerable youth.

There is no single form of force, fraud or coercion used by predators. Each trafficker has their own style to gain the necessary power and control required to manipulate an individual into doing what he/she wants. 85% of victims reported developing a close relationship with their trafficker. This portrays the Romeo Pimp tactic of manipulating and nurturing a relationship with their victim. They manipulate their victim into believing they are truly in a romantic relationship by buying them gifts, taking them out to eat and spoiling them in some form. This tactic creates a bond between victim and trafficker and often the victim believes they are selling themselves because it is how they contribute to the relationship. The second type of trafficker is a Gorilla Pimp, this is the use of violence to gain control and power over their victims. A victim will do what they are told based on the fear of what will happen if they do not comply. Often a Romeo pimp will become violent after they have gained control over their victim. The last form of trafficking is familial trafficking. This is when a parent or family member pimps out their child for money, to pay the rent or to feed their drug habit.

The breaking phase occurs when a trafficker introduces his victim into “the life”. For some this can be very violent, including gang rapes, for others it may be giving an illicit massage to one of the predator’s friends. Shame is often used to maintain power and control. Statements like: “You are just a whore now” “No one will believe you” “Your family won’t love you anymore” “You are the one committing a crime” may be used. If recovery of a victim is not made prior to this breaking phase it becomes much more difficult.

Once a victim has reached this phase they are basically running on autopilot. Continuing to comply in order to avoid whatever their trafficker has threatened them with. This could include fear of violence, fear of their family being harmed or feeling that they no longer have worth. 75% of victims reported being advertised online while in The Life after 2004. The use of technology has allowed traffickers to engage with buyers at a more frequent and widespread capacity. A predator can easily advertise online through various escort sites. One in four victims surveyed reported that when advertised online they saw more than 10 buyers per day. Imagine the trauma associated with 1 unwanted sexual encounter and multiply that by 10 each day.