Below are examples of the kinds of child sex trafficking situations. They are by no means the only ways that sex trafficking can occur, but taken together may help you craft your own stories in ways that are realistic and impactful.
Romeo pimps or “boyfriending” #
- Recruitment and grooming: A older young man and a teen girl meet briefly at a party. He contacts her on social media. He is everything she ever dreamed of – a great listener, very supportive. He showers her with gifts. She is deeply in love. One night he takes her to a party and he tells her to be “nice” to his friends – to earn jewelry. He makes it seem like it’s no big deal at first, so she does it. But then it becomes more frequent.
- Coercion and control: He keeps all the money she earns and tells her he is saving for them to buy a house. Sometimes he hits her to help her understand how much he needs for her to contribute. He says he will stop loving her and she will be alone again if she keeps making trouble.
- Exit: After he blackens her eye, she packs up a “go” bag, calls a friend and escapes when her trafficker is out of the house.
Online Trawling #
- Recruitment and grooming: A lonely, insecure teen dreams of a modeling career and frequently posts pictures of herself striking a pose. She is contacted by someone who claims to be a modeling agent. He takes her out on the town and tells her she has to “be nice” to some people in the business to get contracts and sends her out to prostitute.
- Coercion and control: She is now far from home, has no money and is ashamed. He tells her she is making a good impression, and that it will just take a little longer for her hard work to turn into modeling jobs.
- Exit: Eventually the child contacts a friend, and she is extracted from the situation.
Survival sex #
- Recruitment and grooming: A teen who identifies as queer runs away from home in a small town when his stepfather beats him up for his sexual identity. He camps out in a bus station and meets other runaways who tell him about someone they know who will probably let him stay at his house – for a price.
- Coercion and control: The person who owns the house is very straightforward about the arrangement. The teen can stay there as long as they provide sex to the homeowner and occasionally, other friends. The teen does not have any other options for housing and is also seeking a community, which he hopes to find with the homeowner.
- Exit: The teen meets other young people who have run away. They connect him with a supportive shelter situation and he returns to school.