Anyone who is a regular reader of The Voice knows I am the mom of a 14-year-old daughter. Yep, Bruce and I talk about her all the time because she really is a pretty cool kid. We thank God for her every day.
I think that’s why doing the research on our series on human trafficking, hearing victims’ stories and seeing the devastation this crime wreaks on these young girls hits so hard. I can’t imagine that happening to any young girl, let alone my own child.
Brenna has listened to me come home day after day, blown away by what I’ve read and heard, especially so close to home. We’ve talked about it one-on-one and as a family, and with her friends – the dangers of talking to strangers on social media, giving out any personal information, alcohol and drugs at parties, and trusting no one who isn’t well-known to them.
I don’t want to scare her, but I also want her to be aware of the dangers young girls face every day, no matter where they live, just because they are girls. In our society, even now, females are viewed as sexual objects. We are encouraged, not just by men, but by other women, to be prettier and sexier; to use this product or wear these clothes to achieve those goals. And the females they target are getting younger and younger.
How an 11-year-old can be viewed as a sexual object by a potential john is beyond rational thinking, and for johns to be seeking girls in that age range, to me, is disgusting and depraved. Yet, the amount of child exploitation going on around us, in our own community even, is staggering – from child pornography to sexual assaults to being forced into the sex trade.
And what are we doing about it? We have people such as Det. Sgt. Kimberly Miller with the OPP and MPP Laurie Scott. They are people who are obviously very passionate about bringing awareness to the issue. We need a hundred more people just like them.
Non-profit organizations and faith-based groups are doing what they can in very creative ways, but we need more people to start looking out for their kids, their kids’ friends, their neighbours’ kids and any child that may be living in hell due to exploitation, be it sexual or any other kind.
As members of our community, we need to stand up for the vulnerable teens, be outraged at the ads for sexual services here in our own community on backpage.com, communicate with and educate our girls on how to stay safe, practice tough love and never give up on a difficult teen going through tough times.
Instead of judging teens with addiction problems or who we think are “boy-crazy,” help them be safe and educate them on healthy relationships and wise choices.
And if you are not sure how to do that, ask for help. There are so many people and organizations willing to listen and assist.
Manipulating a young girl’s emotions is easier than we think. Some of stories you hear of survivors of human trafficking will make you break down and cry because they truly believed the pimp’s “love” was the only kind they deserved or would get. Their bodies and spirits are broken by the traffickers, and healing is a long and difficult journey.
If there was ever a time to become an advocate for our teens, that time is now. They need our love, our support, our patience and our protection more than ever in a society that continues to de-value human life and put greed ahead of everything else.
But I have faith. I would put an angry mother with a child to protect up against traffickers any day of the week. We have more power working together and a mom’s spy network would put the CIA to shame.
