April 11, 2016: “We Are Everywhere.” Host Emma Breacain Speaks with Domestic Sex Trafficking Survivor and Victim Advocate Elle Snow, Part 1 of 2

Posted by: Through the Eyes of Women | April 11, 2016

April 11, 2016: “We Are Everywhere.” Host Emma Breacain Speaks with Domestic Sex Trafficking Survivor and Victim Advocate Elle Snow, Part 1 of 2

In America you can get a prostitute faster than you can get a pizza. And that’s just fine, right, who cares what consenting adults do behind closed doors. Right? Well, bad news, guys, your prostitute is almost certainly being trafficked. Held captive. Abused. And having sex with with you against her will. Sorry. Even if she swears she doesn’t have a pimp. Even if she says she’s just putting herself through college. Even if she advertises on the Internet. Even if she has a local telephone number. Even if you put the money into her hand. Even if you flat-out asked her, “Are you okay?”

Here is your trigger warning! As you have no doubt intuited, this is a dreadfully upsetting show and blog. If you find your emotions becoming difficult, we have many online resources for you to get help and support and answers about human trafficking, at the bottom of this article. Please avail yourself if you feel the need. The National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline number is 888-373-7888.

And if you have actually found a rare, totally empowered free agent who just loooooooooves her job and loves having sex with YOU, she’s just one bad moment away from having to change her name and hair and city of residence forever. She is at the mercy of paid (PAID!) mystery shoppers called “hobbyists” who write detailed online consumer reviews about prostitutes, and she is a prime target for serial killers.

The numbers are murky and largely rely on self-reporting, but numerous studies and surveys compiled and cited by advocacy groups suggest about 18% of the United States’ 120 million men patronizing prostitutes, and about 90% of this country’s one million prostitutes working under some form of coercion, whether it’s threats to their family and friends, or drug addiction, or physical abuse, or brainwashing and psychological control techniques that pimps share with each other in online forums and published books.

Once you know, you’ll see it everywhere in your town. “I see the world differently, now,” says sex trafficking survivor and victim advocate Elle Snow. “I see things as they really are.”

Snow has seen her captor imprisoned and has started an organization called Game Over, which educates law enforcement, social workers and others to understand what sex trafficking looks like in the circumstances of their work with the public, and recognize its victims as victims, not criminals.

Whether we turn a blind eye, or actively propagate the brutal business of sex trafficking, there’s a pretty good chance we are all contributing to this big, big problem. “This is you,” Snow says. “We’re talking about you.”

To listen to and/or download Emma’s conversation with Elle Snow click the following link: TTEOW 4-11 Emma and Elle Snow part 1

Elle’s home page for her organization, Game Over:

https://www.facebook.com/itsgameover101/?fref=ts

Resources provided by Elle:

To report Human Trafficking or to speak to an advocate call:

Call 911 in an emergency

National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline

(888) 373-7888 or text BE FREE

Local Resources

North Coast Rape Crisis Team:

707 465-2851 Del Norte County

707 445-2881 Humboldt County