When Children Are Bought and Sold (The New York Times)
Melanie Thompson was trafficked for sex as a teenager. More than a decade ago, I met a scared 15-year-old who was trying to recover her life after having been kidnapped…
DetailsHuman traffickers thrive during crises
Every crisis makes people more vulnerable to labor and sex trafficking because of the disruptions to daily life – whether it is the loss of a home, job or access to health care or being unable to connect with support networks of friends and co-workers. These disruptions are especially devastating to those who are already vulnerable and hanging on financially. They become desperate for any way to earn money and survive.
As one trafficking survivor said recently, “Before COVID-19, we were ‘low-wage, low-skilled’ workers, but now, we are ‘essential.’”
However, this new label, “essential,” has not resulted in better pay or job security — quite the opposite, and this is where traffickers can enter the picture.
