In Plain Sight

Hard to believe when you think of sex trafficking, you would think it happens in countries like India, Africa, China, or Cambodia. But its not. Over 80% of the sex trafficking is occurring in the United States with 100,000 children and even thousands more women being sold into trafficking rings. The average age of children are between 12 and 14 years of age. It is appalling when you think that in hotels, motels, truck stops and spas this is happening all around us right where we live. You might think it is only happening in larger cities like New York, Los Angeles or Las Vegas but victims have been rescued in all 50 states in big cities and small ones. Do you really know what is going on in your own city?

By definition sex trafficking is a commercial sex act induced by fraud, force or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such act has not attained 18 years of age. Any minor engaged in a commercial sexual act is considered a trafficking victim regardless of whether force, fraud or coercion is involved. In other words there is no such thing as a child prostitute, he or she is a trafficking victim. So how is this even happening in America?

Most of the time patterns emerge that shows most victims were neglected or sexually abused at a very young age. These patterns continue as the victims grow confused over what is normal in their lives. They soon find sex gives them attention they need as well as money to finance other needs like drugs or alcohol because they don't understand that this is not a normal life for a young man or woman. They always feel as if they never had a choice. It usually starts with abusive parents, sexual abuse with a friend or relative when they are very young, usually 4 or 5; they are in and out of foster care; once they are a victim they are likely to be victimized again. They are likely to put themselves in those situations again, not intentionally meaning to be the child's fault. They become runaways, They are usually from homes where domestic violence, drug and alcohol abuse, These applied to every single victim regardless of race, ethnicity or background. The differences is in third world country is it is out on the street, in the open, where in the United States we are really good at keeping it hidden and covering up that this is happening. The number one trait found in all victims is vulnerability, in which traffickers use this to meet the unmet needs in a women or child I was preying upon.  This is why 1 in 3 runaways are approached within 48 hours of being on the streets by a sex trafficker.

Most of us would look away due to complexity of the problem but still others rise up to take action, like the six female abolitionists highlighted in this documentary produced and narrated by Natalie Grant, In Plain Sight. Jeanne Allert, Founder and Executive Director of The Samaritan Women in Baltimore, Maryland; Jenny Williamson, Founder and CEO of Courage Worldwide in Sacramento, CA; Deanna Graves, Founder and Executive Director of Traffick 911 in Dallas, TX; Louise Allison, Founder and Director of P.A.T.H. Partners Against Trafficking Humans in Littlerock, Arkansas; Bobbie Mark, Co-Founder and Director of Redeemed in Houston, Texas; Stacia Freeman, US Director for Hope for Justice in Nashville, Tennessee. Learn how these women made a difference in their cities and how they are impact the lives of sex trafficking victims in a positive way.

I received In Plain Sight compliments of Word Films and Edify Media Inc for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed here are strictly my own. This is such a powerful documentary and one I think everyone adult needs to watch. There are warning signs we all need to pay attention to and be aware that this is happening all over the United States, quite possibly in the very city we are living in currently. It is designed not just to inform but to empower and motivate people to take action in their own community as a way of preventing this from continuing. This is a preventable crime but it takes the contribution of everyone to make it work and to put an issue to open our eyes to what's is happening in plain sight. I easily give this one a 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about In Plain Sight, Word Films or to pick up a copy of this documentary today, please click on the link below:

In Plain Sight: Stories of Hope and Freedom

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