I watched this documentary about a month ago created by Amber Lyon, a journalist and reporter who uses her profession to fight for human rights. The film is titled "Selling the Girl Next Door" and addresses the issue of human trafficking in the United States. Lyon follows the story of 13-year-old Selena, who was trafficked at the age of 12. While Selena was rescued by police after being found inside a casino, she is locked up in a juvenile detention center seeming more like a criminal than a victim. Lyon reveals the complexity of human trafficking and debunks the myth that girls on street corners or in online ads are selling themselves of free will. She also helps us to understand the nature of human trafficking in the United States and how pimps manipulate underage girls to join the trade.
Selena's story represents that of many girls. At a young age, she ran away from her home in the suburbs of Nevada to the Las Vegas strip. It was there that a pimp targeted her on the street asking if she needed a lift home. The pimp formed a relationship with her using his charm to reel her in. After earning Selena's trust, the pimp then used his power over her to manipulate her and force her into the sex industry. Selena expresses that "even the littlest things" could have gotten her killed if she tried to leave.
I think it is difficult for people to realize that the abuses and tactics of pimps are strategic and thought out. They know what type of girl to target and they know just the way to make her feel safe upon initial contact. Pimps often promise girls of a better life and new beginnings if they come along for the ride. Pimps play upon the insecurities and naivety of their underage victims to enslave them for their own profit.
While Selena is lucky to be out of the hands of her pimp, she expresses discontent towards her current situation as well. She goes from being "locked up" in the sex industry to being "locked up" in the juvenile detention center. Witnessing the living conditions of the girls in the juvenile facility makes me sick. After hearing a lecture from Joan Gillece of SAMHSA National Center for Trauma Informed Care, I have learned that the living conditions for these girls only reinforces the trauma they have experienced in the sex industry. They are going from prisoner to prisoner. They are wiped of their identity and individuality as they are all given the same color clothing and restrained with chains to their sides. They are being seen and treated as criminals at the age of 13 for a situation out of their control. I would imagine the belly chains preventing them from being physically free, would only reinforce the girls' feelings of defenselessness and objectivity. They have left one form of enslavement only to reach another form.
I believe these girls would be more able to grow out of their current condition if they were being treated in a loving and nourishing way. They should be provided with services and resources for hope and change. Something as simple as painting the walls of the building with fun and friendly colors or murals could change the atmosphere and make the girls feel safe rather than at fault. If these girls were recognized and honored as victims and treated with proper care, they could be empowered to change the course of their lives. This is another reason why the Safe Harbor Law is so crucial. The law recognizes underage girls involved in human trafficking as victims rather than criminals and provides them with the proper services to get back on their feet. These girls need love, trust and healing to bring them out of the darkness.
Not only does Lyon address the story of victims, she also brings to light the men who buy sex from underage women online. She reveals that there is no stereotype for the kind of man who orders sex online. From construction workers to computer technicians, from married to unmarried, from 20 year-olds to 70 year-olds, men are buying into the sex trade. And many do not question the age of their clients even though they do suspect they are underage.
The online community appears to be the new source of revenue for the sex industry. Pimps sell ads of underage girls on websites such as the infamous backpage.com. They use code words such as "young" and "fresh" to hint that the girl in the ad is underage even though her ad makes her appear older. Lyon puts up an ad portraying herself as an underage girl to show how easy it is to be trafficked and how high the demand is for young girls online. Within minutes, she receives and influx of phone calls from interested men who want her regardless of her age. A pimp even goes as far as to fly Lyon out to North Carolina as an underage girl and put her up in a hotel to traffic her. She backs out of the deal before it goes too far.
Lyon's near experience in the sex trade and her dialogue with girls who have lived through it all reveal just how important this issue truly is. While many may think human trafficking is a problem overseas, it is actually happening in our own backyards. Become aware of your surroundings. Report suspicious behavior. Join the fight to make our world a safer and more humane place.
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