03 December 2011

By Peggy Kroeger | ResonateNews.com intern

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Most Americans don't want to think children in their country are being manipulated or coerced into prostitution, a group of young journalists and filmmakers say. But children and teens are prostituted every day in every city of  the United States, said the media group who are attempting to draw attention to the problem.

Many people are surprised when they hear how prolific the sex trade is in their own back yard, they said.

In 2009 the journalists set out to document and uncover the reality of human trafficking in the U.S. They turned their documentation into a the feature film “Sex + Money: A National Search for Human Worth.” Their stated aim is to show the film twice in every state in the U.S. on a four-month tour to raise awareness, motivate action and be a catalyst for healing.

At a showing of “Sex+Money”  here in late October, reactions to the film started with outrage and disillusionment and ended with the audience finding hope that they were not, in fact, helpless. After the showing a discussion was led by Dustin Barrington.

Barrington asked, “What do you feel?” The initial answers followed the theme of repulsion. People used words such as “horror” and “overwhelmed.”

Sarah Racus, a mother of two, said “I wish I felt I could do more about the ugly truths. Helplessness makes them unbearable.”

One person said, “If I'm presented with such a huge task (as doing something about human trafficking) I run away.”

The issue of sex trafficking is so big and disheartening, many people said they would rather not know. One woman with brown hair and a trembling voice confessed, "I've become frozen because I think, 'where do you start?”

Barrington said the horror of child sex trafficking becomes more overwhelming in light of personal considerations.

“The ages of the young girls who are affected are the ages of my daughters. I can't accept this reality," he said.

“Sex+Money” spends time focusing on ways young people are made vulnerable through neglectful families and a lack of knowledge about the dangers of being isolated. The steps in the process towards prostitution and sexual exploitation are varied.

Sometimes a pimp will spot a girl in her early teens and by making her feel more special than she did at home, he will slowly begin to “own” her. Another young person may run away from a difficult family situation and discover that survival on the streets requires him to do what he would never before have imagined. In many cases a pimp will use threats, drugs, physical violence and acts of loyalty to bind the prostituted girl to him so he is not just a boss; he is a father and brother, boyfriend and master.

A woman in the audience talked about her work at a safe home for formerly trafficked girls.

“In the early 1980s I worked with teen prostitutes,” she said. “I was shocked and horrified when I found a child's training bra while washing clothes at this safe house — the girl hadn't started her period yet. The issues haven't changed, but have exploded since the 1980s.”

The audience asked, “If this is true and more young people are being prostituted than ever before, what can be done?” The discussion moved from “how do you feel?” to “what can we do?” Responses where passionate.

“Are my grandchildren aware of the danger?” asked Judy after seeing the film. She wanted to know if “Sex+Money” would be shown in schools?

Most parents do not want to expose their children to such a difficult topic, said Jon Tuveson, but then asked if anyone can afford to stay silent when even children from “good homes” are susceptible to manipulation or kidnapping?

One school in Woodland Park, Colo., has agreed to educate its students on human trafficking through a PowerPoint presentation, Tuveson said.

One man spoke up and said, “There is a tendency to want to protect our kids (from frightening subjects) but this creates vulnerability.”

The same woman who expressed feeling frozen also said, “I can keep my eyes out for one person who is fallen by the wayside, looking for the connection that they are missing. We can all do that — keep our eyes open for 'who is next door.'”

This comment sparked further discussion for the group. People continued the theme of “looking out for one person.” They could make a difference for at least one other person.

The idea of “doing what is possible” then extended to situations that are not as easy, such as calling the police when someone has the feeling they have seen questionable activity. The excuse that “it's not my business” may keep people from awkward situations but letting it 'be your business' could very well help someone else get out of trouble, they concluded.

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