By: Rania M M Watts 

My knowledge of human trafficking was limited. I knew that it was something that which happened mostly to women and children, that homicide and rape were constantly involved. But I was not fully aware of the dirty little micro details of who, what, where, and when. 

I intentionally left out why? I feel the why is the most disgusting reason of all – for the purpose of constantly selling multiple-dose uses of these trafficking victims.  

What is worse, is that these victims are being abused and raped repeatedly on a wash, rinse, dry, repeat cycle. I can only imagine the level of trauma and fear that accompanies a human being who is literally forced to be in that position. 

I could not believe the lengths that human traffickers will go to, to ensure “juicy” victims for their clients. The level of subterfuge to forcibly steal someone from their life, is something that I completely find unforgivable – let alone everything else that these traffickers force our beautiful ‘siblings’ to do.  

These poor females are being lured away from their loved ones, to then be manipulated with induced fear to lay there and get raped over and over again – as their pimps have deeply conditioned their victims (while maintaining a tight grip on not only their lives, but the ability to come and go freely). I

I cannot understand how one human would be willing to condition another human into doing something that is so vile and has been occurring since humanity’s dawn of time. 

Trafficking is not a new concept, yet it still continues to occur; and with the onset of our technical age, it’s quicker and easier to find trafficking victims – especially, if you have the assistance of the interweb; a prospective client can just scroll and find whatever suits their fancy.  The small print ads on the backs of community papers have been replaced with an endless surplus available, with just the touch of a finger online. 

There are so many apps and I would not be surprised if a covert human trafficking app exists somewhere out there; just swipe right if you like them under 16, with long hair, or left if perhaps a more tenured selection for a more discerning taste.

Human trafficking reminds me of Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, beyond dystopian, riddled with little to no peace.  

When one watches murder and rape on investigative shows the lens is one that is quite desensitized. However, when it comes to the grim reality of these innocent and beautiful souls, who are trafficked and moved around (metaphorically) in common black garbage bags –  my imagining of their horror is frozen in my mind. 

Another equally disturbing picture that is lit up in the fashion of a Christmas tree – seared in my mind and churning my stomach, Iis where I imagine human traffickers as having these spaces where, instead of making these girls beautiful and delectable to current and future clients,  I see then hanging upside down (hog tied) ready for the highest bidder to take them to a hotel, motel, back of a car, truck stop, or a strip club.  Human beings are not meant to be sold whole or in piecemeal for organs.  

Even as I write this I can feel my stomach becoming dark and nauseous. This is not something that I have experienced but I can only shrink in horror when I think of the level of primary trauma inflicted on someone who never asked for this.

The level of manipulation it takes for someone to have their crown jewel girl is obscene; to lull someone into a false sense of security and then by the time the reality sets in – these girls realise how trapped they really are and the afforded movement they once had before being trafficked will never be the same. 

Post trafficking victims, who reach out and are able to escape do so with a legacy of violence and conditioning to protect the one person or organisation that caused the most harm – only out of fear. 

The perspective of the trafficker who just wants to make money from these beings, sees this cruelty as lucrative. They forget they were born of mothers….who bought them into the world with love…..

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2770536

https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/07/1095472

https://waset.org/human-trafficking-slavery-and-exploitation-conference-in-august-2021-in-london