“Why do you keep pushing education? I want TO DO something about trafficking!”
By Tanya Pearrell
“Why do you keep pushing education? I want TO DO something about trafficking!”
I get it. If you read our previous blog (Why We Aren’t Rescuers — She's Somebody's Daughter (shessomebodysdaughter.org)) “Why We’re Not Rescuers” then you know that I have been there. I knew about trafficking. And then I wanted to do something. The longer I have been doing this the more I will preach education and awareness over and over again. But why is education and awareness so important? Why do those in this field keep saying this?
Education really is one of the most important tools in the fight against trafficking for a variety of reasons.
First, we need to know what it is. We need to know what it looks like in our own community. Trafficking in the rural US is going to look very different than trafficking in downtown Los Angeles, or in a city in Thailand. Familial trafficking looks very different from gang trafficking. This looks very different from the trafficking happening in brothels halfway around the world.
If we only know what trafficking looks like in another part of the world, we will miss what is happening in our own small town. And if that is what we are looking for then we will miss the majority of those being trafficked.
Second, we need to know and understand the systems that make individuals vulnerable to trafficking. Yes, it can happen to anyone. You will hear that often. And it is true. But what is also true is that there are certain individuals who are more vulnerable to trafficking. What are the things that cause this? What can we do to help reduce risk and vulnerability?
We also need to know what to do if we suspect trafficking. What should we be looking for? What should I do? Should I intervene? Should I call 911? Do I call the trafficking hotline? These are all things that need to be understood before actually “doing something”.
And finally, but definitely not least! How do we interact with someone who we suspect or know is being trafficked? What does it look like to provide trauma-informed, survivor-centered support? What do I do when they are triggered? What do I do when they go back to the individual trafficking them?
When you educate yourself and support those who are doing the work financially you ARE contributing to the ending of trafficking. You are ensuring that those best trained (from learned experience and mistakes!) are still around to support those currently in these relationships and when they are ready to leave, as well as provide prevention education.
We will address the systemic issues that make others vulnerable to trafficking in future blogs - things like poverty, homelessness, food insecurity, race, and sexuality. You can help end trafficking by supporting organizations working to end these issues and by learning how to evaluate your own biases.
Awareness about trafficking is growing. This is good. But it can’t stop with awareness. It has to go deeper with education. Do you have questions about things you’ve read? Do you want to take your awareness to the next level? Please reach out - tanya@shessomebodysdaughter.org. Or visit www.shessomebodysdaughter.org.
