Educate ourselves and understand the myths and truths about why women are on the streets and how women heal.
Welcome.
Know Sex Trafficking Fact from Fiction
Fiction
Sex traffickers often violently kidnap and physically force victims into trafficking situations.
Fact: Most traffickers take advantage of victim’s insecurities to manipulate them into commercial sex acts. Traffickers use many tactics to psychologically manipulate their victims. Some examples include promising job opportunities; posing as a significant other or caretaker; threatening harm to the victim or their family; forcing substance or financial dependency on the trafficker; threatening police involvement; or creating cycles of rewards and punishments.
Fiction
Victims are trafficked by strangers.
Fact: Most victims are familiar with their trafficker. They may be a romantic partner or a family member, such as a parent, uncle, grandparent, sibling, or cousin.
Fiction
Sex trafficking only happens in developing countries. If sex trafficking happens in the United States, it must only occur on the “dark web”.
Fact: Sex trafficking occurs in both cities and towns across the United States. In cities, traffickers may use legitimate industries such as hospitality, restaurants, financial services providers, transportation providers, massage parlors, and adult clubs. While it is extremely underreported, sex trafficking occurs in rural areas too. Victims may even be trafficked in their own homes.
Fiction
Sensationalism teaches a wider audience about the dangers of trafficking.
Fact: While sensationalism of sex trafficking may spark public interest through shocking images and stories, but it may do more harm than good by spreading misinformation and perpetuating stereotypes. Using horrific details of sex trafficking to shock people into supporting an organization actually hurts legitimate sex trafficking prevention and hinders agencies serving survivors.
Fiction
Sex traffickers transport victims across state and national borders.
Fact: Sex trafficking is the use of force, fraud, or coercion to compel a person into commercial sex acts against their will. It does not require any transportation of victims. In fact, victims are often trafficked in their own home towns and neighborhoods.
Fiction
People are no longer victims if they remain with their trafficker without physical restraint.
Fact: Victims in trafficking situations often have been so psychologically manipulated and controlled by their trafficker that they are unable to self-identify and realize they are able to leave the situation. Others may lack the financial means to get out such as transportation, a safe place to live, or food. Others may be afraid for their safety or their family’s safety if they live because of the trafficker’s threats of harm.
KNOWLEDGE FROM THISTLE FARMS, BECCA STEVENS & OUR SISTER PARTNERS
We Can‘t Do This Alone
Our partners make our lift lighter.
We offer these resources to supplement your education.
We find them useful, and hope you do too.
Taking the time to think about your own story and how you heal.
Listening to the stories of women
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Justice is a way of life
Use the 20 Practices of TF in your quiet time or group study.
Use simple rituals like justice tea and Thistle Farms essential oils to start your day.
Make small steps in your life to reflect the values of women's freedom.
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Engage the issues we have learned about in our lives.
Volunteer at your local sanctuary for women
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