Since the
news of movie mogul Harvey Weinstein broke with the allegations of sexual abuse
and harassment from dozens of women, Facebook and social media has been flooded
with two words…Me Too. The hashtag
#metoo is a movement to raise awareness of the magnitude of those affected by
sexual abuse or harassment. Statistics
show that 1 in 4 girls will be sexually abused before she turns 18 so chances
are that someone you know has posted #metoo.
It’s a heartbreaking statistic and one that has devastating
effects. Stephanie Tucker writes that “sexual abuse is unbelievably damaging because
it enters our deepest, most sacred and most intimate place – a place so
precious it was reserved only for the covenant of marriage.” [1]
Sexual abuse and human trafficking are closely linked. One common characteristic or risk factor for a victim of sex trafficking is a history of past sexual abuse. Estimates are has high as 90% of sex trafficking victims having experienced childhood sexual abuse. Most statistics will read that between 79 - 90% of victims have experienced childhood sexual abuse. The reason we see such a range in the percentage is because this is such a hidden crime.Here are just a few of the ways that a past history of sexual abuse makes someone vulnerable to sex trafficking:
· Most children who have been sexually abused were
abused by someone they knew. So the very person who person was supposed to love
them, care for them, and protect them has now become the perpetrator. These complex feelings of betrayal skew their
view of relationships and what is safe or normal. “More than any other abusive
act, sexual abuse will deeply affect the ability to bond and trust in future
relationships.”[2]
· In some cases, when they have opened up to
someone about the abuse, they are not believed. These children will often run
away from home because they have no one to stand up for them and stop the abuse
from happening over and over again.
Children who run away from home are considered high risk for trafficking
because they will often engage in “survival sex.” Survival sex is when someone who is homeless
or disadvantaged trades sex for basic needs like food, a place to sleep, clothes,
or other basic needs.
· When a girl is sexually abused, she often stops
developing emotionally at the age at which the abuse occurred. So if a young girl is abused at age 10, her
decision making skills will often be that of a 10 year old. This makes a victim
of sexual abuse extremely vulnerable to someone looking to exploit them.
· Children who have experienced sexual abuse do
not have the red flags that you and I might have when we are near someone who
is unsafe or begin developing a relationship with someone who is unsafe. Their abuse has become normalized. They
experience intense shame and often feel they deserve this type of abuse.
So if someone you know has posted
Me Too, please thank them for their vulnerability in sharing something so
personal. I hope you will see that they
have tremendous courage and bravery. Please
know that it wasn’t easy for them to overcome their past and to stand where
they are today. When you see someone in
prostitution, I hope you take a moment to remember that you don’t know her
story. You don’t know what it was that
brought her to a place where she feels she has to sell her body. I hope you see her as a person who needs love,
healing, and restoration so that she can begin to know her true worth.
No comments:
Post a Comment