Human traffickers thrive on their victims’ vulnerability. No one knows this better than Joe Scaramucci, a retired detective and Director of Law Enforcement Engagement at Skull Games, a nonprofit organization devoted to hunting sex predators. Scaramucci joined me in Episode 2 of my podcast Dark Minds, Shattered Lives. The episode provides a stark illustration of how traffickers, master manipulators, exploit the vulnerabilities of their victims to lead them into a cycle of abuse and dehumanization.
Scaramucci explained how traffickers are adept at detecting and preying upon the weaknesses of potential victims. Vulnerability can manifest in various forms—emotional, financial, or social. For example, a young woman expressing feelings of inadequacy on social media may attract the attention of a trafficker who knows just how to make her feel valued and loved. Potential victims usually are unaware that their posts, comments, and even humorous memes might draw the attention of a trafficker. To drive the point home, Scaramucci provided a live demonstration. Within two minutes, he had identified a potential victim’s vulnerabilities and her place of work. A trafficker’s next step would require little effort. He would drop the bait in the water with a simple direct message, possibly work related, but definitely benign.
By presenting themselves as sources of validation and support, traffickers can manipulate victims into a false sense of security, gradually leading them down a path of exploitation. This process often involves the establishment of an 'assumed relationship,' where the trafficker gains the victim's trust as her intimate partner. Only later does he introduce coercive tactics. A victim’s financial struggles often fuel the nefarious process.
Traffickers leverage their victims' financial struggles by presenting seemingly easy solutions to their problems. For instance, they might propose a scheme, sexual in nature, to make quick money, framing it as a partnership rather than exploitation. This manipulation can make it difficult for victims to recognize their situation as one of victimization, especially if violence or coercion has not yet been introduced. The line between consensual participation and exploitation becomes blurred, complicating the narrative surrounding victims and their circumstances and compounding feelings of shame.
Traffickers employ various tactics to maintain compliance, including emotional abuse, psychological manipulation, and sextortion. This form of control can be just as damaging and dehumanizing as physical violence and as difficult to escape. The absence of physical abuse does not negate the reality of exploitation; rather, it highlights the complexity of the victim's experience and the insidious nature of manipulation and the psychological control exerted by traffickers.
The alarming traits of traffickers—grandiosity, lack of empathy, and a sense of entitlement—further illustrate how these individuals operate in a realm devoid of human compassion. Their ability to manipulate and exploit others is not necessarily a byproduct of their environment but a manifestation of a deeply ingrained disregard for the autonomy and dignity of their victims. This dehumanization is a cornerstone of trafficking, allowing perpetrators to justify their actions while viewing their victims as mere commodities.
One of the easiest ways to avoid victimization is to keep our vulnerabilities off social media.
A more complex approach is to foster resilience in communities and provide resources for those facing financial or emotional challenges so that we can mitigate the factors that make individuals susceptible to exploitation. Furthermore, policy advocacy aimed at strengthening legal protections for victims and increasing penalties for traffickers can create a deterrent effect that ultimately reduces the prevalence of trafficking.
Through individual and collective action, awareness of facts (opposed to sensationalism), and supporting agencies interdicting traffickers, we can create a safer environment for everyone and dismantle the systems that allow trafficking to persist.
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