America Trends II

Part II of the America Trends interview of Joseph Travers by host Aimee Fuller explains more in-depth information about human trafficking as it exists today. He begins this second part of the interview by explaining how kids are groomed by traffickers and recruiters. He explains how they work to get kids to run away through coercion. This means that kids are not being taken off the streets or out of stores, as they used to be by rouge individuals. Instead, they are being convinced to leave of their own free will and walk into a trap that is highly organized with many members that successfully imprison them and ruin their lives. 

What Parents Can Do

Travers explains how modern parents have a real challenge on their hands to keep their kids safe in today’s human trafficking-rich society. Most of the grooming work is done on cell phones through social media or friend group associations, and there are recruiters even in schools. In addition, they use victims to further victimize other kids. Parents have to fight to protect their kids from human trafficking and the strategies they use to essentially brainwash kids into leaving the safety of their homes and walking right into the horrific trap of a human trafficking ring. Of course, foster kids who do not have parents who are being diligent, are at an even greater risk of becoming victimized by human trafficking.

Volunteer Group, Working to Fight Back

Saved in America was created as a way to fight back against the horrors of human trafficking and to fight for kids. Travers explains that this group was formed from a group of volunteers who are all former military or law enforcement. This second portion of the interview is worth listening to in its entirety as it goes into even more detail on how the border situation is making the situation that much harder. It’s worth noting that Saved in America never charges a family a dime for their services, and encourages families who want to give back to use their resources to help their child recover from the trauma they have endured when they were missing. The entire group of volunteers is made up of licensed private investigators who freely give their time and expertise to stand in the gap for the kids who are being victimized by human trafficking. 

Brandie P