Well first of all it is rarely a stranger, most victims know their abuser. I always had this vision of the Sex Trafficker as being some slim ball at a truck stop, but that's not completely true. (Note: Not to say that truck stops do not have slimy people) But the victim usually knows the person and trusts the person. They may have been groomed for this for many months or even years. Even parents have been known to exploit their own children. So yeah, they typically know their exploiter and may not even realize they are being exploited, especially if they are young or illegal.

What is missing and what needs to be realized by all of us is that we need to listen to the survivors of sex trafficking. They hold the answers we all seek to understand and prevent these horrible things from happening to loved ones and people in our communities. We need to help by educating ourselves, working with local authorities and helping to prevent sex trafficking through legislation. I urge you to take the first steps in educating yourself by taking the Polaris Projects 101 Training in Human Trafficking.