Predators Use Psychology

Traffickers are now “routinely exploiting social media to find their victims,” according to Woolf. As young people nowadays are eager to share their inner lives on social media, traffickers look for opportunities to exploit vulnerabilities and offer false understanding and false love.

Woolf mentioned members of the underground Crips gang who “exploited hundreds of girls” in northern Virginia in their communities for more than six years. They recruited troubled young girls from Facebook and from public locations like bus stops, metro stations, and malls. At first, they offered sympathy and compassion. Once they had them in their power, the girls were trapped with narcotics and controlled through physical and sexual assaults. 

“Most criminal gangs are getting into the business of sex trafficking,” said Woolf. He cited an FBI report that in over 35 states, gangs are involved in trafficking. It’s a “low risk, high yield” enterprise that enables the gangs to fund their operations. There is “a lot less risk than narcotics trafficking with the similar yield,” he said.

Cindy McCain, co-chair of Arizona Gov. Brewer’s Task Force on Human Trafficking, said that according to the NCMEC, a pimp can make $150,000–$200,000 per child each year and the average pimp has 4–6 girls.

Reference Article

Please support our efforts and attend a fundraiser. Go to https://www.milehighwomensoutreachcenter.org/events.html