Long thread but important information from my retired federal agent friend!

As a Federal Agent, I carefully studied Human/Sex Trafficking trends and cases all over the world and of course domestically for over 20 years.

Later I trained a generation of new Agents in conducting Human Trafficking investigations.

The first thing I would tell them is that if you want to understand the sex trade in the US, you must first study the sex trade abroad.

Why?

A brief study of the sex trade in India, Bangladesh, Brazil and the Far East offer tremendous insight into the American Sex trade.

How?

For one, last year 250,000 people traveled to those countries as “Sex Tourist.”

And half of those traveled with the intention of buying sex with a child.

The market/demand in the US is the same. The primary differences are how the sex trade is marketed and where/how the victims are obtained/sourced.

In the aforementioned countries, the sex trade isn’t concealed at all. Brothels extend for entire city blocks or are entire villages.

In many places, sex with a child can be purchased cheaper than a coffee from STARBUCKS.

In the US, all traffickers face a very harsh reality.

They have to hide from the Cops/Federal Agents investigating them but at the same time, they have to be able to be found/available for men to purchase sex.

Their answer to that dilemma is what separates the US sex trade from the international trafficking.

In the US, the sex traffickers do two distinct things:

The advertise almost exclusively online

&

They move constantly to hinder investigation.

To understand how they move we have to take a brief look at modern travel in the US.

Since 9/11, TSA came into being almost overnight and any travel by air required a valid ID.

Every name of those traveling is checked against the “No Fly List” and others are selected for enhanced screening.

Additionally, everything you’re carrying is getting searched and X-rayed. And you have to walk through a body scanner. If they want, they’ll “wand” you with a hand scanner or physically pat you down.

Any checked baggage is searched by TSA in baggage handling.

Some of you will scream about the 4th amendment being nailed to a cross. If that bothers you, then don’t fly.

In addition to everything I’ve covered, you have Federal Air Marshals (A job you pray you never have) and a collection of other badges walking around the airport.

You don’t see them but they’re there. You’d actually be surprised at how many arrests take place at the airport.

I know because I’ve made lots of arrests at the airport. Very subtle and you’d never know. Trust me when I tell you, nobody wants drama at the airport.

Now that you’ve had a quick review of airport security, let’s contrast that with traveling by bus.

No ID is required.
No baggage is searched
No one is searched for weapons
AND THERE ARE NO LAW ENFORCEMENT IN SIGHT.

For over a decade I used to haunt the bus and train stations but before I arrived, I’d go on BACKPAGE (it’s now been replaced with dozens of others) and look for the advertisement:

“Arriving Friday”
“Convenient Downtown location”
“One day only”

There were thousands of adds for sex workers and when I’d sort through them, I’d look for any that had links to FB or YOUTUBE.

Those types of advertisements were exclusively professional sex workers.

They would have phone numbers from Seattle, LA, Miami or Atlanta.

They would literally travel from city to city “booking dates” in advance.

Then look at the adds that don’t have links to FB or YOUTUBE. The adds where the girls face is blocked out or she’s turning her face away.

Those were the photographs that were always taken in a hotel room. They were victims of sex trafficking and most were underage.

When you finish reading this take a look at the criminal prosecutions related to BACKPAGE.

They admitted to taking part in trafficking thousands of underage girls.

Now for the other side of the American Sex Trafficking issue.

In the US, the sex trafficking industry is fueled by runaways. Don’t take my word for it, ask the FBI.

The FBI has stated that over 250,000 US children are involved in or at risk for “commercial sexual exploitation.”

They continue to state that the majority of US children were/are runaways or “throwaway (unwanted children).”

How do you think runaways travel?

By bus of course.

A few years ago, a great INTEL assessment came out that described in detail how sex traffickers at every major city would literally camp out at bus stations in order to meet runaways.

And if you were a scared boy or girl then suddenly you had a new best friend or even romance and love.

All the emotional and psychological needs that those children had always been denied were met by a trafficker. And trust me, that’s a skill set that traffickers have.

Within days, those children are sold commercially for sex. The numbers are staggering. The profits you wouldn’t believe.

I met countless runaways. How? It’s simple. Just look for them. They’re not hiding.

I’d look for a child traveling by him/herself. A child with few or no possessions who looks hungry or cold with dirty or worn clothing.

More importantly, look for a child that’s scared or devoid of hope.

I don’t ask them for ID, I’d ask to see their tickets.

I was interested in any kid with a one way ticket to NYC, Boston, Chicago or Detroit.

Do you have family there?
Who do you know there?
Who’s picking you up?
“Can I help you?”
“Are you afraid?”

"I’ve got a shelter, less than five minutes from here. A hot meal and shower plus a warm bed in a private room.”

For dozens of children, I arranged temp shelter while they and social services worked things out.

Another thing victims of trafficking have in common is that the majority (around 70%) enter the sex trade as juveniles.
In the the US, the average age is between 12-15. All of them travel by bus. How many of you knew that?
It’s been in plain sight for decades!
#SaveOurChildren