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Ok this? This is bullshit: a thread. https://nypost.com/2021/01/23/33-missing-children-rescued-during-trafficking-probe-in-ca/?utm_source=twitter_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site%20buttons&utm_campaign=site%20buttons via @nypost
33 children were NOT rescued from human trafficking. Not even close. 8 minors were being "sexually exploited." We have no idea what this means - likely survival sex work for many who have been failed by the social safety net. The others?
Working with a list of minors who had ever, at any point been reported missing, were either found in a safe situation, were the subjects of a custodial dispute, or were ARRESTED on non-violent charges like probation violation. Why are these headlines like this so bad?
First of all, they are lies. They contribute to the hysteria around child trafficking by suggesting 33 children were found, in one situation, being sold for sex against their will. We see these kind of press releases a lot and they are dangerous. Like this one:
A press release from the US Marshals, was quoted, unchecked, that 39 children had rescued from sex trafficking in Georgia. This led to widespread rumors that 39 children had been saved from a single sex ring operating out of a double wide trailer. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-marshals-find-39-missing-children-georgia-operation-not-forgotten/
This led to thousands of reposts of this meme on Facebook and Instagram:
The facts? Nobody was found in a double wide trailer. Nobody knows where that detail came from. Of the 39 children 26 were found safe. Others were victims of custodial disputes. Some were found with in living situations with sex offenders. And then there's Trevontae Shareef.
Trevontae, 21 was living with his 17-year-old gf, and his mom's bf, Kirk Waters. Trevontae was charged w interference with custody and obstruction. Police found a handgun in the house so Waters was charged with possession of a firearm by a felon. These are not sex crimes.
The @ajc did some excellent reporting on this. https://www.ajc.com/news/crime/feds-cobbled-criminal-cases-together-in-missing-children-operation-creating-false-perception/DKRQC2SVVRBCLNOPQ5DBIVTMHM/
There are more. So many more. But with all the hand wringing about how people could possibly be ensnared by conspiracy theories like Q? Well - law enforcement, lazy reporting, and a fundamental lack of education around sex work is a big part.
