Former victim warns of human trafficking signs | Local | journalgazette.net

Human trafficking survivor Keeya Vawar hopes those who heard her speak Saturday left with greater awareness of an illicit multi-billion-dollar industry that thrives on victimizing people the world over.

The Dallas, Texas woman also hopes the audience took away an understanding of some of the warning signs that could indicate a person is at risk of being trafficked, and some actionable steps that can be taken to keep families safe.

Vawar published a book in 2022 about her experience as a sex trafficking victim in the 1990s at the hands of an Atlanta-based music producer.

Representatives from the Indiana Trafficking Victims Assistance Program, as well as local mental health providers and community advocates were also on hand at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Fort Wayne to discuss resources for people who are at risk of falling victim to human trafficking.

“We need to get more awareness out to these young people and their parents and caregivers so they're mindful of the signs, symptoms and the risks,” Tamara Files of CM Heart2Soul said.

Files, along with Crystal Kelly, a counselor with The Society of Black Mental Health Professionals, organized Saturday's event, which was sponsored by the nonprofits.

Human trafficking involves the use of force, fraud or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Every year, millions of men, women, and children are trafficked worldwide. It can happen in any community and victims can be any age, race, gender, or nationality. Traffickers might use violence, manipulation, false promises of high-paying jobs and romantic relationships to lure victims into trafficking situations, the department's website states.

“The trauma caused by the traffickers can be so great that many may not identify themselves as victims or ask for help, even in highly public settings,” it says.

Human trafficking is widespread and is particularly concerning for Indiana because of the state's position near the center of the country. Yet the issue isn't often discussed at the local level, Vawar said.

“A lot of people have buried their heads in the sand about the issue, because it's a nasty issue,” Vawar said. “There's a lot of shame and embarrassment that comes along with even a city admitting that this is a problem.”

Raising that awareness and easing the stigma that sometimes surrounds victims is why the group wanted to highlight the issue, Kelly said.

“I think a lot of people are ashamed. They don't want to be judged or they don't want people to know about what's happened to them, especially in our city,” she said. “That's why we want to bring it to the forefront.”

Vawar became a victim of sex trafficking after running away in 1991 at the age of 16 to escape an abusive home life. She managed to leave her traffickers in 1997 and spent the last 25 years on healing. While she was embraced her own power, she also as worked to raise public awareness of trafficking.

Human trafficking is a $150 billion worldwide industry, Vawar said. And the methods traffickers and predators use to identify, locate and entice their victims are becoming more sophisticated. Traffickers frequently lurk on various social media apps and websites; some can even use geolocation services attached to pictures and videos, posted online from mobile devices, to pinpoint a potential victim's exact location, Vawar said.

“Not only do they have immediate access to their victims from the internet, but they also have immediate access to a wealth of information about those victims, such as what they look like, what their interests are, whether they're happy or not,” she said. “They're watching your profile trying to figure out how they can track you, how they can exploit you, how they can get to you.”

In 2020, 83% of active sex trafficking cases involved online solicitation, Vawar said. Victims were found using Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat, she said.

It's important to note that strangers make up only a small percentage of traffickers, Vawar said. In Indiana, most victims – about 36% – are trafficked by immediate family members. Boyfriends or girlfriends account for 27% of traffickers, while family friends and strangers make up about 14% and 9% of traffickers respectively.

The demographic at highest risk of falling victim to traffickers are middle-school-aged children, said Genevieve Meyers, coalition development coordinator for the Indiana Trafficking Victims Assistance Program.

“The predator is not always the grubby looking guy on the street corner,” Files said. “It can be the people from the school, the church, from the community, which is unfortunate but it needs to be talked about.”

The warning signs that a loved one might be in danger include something as abstract as a gut feeling and more concrete signs such as sudden lifestyle changes, the receipt of odd gifts or relationships with large age differences, especially in relationships involving minor children, Vawar said.

Vawar encouraged parents to talk to their kids, not just about trafficking, but about their lives, their peers and their relationships. She also encouraged young people in the audience Saturday to speak up if they believe someone is acting inappropriately toward them. The entire community should be on the lookout for people who would target young, vulnerable people, she said.

“When you have the community at different levels – the church, the schools, the businesses, the average citizen – patrolling and taking care of their neighborhoods with awareness,” there can be an impact, she said.