MUSKEGON, Mich. — It’s an issue that’s happening worldwide and right here in our own backyard. We’re talking about child sex trafficking. There are some misconceptions about how kids may become victims.
Child sex trafficking is difficult to discuss, but it's necessary, especially when it comes to how kids become victims in the first place.
Rita Caviness with the Hope Project says oftentimes kids who are vulnerable are targeted and taken advantage of. What may come off as someone being nice is actually called grooming — before they ask for something in return.
“What that kid thinks is that they're boyfriend and girlfriend, and then all of a sudden the water bill is due … and that person says, 'If you love me, you'll go and deal with someone just once,'” said Caviness.
She adds eventually before they know what they’re doing, it becomes a vicious cycle. It’s not the typical scenario shown in movies and TV shows but a real one that’s happening right in front of us.
“I think a lot of people think it's kidnapping, being taken somewhere with handcuffs, and the reality is that these people are walking among us,” said Sara Johnson, executive director at the Hope Project.
She says the issue is happening in West Michigan, with a number of arrests in the past decade.
Eddie Jackson was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for recruiting teenage girls to work as child prostitutes in Muskegon from July to August of 2012. Those girls were in the 8th, 9th and 10th grades.
Michael Clayton out of Battle Creek is serving a life sentence for holding an underage girl – who had been a runaway – captive in a home while forcing her to have sex and consume hard drugs.
“It's an issue because it's happening; we have kids that are being used in child pornography, local kids who are being used and then the reality is that we don't want it happening here,” said Johnson.
The Hope Project helps victims of sex trafficking and serve women and girls as young as 11 years old. Johnson says around 15 sex trafficking survivors they’re helping right now are minors, and 130 of them are adult women.
Many of those women were trafficked in their youth. It's an issue that she says can be prevented with the help of the community.
READ MORE: Kalamazoo training session spotlights steps to prevent human trafficking
“The community can get M.A.D. about the issue, which stands for mentoring, advocating and donating, because we don't exist if we don't have donations coming into our organization,” said Johnson.
That’s one big way that people can make an impact, by giving what they can financially and also giving their time. Also, being willing to confront a tough topic head-on to learn more and help those who need it most.
If you’re in need of help or would like to help, you can check out the Hope Project here.
You can also donate to their Hygiene Pantry for sex trafficking victims. Right now, they are in need of liquid dish soap, full-size shampoo, full-size conditioner, laundry detergent pods or detergent sheets.
You can drop items off at 1516 Peck St. in Muskegon. Please call the office at 231-747-8555 (ext. 28) prior to dropping off donations.
