Tag Archives: Human Trafficking

Voices of Freedom: Liz Midkiff – Part 4

Hard Truths: Survivor Liz Midkiff reveals dangerous misconceptions about human trafficking

Liz Midkiff has spent half a decade educating youth and adults on the hard truths – and misconceptions – of human trafficking (Courtesy, pxhere.com)


By Deborah Reed

WKTV Managing Editor

deborah@wktv.org


TRIGGER WARNING: This article contains sensitive information about violence and rape that may be distressing or traumatic for some individuals.


Liz Midkiff, human trafficking survivor and ambassador for Women at Risk, International (Courtesy, WAR, Int’l)

WAR Ambassador and human trafficking survivor Liz Midkiff has spent half a decade educating youth and adults on the hard truths – and misconceptions – of human trafficking.

“A lot of people want to fight trafficking, but they don’t know how because information is so vague,” says Midkiff.

Midkiff’s own journey began at 15-years-old when she went on a mission trip to Thailand. Part of that trip involved visiting the red light district and understanding what human trafficking truly meant. Midkiff left Thailand believing God had called her to fight against trafficking.

However, three years later, Midkiff found herself a victim of sex trafficking – and it looked nothing like what she had seen in Thailand.

“People are just given vague information. They have no idea – what does it actually look like in America?”

Kidnapping vs. Grooming

In America, 3% of trafficking victims are kidnapped, but 90-95% are groomed by someone the victim knows. WAR S.T.A.N.D. classes, formulated by Midkiff and WAR founder Rebecca McDonald, focus on both aspects.

Liz Midkiff with her two sons. Due to the physical damage inflicted during her time of captivity, she believed she would never be able to have children. (Courtesy, Midkiff)

“In the classes…we talk about what is safe. What does safe feel like, what does safe look like?

“We talk about stranger danger, but we also talk about danger with people we know. What happens when family and friends are not safe? You’ve got to give the kids options, but you also have to give them what is safe and what’s not safe.”

According to the Children’s Advocacy Project, grooming is defined as “when someone builds a relationship, trust and emotional connection with a child or young person so they can manipulate, exploit and abuse them.”

Grooming is a deliberate process and can take place over minutes, weeks or years, and can happen in person and online. Many groomers also build relationships with family and friends of their target so they appear trustworthy or authoritative.

Midkiff says this is confusing to adults and is often asked to explain what grooming looks like.

“A lot of people have a lot of basic knowledge of what trafficking is, but they don’t know what it looks like or what to even do if they see it,” said Midkiff. “That’s where I feel I can help.”

Taking a S.T.A.N.D.

“I created the S.T.A.N.D. classes because that was something that was really important to me as a mom [and] because I can teach them real-life experience.”

(Courtesy, WAR, Int’l)

Midkiff’s S.T.A.N.D. classes begin at 5-years-old because kids understand the concepts of safety and right vs. wrong. However, Midkiff has noticed that many parents avoid talking to their children about trafficking because they believe it will scare them.

“I think adults are more scared than the kids are,” said Midkiff.

Knowledge and preparation help combat that fear.

Prevention: Discretion

Social media discretion – such as abstaining from posting naked pictures of children, or where they go to school – is a preventative measure that can be taken immediately after birth.

Another discretionary action that Midkiff personally implements is having children wear full clothing when in public.

Prevention: Knowledge

Liz Midkiff with her oldest son (Courtesy, Midkiff)

While at a playground with her 5-year-old son, a man sat down and began talking to Midkiff. She had noticed him around the playground and assumed he worked there. He did not.

At one point, the man lifted his shirt, without Midkiff’s consent, to show off his tattoos. Midkiff’s son noticed and ran over, inserting himself between the two adults and refusing to leave, stating it was not safe for his mother.

“He’s five,” said Midkiff. “He was not scared. He was empowered, and he knew exactly what to do. He knew the signs, and he knew what that looked like…because of the class he took one time.”

Midkiff believes educating children when they are young is an excellent form of prevention. Numerous women have approached Midkiff saying, I’ve lived with being molested as a child for 60 years because I didn’t know that didn’t happen to everybody else. I didn’t know what to do.

“If we can get the kids when they’re kids, they don’t have to wait till they’re 60 to have the realization there was something they could have done,” said Midkiff.

Prevention: Recognition

Not only will children be able to help themselves, they will be able to recognize signs of grooming and/or trafficking of others around them.

“If [my son is] doing this stuff at five, when he’s [older] he’s going to know if his 15-year-old friend has a bad boyfriend or a trafficker,” said Midkiff. “And he’s going to know what to do.

Knowing the difference is important, because those situations can look very similar. Midkiff cites sextortion as an example.

Fraud and coercion

While sending naked pictures of yourself to someone you are in a relationship with is not smart, it is not illegal. However, if that relationship ends and the other person sells those pictures to friends, or uses those pictures against you – threatening to show them to others unless you do certain things – it creates a completely different situation.

“Now he’s manipulating you, he’s coercing you,” said Midkiff, adding that it’s confusing to many people because the entire situation began as a consensual relationship. “When I do my class, I talk about force fraud and coercion; that is what makes something trafficking.”

Kids grooming kids

Rebecca McDonald (left), thanks Midkiff’s five-year-old son for raising $300 to provide one month in a safehouse for a trafficking survivor (Courtesy, WAR, Int’l)

Midkiff’s five-year-old son was recently groomed at a mall by another boy.

The 12-year-old boy approached Midkiff’s son and repeatedly asked if he wanted to come outside to the playground. Despite moving to other areas of the store, the boy persisted, even inserting himself between Midkiff and her son.

“He was trying to separate me from my son,” said Midkiff. “He was grooming him: ‘I like your car, do you like to play on the playground?’ It was innocent kid talk, but did it make sense? No, it didn’t. He didn’t have his mother [with him], and young boys don’t follow other women to the underwear department.”

As Midkiff left with her son, she noticed two older men waiting for that 12-year-old boy at the front doors.

If Midkiff had not been paying attention, she may not have noticed the boy’s grooming tactics. And her young son might have gone with him.

“That’s how it happens,” said Midkiff. “It’s not just snatching them from the store. You can lure him anywhere with a toy. Those are things to look for. And those are the kind of situations I teach.”

Prevention: Be observant, ask questions

Many victims want to ask for help but are afraid of putting someone else in danger (Courtesy photo)

Midkiff says simply being observant can prevent trafficking.

Despite going to a doctor several times while being trafficked, not one nurse or doctor questioned her about obvious evidence of violence.

One friend commented on bruises on Midkiff’s arms. Midkiff sarcastically said that she fell down the stairs – while desperately hoping the girl would ask more questions, offer a place to stay or a phone number to call if Midkiff needed anything.

“She knew there was something else there, and she chose not to ask more questions because she thought I was being standoffish. Why was I being standoffish? Because I didn’t want to put her in danger.”

Many people, however, don’t even know what to look for.

“People say, look for someone who looks malnourished. Well, 70% of the people you see might look malnourished. Maybe their parents don’t feed them, or they have an eating disorder, or they’re struggling artists.”

Midkiff has developed a three-strike rule.

Simply being observant could save someone’s life (Courtesy photo)

“If three things look out of place then I will make the call to the human trafficking hotline number,” said Midkiff, citing an instance when she saw a woman enter an urgent care with a girl who bore a barcode tattoo on the back of her neck.

That tattoo was an automatic red flag for Midkiff. And since 60% of traffickers are women, there was no guarantee the woman was the girl’s mother.

That was enough for Midkiff; she called WAR.

“There were 20 people in that urgent care. Do you think anybody else thought of that? I doubt it. Because nobody even knew that’s what to look for. To me, it was literally sitting right in front of me.”

Traffickers move victims around often to confuse them and prevent them from being able to tell anyone where they are. If someone doesn’t know where they are going or where they are coming from, it is a red flag.

“Even my five-year-old knows where he lives. But some of these girls, they’re being transported every six days, and possibly to different states.”

Comply vs. Consent

To freeze is a normal response to trauma and does not mean the victim did something wrong (Courtesy photo)

Midkiff also teaches the difference between comply and consent.

Teaching a child to say no is important. However, our bodies have at least three different responses to trauma: fight, flight and freeze.

If a child does not say no when faced with a traumatic situation, it is not because they did something wrong, it is because their body shut down – which is a normal reaction, said WAR founder Rebecca McDonald.

“To freeze is a normal, actually healthy, response to trauma. You’re trying to be quiet and not bring attention to yourself.”

That does not, McDonald continued, mean you were consenting.

If being robbed, we are taught to put our personal safety first – to do as instructed and not resist.

“We’re taught to comply. Not consent, but to comply,” said McDonald. “Trafficking survivors have complied a lot. It just means that they did what it took to stay alive and survive.”

Set aside fear

Midkiff urges parents to set aside uncertainty regarding conversation about trafficking – before it’s too late.

“Trafficking is happening.”


*Read Liz Midkiff’s full survivor story in WKTV’s Voices of Freedom series.


Resources

Women at Risk, International (WAR, Int’l) is knowledgable and has access to resources such as Homeland Security and the FBI. WAR also provides wraparound services which provide survivors with additional needed help and life skills.

Women at Risk, International can be reached by phone at 616-855-0796, toll free at 877 END-SLAVERY (363-7528), or via email at info@warinternational.org. You can also reach them via their website contact form.

*In an emergency, call 911.

– If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline. It is a free, 24/7 service that offers confidential and multilingual support, information and local resources for victims, survivors, and witnesses of human trafficking.

The hotline can be reached:

– If you believe a child is involved, contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST or www.cybertipline.com, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

– Additional resources can be found here: Trafficking Resources.

(Courtesy, WAR, Int’l)

Voices of Freedom: Liz Midkiff – Part 3

No matter the cost: Liz Midkiff risked everything to find freedom – and her voice

Human trafficking survivor and WAR, Int’l Ambassador Liz Midkiff is determined to keep others from experiencing the horrors she endured (Courtesy, WAR, Int’l)


By Deborah Reed

WKTV Managing Editor

deborah@wktv.org


TRIGGER WARNING: This article contains sensitive information about violence and rape that may be distressing or traumatic for some individuals.


Liz Midkiff was trafficked for two years before she found a way out. Held captive physically and emotionally, Midkiff finally had enough.

“I finally got out of it by running into the woods,” said Midkiff. “I think I just lost my mind. At one point I’m like, they can kill us all. I’m going to call my dad.”

Midkiff called her father at 4 a.m. and asked him to come get her – immediately. “He didn’t ask any questions. He got me and took me home. They lived four hours away.”

Midkiff was willing to risk everything to regain her freedom (Courtesy, pxhere.com)

Midkiff and her father didn’t talk during the car ride home. In fact, he did not know what he had rescued his daughter from until years later. He simply knew his daughter called, she was frantic, and he needed to go get her.

Though Midkiff received threatening phone calls after she escaped, her traffickers did not want to cross state lines, so she was not in physical danger.

Midkiff stayed with her parents as she began the healing process, describing her parents’ home as her safe house.

“Even if you get somebody out of [trafficking], you’ve got to get them to a place that’s safe or they’re never going to heal,” said Midkiff, adding that many victims do not have a safe place to go to. “I feel really blessed that I had parents that were able to help me.”

Finding hope and purpose

Midkiff’s healing process was long and difficult, mentally and physically.

“I had to have multiple surgeries because people did some ungodly things,” said Midkiff.

Midkiff’s attempts to facilitate healing were not easy – but she did not give up (Courtesy, pxhere.com)

The mental and emotional side of healing was difficult for many reasons.

“It wasn’t easy because I didn’t even know I was trafficked until years later,” Midkiff admitted, adding that she was continually told she simply had “bad boyfriends” and that her experiences happen to everyone. “I didn’t know there was an actual name for it.”

It wasn’t until she heard trafficking talked about on television that Midkiff realized: This is what happened to me.

Armed with that knowledge, Midkiff attempted to facilitate healing by talking with various therapists, but did not find it helpful.

“Most therapists have no idea what trafficking is,” said Midkiff. “They have no idea how to speak to a survivor.”

Midkiff found herself struggling with deep-seated anger as she sought meaning in what happened to her. “I just wanted to have meaning to what happened. I wanted to make sense of it, and I wanted purpose in my life.”

Eventually, Midkiff found a Christian counselor who asked where her journey first began. Midkiff explained about her mission trip to Thailand and the call she felt from God to fight trafficking. The counselor then asked Midkiff: “Do you think it’s a possibility that Satan heard that goal too, and he wanted to try to bring you down because you have something so powerful to say?”

Midkiff felt like a switch had been flipped.

“When I felt like I had a call on my life, I feel like that was from God. Three years later, I just happened to be trafficked myself.

Midkiff refused to let guilt and anger rule her life (Courtesy, WAR, Int’l)

“I feel that Satan tried to bring me down with the one thing I was supposed to fight. That there is something that I have to say that is so powerful, he just wanted to destroy it.”

For years, Midkiff did keep silent. “I didn’t want to talk about it. If I can’t even protect myself, how can I help other people?”

As Midkiff struggled with survivor’s guilt over escaping the trafficking business while others remained victims, Midkiff’s husband echoed the suggestion that Midkiff might have something to say.

“Maybe you have something that needs to be said, and so you need to use that to fight it,” Midkiff’s husband told her. “Instead of in anger, fight it by helping other people.”

Midkiff began seeing other survivors lead programs and meetings and was intrigued.

“Hearing from other survivors, how powerful their story is and how they can help others with what they went through, I thought, I have that. There are so many things that could be said about what happened to me.”

A lifelong journey of healing

Aspects of her physical trauma remain with Midkiff even now – and she refuses to be silenced about those experiences.

“To this day, I don’t sleep in a bed,” said Midkiff. “And if I do, I don’t sleep.

“I’ve been out of this for 15 years now, but to this day, I will wake up so tense I won’t be able to move, or I’ll have nightmares the whole night. I either sleep in a chair, or I sleep on the floor.”

Midkiff’s husband Roger (right) patiently won her trust and love (Courtesy, Midkiff)

When she married her husband, Roger slept on a couch and Midkiff slept on the floor.

“Eventually he just slept on the floor with me. He’s a big guy, so it shows his love, to be able to come down to my level.”

The fact that Midkiff was able to trust someone enough to marry was a monumental hurdle in its own right – and it took time.

“We would just hang out, [and] he became my best friend. He was different from every guy I’ve ever met.”

But even friendship didn’t come easily for Midkiff.

“I didn’t have friends. It’s still hard for me to make friends. I didn’t trust anybody. It was just me and my dog. I was very much a loner, and my husband very much pursued me, but in a friendship sort of way.”

When Midkiff’s dog died, Roger was there to support her.

“My dog had been through all of that with me. When he died, it was like my life was falling apart. But then Roger would just be there, just hang out with me as a normal person. He was never forceful, he was never weird.

“And I realized this is how people are supposed to be. I think that helped me be able to laugh again and be able to have fun.”

When Roger said he wanted to date Midkiff, she revealed everything in her past, fully expecting him to walk away.

It took time for Midkiff to trust that not all relationships are transactional (Courtesy, Midkiff)

“He didn’t leave,” said Midkiff. “He hugged me and said, ‘None of this was ever your fault.’ That was a turning point.”

But obstacles remained.

Because Midkiff’s experiences with men were entirely transactional, certain aspects of her relationship with Roger were difficult. When Roger took her hand or bought her flowers, Midkiff  was instantly transported back to her past and became angry, asking what he wanted from her.

“During dating – and even marriage – there was a lot of ironing out of those things,” said Midkiff.

A large part of her healing came from turning back to her Christian faith.

“When [the trafficking] was actually happening, I would say I turned away from it, especially when the church rejected me,” said Midkiff. “That was my final straw. I had a nice little showdown with God in the car, actually. I still believed in Him, but didn’t want anything to do with Him.”

However, Midkiff could see God at work through specific instances where she was shielded from harm by people who said God sent them to protect her.

As Midkiff tried to make sense of why she went through being trafficked, she found purpose in her faith – and found her voice.

Taking a S.T.A.N.D

Midkiff says every step she takes toward speaking out has solidified her belief that God has called her to fight human trafficking.

Liz Midkiff, human trafficking survivor and WAR, Int’l Ambassador (right) with Rebecca McDonald, Founder and Executive Director of WAR, Int’l (Courtesy, WAR, Int’l)

“Things are happening,” said Midkiff. “The S.T.A.N.D class, different situations I’ve had talking to people, and seeing people freed from shame they felt. People only I would have been able to talk to.

“If you talk to another survivor, it means something different because they understand. I think it’s helped me a lot with my anger and guilt.”

Midkiff began speaking at public events – and happened to share her story at a Women At Risk, International CFR event where founder Rebecca McDonald was in attendance. The next day, McDonald invited Midkiff to speak at more WAR events.

Midkiff has worked with the nonprofit for the past five years, finding she fits well into the role of speaker. And Midkiff’s voice is having a powerful effect.

“Working with WAR, I can speak for survivors, and I can help them.”

Knowledge and preparation are vital

For the past five years, Midkiff has been sharing her story to help others recognize and prevent human trafficking. However, she only shared her story at WAR events. In April 2023, Midkiff took a leap of faith and shared her story on Facebook for the first time.

Midkiff uses her personal knowledge and everything she has learned to protect others (Courtesy, WAR, Int’l)

But she wants to do more.

Knowledge and recognition of what human trafficking truly consists of is vital in preventing trafficking. However, even if Midkiff had been prepared, she knew her trafficker for six months, and he seemed trustworthy. How could she have known she was entering a dangerous situation?

What would have made a difference, Midkiff said, was having knowledge of how to get out of that situation. “It’s not just how to prevent it but, if this happens to you or your friends, what can you do?”

Knowledge of what trafficking actually looks like is also important.

Midkiff observed that people have a basic knowledge of what trafficking is, but don’t know what it looks like or what to do if they see it. And most people don’t know what grooming means in the trafficking world.

“That’s where I feel I can help,” said Midkiff. “And WAR is such a big help to people because every trafficking case is different and we have the resources, we have the knowledge to back it up. We have Homeland Security, we have the FBI, we have all these things that maybe the everyday person doesn’t have.”

An ambassador for truth

Midkiff works to educate both children and adults about trafficking (Courtesy, WAR, Int’l)

As an ambassador for WAR, Midkiff’s ministry is funded through the generosity of supporters. Her passion for protecting children from trafficking keeps her continually seeking ministry opportunities.

“I created the S.T.A.N.D. classes because that was something that was really important to me as a mom.”

S.T.A.N.D. classes are available for children as young as 5-years-old and contain age appropriate material regarding safe relationships, stranger danger, private parts and personal privacy. Teen classes may include content about drugs, money, phones and social media.

However, Midkiff has noticed many parents avoid talking to their children about trafficking because they believe it will scare them.

Midkiff has already begun teaching her oldest son (left) about appropriate interactions and relationships (Courtesy, Midkiff)

“I think adults are more scared than the kids are,” said Midkiff, adding that even if they do talk to their kids, there are things parents would not know about.

“What I do is so new, and such a hard topic, that people are a little apprehensive about having me come out. So [I’m] just trying to be bold, stepping out and fighting for kids now because the media is certainly fighting to get your kids right now. Trafficking is happening.”

While Midkiff may never fully make sense of what happened to her, “I’ve come to the peace of: it happened. For whatever reason it happened, I have something to say that needs to be said. And that drives me to seek out these opportunities.”


*Continue reading Liz Midkiff’s survivor story and misconceptions about human trafficking in part four of her Voices of Freedom series, coming to WKTV Journal on Jan. 27, 2025.


Take a S.T.A.N.D.

Liz Midkiff, human trafficking survivor and WAR, Int’l ambassador will lead the S.T.A.N.D. classes (Courtesy, WAR, Int’l)

WAR, Int’l is hosting two S.T.A.N.D. classes on Jan. 25 at the WAR Chest Boutique in Wyoming.

Created and designed by Liz Midkiff and Rebecca McDonald, these classes are teach safety awareness, trafficking signs, age appropriate communications/actions, and more.

– The Kids S.T.A.N.D. Session will be held from 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. for children ages 5-10 years old.

– The Teen S.T.A.N.D. Session will be held from 12:30 – 2 p.m. for youth ages 11-17 years old.

More details and registration information can be found here.



Resources

*In an emergency, call 911.

– If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline. It is a free, 24/7 service that offers confidential and multilingual support, information and local resources for victims, survivors, and witnesses of human trafficking.

The hotline can be reached:

– If you believe a child is involved, contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST or www.cybertipline.com, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

– Additional resources can be found here: Trafficking Resources.

Women at Risk, International (WAR, Int’l) can be reached by phone at 616-855-0796, toll free at 877 END-SLAVERY (363-7528), or via email at info@warinternational.org. You can also reach them via their website contact form.

Wedgwood’s Manasseh Project to offer FREE educational screening, conversation with human trafficking survivor on Jan. 22

Watch the trailer for the educational documentary “Nameless,” courtesy of Wedgwood Christian Services and Sacred Beginnings


By Deborah Reed

WKTV Managing Editor

deborah@wktv.org


Wedgwood Christian Services’ (WCS) Manasseh Project is inviting the public to join them for a free screening of the educational documentary titled Nameless on Jan. 22 at 5:30 p.m.

Following the screening will be conversation with trafficking survivor Leslie King, Founder and President of Sacred Beginnings, and Marie Brown, House Supervisor at the WCS Manasseh Project residential home, on the realities of human trafficking.

A huge disconnect

“Wedgwood started our Manasseh Project early in the 2010s and has continued to make sure that our community is bringing awareness around the issue of sex trafficking,” said Kori Thompson, WCS Advancement and Development Community Officer.

Thompson went on to say that the Manasseh Project was founded due to severe misconceptions regarding human trafficking.

(Courtesy, WCS)

“What we saw was this huge disconnect of people in our community not understanding that this was happening here – especially to young children – and yet having a residential home of victims of human trafficking,” said Thompson. “Over 10 years later, we are still finding that misconception.

“This is very real. This is real in our community, these are things that young people face. How can we, as a community, protect our children, protect these women, who are really victims in these scenarios.”

The “Film & Freedom: A Documentary & Discussion on Human Trafficking” event is a way to provide the community with resources and educate individuals on trafficking warning signs.

The screening of Nameless, an educational documentary, will reveal harsh realities surrounding human trafficking and how it begins.

“It’s really a survivor’s perspective,” said Thompson. “How they would be brought into that lifestyle, what happens, and some of the statistics around sex trafficking.”

A wealth of experience

Speakers Leslie King and Marie Brown will be bringing a wealth of personal and professional experience to the screening and discussion.

A survivor of human trafficking, King founded the nonprofit organization Sacred Beginnings in 2005 to provide residential housing to victims of human trafficking and resources for support and recovery to those exiting the trafficking lifestyle.

(Courtesy photo)

“[King] does an incredible job through her program,” said Thompson. “She has been an amazing activist in the community for a very long time.”

The partnership between Sacred Beginnings and WCS has given King the ability to offer a therapeutic element by providing a WCS therapist who works closely with King’s recovery program.

The Manasseh Project provides community and professional education, collaboration advocacy and treatment to individuals who have experienced sexual and commercial exploitation. Brown has served as house supervisor at the Manasseh Project residential home for over 20 years and oversees all residential home programming.

Perception and knowledge

Millions are victims of trafficking, and many of those victims are children (Courtesy, WCS)

“Film & Freedom” will be held at Wealthy Theatre in Grand Rapids.

The doors will open at 5:30 p.m. with the documentary screening beginning at 6 p.m. Interviews and discussion will begin at 7:15 p.m. with an opportunity for attendees to ask questions beginning at 8:15 p.m.

Free ticket and event registration can be found here.

Thompson said she hopes “Film & Freedom” attendees walk away with two things: a change in perspective and an awareness of the importance of educating oneself about human trafficking and sexual exploitation.

“I hope it changes their perspective of what would bring someone into this situation and how we, as a society, can best help them,” said Thompson. “I think we hold a lot of assumptions and preconceived ideas and, quite frankly, judgment. Judging someone in this situation is not going to be the best way to help them.

“By changing your perspective on what this looks like, you can hopefully change the narrative and offer healing to victims. Because that’s what they are – victims and survivors.”

In regard to education, Thompson believes that “when you know better, you can educate others.”

“Ultimately, when we can educate our community on these vital signs of what is happening in our community, they can call it out,” said Thompson. “Then we are all advocates working together for the goal of stopping human sex trafficking.”

A unique twist

Building face-to-face connections can help individuals know where to go if they need help (Courtesy, pxhere.com)

The “Film & Freedom” event is unique in that WCS will be bringing in several community organizations in addition to Sacred Beginnings.

Safe Haven Ministries and Silent Observer will be featured at the event. Local boutique, Crowned Free, will also be in attendance with items available for purchase. A percentage of the Crowned Free profit is given back to support victims of human trafficking.

“All of these [organizations/resources] are a way to not only educate our community, but also show our community that these are the resources we have available,” said Thompson. “If something happens, these are the people on the front lines doing the work.

“We want to make sure we’re having that face-to-face connection with these other amazing organizations as well because it truly takes everyone to do this type of work.”

Learn more!

Learn more about the Manasseh Project here.

More information about Leslie King, her journey, and Sacred Beginnings can be found here.

Voices of Freedom: Liz Midkiff – Part 2

“The Discount Girl”: Trafficking survivor Liz Midkiff reveals horrors endured while in captivity

A two-year cycle of sexual, physical and mental abuse as a sex trafficking victim had begun for Liz Midkiff (Courtesy, pxhere.com)


By Deborah Reed

WKTV Managing Editor

deborah@wktv.org


TRIGGER WARNING: This article contains sensitive information about violence and rape that may be distressing or traumatic for some individuals.


After agreeing to go on a date with a man she had known for six months, Liz Midkiff was knocked unconscious and woke in a hotel room to find she was being gang-raped by ten men.

A two-year cycle of sexual, physical and mental abuse as a sex trafficking victim had begun.

Nowhere to turn

The day after the incident in the hotel room, Midkiff debated whether to call the police. The man who trafficked her was a police academy trainee, and she doubted they would believe her.

Midkiff needed protection – but no longer knew who to trust (Courtesy, pxhere.com)

In the end, Midkiff did call the police.

An officer came to her house but told Midkiff they could not find the man who trafficked her. Midkiff offered to tell him where he lived, worked, even what car he drove.

The officer insisted they could not find him – then offered to take her out on a date.

Midkiff was in an impossible situation, unable to seek refuge from people who were supposed to protect her.

“So I ended up going in the other direction,” said Midkiff. “If you can’t trust the people that you’re supposed to trust, then you start looking for other outlets.

“That led me down a road of trusting the wrong people. People that basically protect you against other people. You just have to do stuff for them to protect you.”

Isolated – in more ways than one

One trafficker held Midkiff captive at knifepoint for hours as a way to mentally break her down.

“He held me down in a car in a Kroger parking lot with my arms behind my back for hours,” said Midkiff, adding that he held a knife to her throat the entire time. “For hours he was screaming at me…until I finally said the things he wanted me to say.”

Trafficking victims are often held captive by threats of violence (Courtesy, pxhere.com)

During those hours in that car, Midkiff wondered why no one intervened on her behalf. After all, they were in a public place.

“This wasn’t happening in someone’s dirty basement,” said Midkiff. “A lot of these things happened in public places.”

A misconception of human trafficking victims is that they are weak and too scared to ask for help. Midkiff said victims can ask for help – but they won’t.

“I felt like anybody I talked to was potentially being put in danger,” said Midkiff. “They had already hurt me, so why wouldn’t I think that they would hurt someone else? They started threatening my family. Not only that they would kill them, but how they would kill them. They would threaten my friends, who [the traffickers] had met.”

This was all possible, Midkiff said, because her co-worker had groomed her. He spent six months finding out who Midkiff’s family and friends were, as well as what made her vulnerable and scared.

Attempting to protect her family and friends, Midkiff cut off contact with them – effectively isolating herself.

A chain of abuse

Midkiff found herself at the mercy of a chain of traffickers as her body was sold repeatedly.

When she looks back, wondering how she continually ended up with people who abused her, Midkiff realized she was introduced to them by people she trusted.

“People I thought I could trust were like, ‘Hey you should work here. They’ll help you, they’ll protect you,’” said Midkiff, adding that her new employer would then begin trafficking her. “They all knew each other. It was all part of the game.”

That “game” viewed Midkiff as nothing more than property.  Because of this, many trafficking victims are forced to get branded in the form of a tattoo.

Trafficking victims are viewed as nothing more than property to their traffickers, and many are physically branded for life (Courtesy, pxhere.com)

“A lot of tattoos are actually bar codes, and they scan you in like a piece of meat,” said Midkiff. “Or they will say ‘property of‘ and have the name of the pimp – so when you’re done being raped, they make sure you get taken back to the right person. You’re their property.”

Midkiff said she was fortunate to never receive a tattoo, but those survivors who do are forced to see it every day when they look in the mirror.

Turned away – and turned back in

When Midkiff found herself in a particularly dangerous situation, an employer offered to let Midkiff stay at his house.

“He then locked me in a room for days while guys paid to come have sex with me in this room,” Midkiff said.

It was during this time that Midkiff decided to run. One Sunday morning, she jumped from a window and ran until she found a car. Midkiff immediately drove to a church, confident she would find help.

Each time Midkiff sought help, the result was the same (Courtesy, pxhere.com)

“I’m running to the doors of this church, like in a movie,” said Midkiff. “And these two men in suits – they shut the door in my face.”

Midkiff was frantic as she begged to be let inside while looking over her shoulder to see if she had been followed by her trafficker. Yet the men refused to let her inside, saying she was not dressed for church.

Desperate, Midkiff approached a man who appeared wealthy, thinking his money and connections would influence people to help her. After hearing her story, the man asked for the names of Midkiff’s traffickers. When she told him, he informed her that he knew them.

“He brought me right back to them,” said Midkiff. “And he said, ‘No, this is what you’re worth.’”

Each time Midkiff sought help, the result was the same.

“I couldn’t go to the police, couldn’t go to the church, couldn’t trust friends,” said Midkiff. “So then you feel helpless and hopeless.”

The “Discount Girl”

Not only did Midkiff feel helpless and without hope, she was physically broken.

Midkiff has lifelong physical complications from the abuse she endured (Courtesy, pxhere.com)

“I actually became the Discount Girl because they [physically] broke me,” said Midkiff, explaining that clients were often violent. “I was sold for $9.95 instead of the normal cost. I wasn’t making them as much money.”

One man hung Midkiff on a doorknob by her shoulder blade; her shoulder height will always be uneven as a result.

A visit to the chiropractor revealed a permanently damaged back.

“I saw the pictures of my back, and my back is literally broken,” said Midkiff. “It’s crooked. To this day, I can see that. And that memory of the time that happened will still be there.”

Despite numerous surgeries to repair damage done to her body, Midkiff said she is still unable to sit down comfortably.

“This is why I speak. I like to switch how people think about things. People just think, Yep, somebody got punched in the face. No, it’s things that live with them for the rest of their life.”

No matter the consequences…

But Midkiff refused to live under the control of traffickers for the rest of her life – she wanted freedom.

A day arrived when something inside Midkiff snapped – she’d had enough. And she once again decided to run…no matter the consequences.

*Continue reading Liz Midkiff’s survivor story in part three of her Voices of Freedom series, coming to WKTV Journal on Jan. 20, 2025.


Take a S.T.A.N.D.

Liz Midkiff, human trafficking survivor and WAR, Int’l ambassador will lead the S.T.A.N.D. classes (Courtesy, WAR, Int’l)

WAR, Int’l is hosting two S.T.A.N.D. classes on Jan. 25 at the WAR Chest Boutique in Wyoming.

Created and designed by Liz Midkiff and Rebecca McDonald, these classes are teach safety awareness, trafficking signs, age appropriate communications/actions, and more.

– The Kids S.T.A.N.D. Session will be held from 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. for children ages 5-10 years old.

– The Teen S.T.A.N.D. Session will be held from 12:30 – 2 p.m. for youth ages 11-17 years old.

More details and registration information can be found here.



Resources

*In an emergency, call 911.

– If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline. It is a free, 24/7 service that offers confidential and multilingual support, information and local resources for victims, survivors, and witnesses of human trafficking.

The hotline can be reached:

– If you believe a child is involved, contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST or www.cybertipline.com, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

– Additional resources can be found here: Trafficking Resources.

Women at Risk, International (WAR, Int’l) can be reached by phone at 616-855-0796, toll free at 877 END-SLAVERY (363-7528), or via email at info@warinternational.org. You can also reach them via their website contact form.

Voices of Freedom: Liz Midkiff – Part 1

Human trafficking survivor reveals how her life’s calling turned into a two-year nightmare

(Courtesy photo)


By Deborah Reed

WKTV Managing Editor

deborah@wktv.org


TRIGGER WARNING: This article contains sensitive information about violence and rape that may be distressing or traumatic for some individuals.


A two-month trip to Thailand at age 15 left Liz Midkiff passionate about fighting human trafficking.

At age 18, Midkiff herself was trafficked for two years.

Fifteen years later, human trafficking survivor and Women At Risk, International ambassador Liz Midkiff is giving voice to her story in the hopes that educating others through her own experiences will prevent other children from being subjected to the same horrors.

From perception to reality

During Midkiff’s mission trip to Thailand, she taught English at local universities and learned about Thailand culture. Part of that culture involved the red-light district.

Midkiff believed human trafficking only happened in other countries, not in the United States (Courtesy photo)

“Part of the trip also was to go to the red-light district and learn about what that looked like, and talk to the girls about the safe houses that we had worked with there,” said Midkiff. “We were walking on the streets and I was like, why are there other girls my age standing here in their underwear?”

Women and children were lined up along the street, waiting for people to buy them as their trafficker stood nearby, armed with a gun. Midkiff was flabbergasted, never having seen anything like it in the United States.

“I didn’t understand it because I was 15, and this never happens in America,” said Midkiff. “That’s what I thought: This is what sex trafficking is, and this type of thing only happens in other countries.”

Midkiff’s attention was drawn to a girl who looked about her own age, and asked the translator if she could talk to the girl. “For whatever reason, I just feel like I really need to talk to that girl.”

However, to take the girl off the street meant paying her trafficker so he didn’t lose money. Midkiff was undeterred. She pulled out her Thai money and paid the fee – the equivalent of $2.

But the experience was not what Midkiff expected.

“It’s just a bracelet”

“We got her dinner, but she wouldn’t eat it,” said Midkiff. “She’s just sitting there, swinging her legs, and she’s looking at my bracelet.”

Midkiff had no idea that a simple bracelet could mean so much to a trafficking victim (Courtesy photo)

The bracelet was nothing special, made out of cheap yarn that Midkiff braided together. Yet the girl continued to stare at it. The translator explained that the girl thought the bracelet was beautiful.

Midkiff was confused. “It’s cheap,” Midkiff argued. “It doesn’t have any value; it was $2.”

How much do you think we just paid to take her to dinner? the translator replied.

That simple question hit Midkiff like a lightning bolt, the reality of the situation hitting her full-on. “We took her to dinner, whereas most people would take her and do awful things,” said Midkiff.

“I gave her my bracelet. I ripped it off my hand, handed it to her, and this girl’s face lit up. She went from depressed and sad – she started glowing. From this bracelet.”

Midkiff tried talking the girl into going to a safe house, but the girl refused.

“Whatever the trafficker had over her was stronger than what we could try to convince her of,” said Midkiff. “That made me so upset. How could someone have so much power over someone that they wouldn’t come with us? We have a safe place for her, why wouldn’t she want to come with us?”

Heartbroken, Midkiff eventually returned the girl to her trafficker. “But she came back smiling because I had given her this bracelet.”

Identity is the only thing traffickers cannot fight against (Courtesy photo)

The trafficker argued with the translator, extremely angry. The translator told Midkiff and the mission group they needed to leave and not come back.

“It’s just a bracelet,” protested Midkiff.

“No, it wasn’t just a bracelet,” said the translator. “You gave her an identity, and that is the only thing stronger than what he has over her. You gave her hope, you gave her a way out, you gave her something that made her feel loved and valued, and he can’t beat that.”

At that moment, Midkiff said it felt as if God verbally spoke to her, saying she would be back to fight sex trafficking.

“I looked at that girl, and she looked at me, and it was almost like the movies, where you feel nothing even has to be said,” said Midkiff. “I looked at that trafficker and said, ‘You can’t have her. She’s not yours.’”

From dreams to nightmares

Midkiff and her mission group left, but Midkiff says that will always remain the starting point of her journey.

Her dream of returning to Thailand to fight trafficking, however, was cut short as Midkiff herself became a victim of sex trafficking at age 18.

Midkiff’s dream to fight human trafficking turned into her own personal nightmare (Courtesy photo)

An unexpected adversary

Midkiff had moved from Michigan to another state, four hours from her family and friends. While training at a professional ballet company, she also worked for a well-known corporation.

Midkiff became friends with an established manager at the corporation. She knew him for six months before this manager asked her out on a date.

“A lot of times people have this image of what traffickers look like,” said Midkiff. “They’re thinking it looks like the guy in Thailand who had the big gun.

“You’d never guess it would be a manager at a well-known corporate place that everybody knows.”

Having worked with this man every day for six months, Midkiff believed she knew him well enough to trust him on a date.

“We don’t go on a date,” said Midkiff. “He takes me to a hotel. He hit me over the head, and I woke up to 10 men gang-raping me at this hotel. In America.”

What followed was two years of violent sexual and physical abuse.

*Continue reading Liz Midkiff’s survivor story in part two of her Voices of Freedom series, coming to WKTV Journal on Jan. 13, 2025.


Take a S.T.A.N.D.

Liz Midkiff, human trafficking survivor and WAR, Int’l ambassador will lead the S.T.A.N.D. classes (Courtesy, WAR, Int’l)

WAR, Int’l is hosting two S.T.A.N.D. classes on Jan. 25 at the WAR Chest Boutique in Wyoming.

Created and designed by Liz Midkiff and Rebecca McDonald, these classes are teach safety awareness, trafficking signs, age appropriate communications/actions, and more.

– The Kids S.T.A.N.D. Session will be held from 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. for children ages 5-10 years old.

– The Teen S.T.A.N.D. Session will be held from 12:30 – 2 p.m. for youth ages 11-17 years old.

More details and registration information can be found here.



Resources

*In an emergency, call 911.

– If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline. It is a free, 24/7 service that offers confidential and multilingual support, information and local resources for victims, survivors, and witnesses of human trafficking.

The hotline can be reached:

– If you believe a child is involved, contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST or www.cybertipline.com, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

– Additional resources can be found here: Trafficking Resources.

Women at Risk, International (WAR, Int’l) can be reached by phone at 616-855-0796, toll free at 877 END-SLAVERY (363-7528), or via email at info@warinternational.org. You can also reach them via their website contact form.

Taking a S.T.A.N.D: WAR, Int’l offers teen class on dangers of human trafficking July 13

Women at Risk, International (WAR, Int’l) will lead a teen class on the true nature and dangers of human trafficking (Supplied)


By Deborah Reed

WKTV Managing Editor

deborah@wktv.org


Women at Risk, International (WAR, Int’l) has spent decades providing healing and safe spaces for trafficked women. They also work tirelessly to educate communities about the true nature and dangers of human trafficking.

On July 13, the WAR Chest Boutique in Wyoming will host a teen S.T.A.N.D. class for ages 11-17. The class aims to give the next generation tools they need to stand with confidence against the challenges of the world today.

The teen S.T.A.N.D. session will take place from 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. and is led by Liz Midkiff, WAR, Int’l Ambassador and human trafficking survivor. During the class, attendees will make a handmade bracelet they can take home with them.

Session cost is $10 and includes the class, resources and bracelet. Due to limited space, registration will close at 12 p.m. on Friday, July 12. Parents are welcome to come and observe the class.



(Courtesy, WAR, Int’l)



Created and designed by Midkiff and Rebecca McDonald, founder and President of WAR, Int’l, the S.T.A.N.D. acronym teaches youth safety awareness (S), trafficking signs (T), age appropriateness (A), that it is okay to say no (N), and determination (D).

As a human trafficking survivor, Midkiff has spent the last several years under the guidance of McDonald and WAR, Int’l staff, healing and finding her voice. Both have been found in telling her personal story and educating youth and adults about human trafficking.

Liz’s story

(Courtesy, pxhere.com)

“The number two trafficker is a fake friend, male or female,” said McDonald.

In Midkiff’s case, she was trafficked by the manager at her place of employment.

“He groomed her,” said McDonald. “He got closer and closer to her, and she trusted him because he was her boss. Then he had her move to Tennessee, away from her family. He started trafficking her, and threatened her family.”

Fortunately, Midkiff was able to escape and call her parents. Her father drove through the night to reach Midkiff and bring her home.

Now, Midkiff wants to speak.

“My passion is to help them find their voice.”

“We have many survivors who want to speak,” said McDonald. “They reach a point in their healing where they want to give voice.”

Having watched Midkiff teach her own young son about safe relationships, as well as share her story with older youth, McDonald is confident in the survivor’s ability to teach and bring awareness to this important topic.

“I’ve seen her grow in her ability to share her story,” said McDonald. “She makes it very kid friendly. We’re giving her an opportunity to do that, and to find her voice.”



(Courtesy, WAR, Int’l)



Midkiff recently left a career in banking to take on speaking engagements full-time.

“Our mission is circles of protection, and we’re another concentric circle around her, helping her leave a career in banking and go into this full-time,” said MacDonald. “It’s our delight to help, see her spread her wings and flourish.”

Child and teen S.T.A.N.D. classes

Midkiff teaches two S.T.A.N.D. classes, one for children ages 5-10, and a teen session for ages 11-17. The messages in both classes are tailored to the kids who attend, offer a question and answer period and a craft.

The child class contains age appropriate material regarding safe relationships, stranger danger, private parts and personal privacy.

The teen class material can feature content around drugs, money, phones and social media.

(Courtesy, pxhere.com)

Midkiff also touches on mixed messages regarding stranger danger and complying with a perpetrator versus consenting.

The number one trafficker, said McDonald, is family.

“Kidnapping is 3% of trafficking,” said McDonald. “Stranger danger is a dangerous message by itself because 95% of the time it’s going to be somebody you know.”

Teaching a child to say no is important. However, our bodies have three different responses to trauma: fight, flight and freeze.

If a child does not say no when faced with a traumatic situation, it is not because they did something wrong, it is because their body shut down.

“To freeze is a normal, actually healthy, response to trauma. You’re trying to be quiet and not bring attention to yourself.”

That does not, McDonald continued, mean you were consenting.

“[The class is] a wonderful opportunity to hear from a survivor,” said McDonald. “It’s very practical, and it’s very age appropriate.”

Your story has power

“When it’s your story, no one can argue with you. That’s the power of a survivor,” said McDonald, adding that she urges Midkiff to speak from the heart when telling her story. “What she brings to the table is personal experience, and experience as a mother.”

Midkiff’s story gives hope, something McDonald believes is desperately needed.

“We need to know that there are happy things to get us through brokenness,” said MacDonald. “It’s very addictive when you see women who have been to hell and back put their life back together, rise up, and do something very productive, redemptive and full circle.”


(Courtesy, pxhere.com)

How you can help survivors of human trafficking

Every $300 WAR Int’l sells in product provides a woman a month in a safe house overseas. If a consumer spends $10, they support a woman for a day in the safe house.

Every size contribution creates an impact, whether via donation or shopping.

Class attendees are invited to peruse the boutique before or after the S.T.A.N.D. event to see all the products made by, or sold in support of, at-risk and rescued individuals from around the world.

For additional questions, email info@warchestboutique.com, or call 616-530-1234 and speak to Joy.

Preying on the vulnerable: How to protect yourself and loved ones against human trafficking

Prevent human trafficking through education and understanding (Courtesy, WCS)

By Deborah Reed

WKTV Managing Editor

deborah@wktv.org


Human trafficking is a crime of exploitation that preys on the vulnerable.

This form of crime and abuse claims victims without discrimination. Traffickers will look for vulnerabilities in those of any age, race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, nationality, immigration status, cultural background, religion, socio-economic class, and education level.

Millions are victims of trafficking, and many of those victims are children (Courtesy, pxhere.com)

With approximately 27.6 million victims worldwide at any given time, human traffickers profit at the expense of the victims by compelling them to perform labor or engage in commercial sex.

And the number of human trafficking incidents is rising.

“There’s definitely been an increase in the amount of [trafficking] incidents that have happened over the past several years,” said Kali Jackson, Cook Claus Residential Therapist, WCS. “The big thing that’s coming into play is technology.

“A lot of individuals are experiencing their first grooming incidents online.”

However, many times predators are much closer to home than people realize – and they are targeting children.

Trafficking is highly relational

Traffickers create relationships with their victims first.

“They become friends with them online, or it may even be a loved one or family member – but they have some sort of connection with that client,” said Jackson.

The predator must first know the victim’s needs in order to offer a solution and make the perpetrator appear safe. Often the most susceptible and vulnerable are children.

One of Wedgwood’s Residential Homes (Courtesy, WCS)

“We typically see individuals getting into trafficking between ages 12 and 16,” said Jackson.

Nearly half of child trafficking cases worldwide involve family members, with family involvement in child exploitation almost four times higher than in cases of adult trafficking.

Because of this, children may not recognize themselves as victims.

Even if they do, fear can prevent children from seeking help. Those fears can come from fear of law enforcement, fear of returning to an abusive home, of being deported, or of harm befalling their loved ones. Victims may also feel a sense of guilt or shame that causes them to remain silent.

It is also important to understand that, though many traffickers are male, women can also be perpetrators. Some traffickers work in groups consisting of both men and women.

The common denominator

Lyrics to a song residents wrote together in music therapy (Courtesy, WCS)

Whether a child or an adult, vulnerability remains the common factor.

As the therapist for Wedgwood’s residential home that serves human trafficking victims ages 12-17, Jackson is no stranger to seeing that vulnerability firsthand.

“I’ve been in this position for four years, and every story is so unique,” said Jackson. “But the one thing always in common is that vulnerability.

“Every single one of my clients, when they talk about why they got into human trafficking, [say] they felt unloved, they felt vulnerable enough to allow anyone to give them that love and attention.”

A dysfunctional home life is one of the main catalysts for involvement in human trafficking.

“Maybe they’re running away from home, or they’re displaying images or messages online suggesting that they’re not happy at home,” said Jackson. “They’re looking to try to fill that void of the relationship they don’t have with their parents with anyone out there willing to give it to them.”

How can we stop the cycle?

Wedgwood Christian Services (WCS) is dedicated to preventing human trafficking by bringing awareness to the community and urging people to educate themselves on the dangers and signs of human trafficking.

Prevention of human trafficking, Jackson believes, begins in the home.

“It first starts with having, and modeling, positive relationships in the home,” said Jackson. “A lot of times when we see youth seek out that negative attention, it’s because they’re looking to fill that void they’re not getting in the home.”

WCS residents participating in a “Let Go, Let God” activity (Courtesy, WCS)

Creating a safe space at home for children to give voice to their feelings is crucial.

Having open conversations with children about warning signs they should look for online is also essential.

Jackson urges parents to be aware of current street language, their children’s social media use, and who their children talk to.

Red flags to watch for can include changes in a youth’s personal hygiene, the amount of cash they have on them, and evidence of sexual activity.

Educate, educate, educate

Continual education regarding human trafficking is encouraged.

“This is a topic that continues to grow, and there’s more information on it all the time,” Jackson said.


Tip sheets provided by WCS can help with that education and understanding:

Things to Look For

Prevention Through Empowerment

Dos & Don’ts

Resources for victims

Wedgwood’s Cook Claus Program, also known as Wedgwood’s Manasseh Project Trauma Recovery Center, is a local residential treatment program for victims of sex trafficking.

The program provides a safe environment where victims can begin to heal and gain hope for their future.

A WCS resident’s graduation, summer 2023 (Courtesy, WCS)

Access the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.

Local organization reveals myths and truths about human trafficking, works to empower victims and educate community

Wedgwood Christian Services works to empower sex trafficking victims and educate the community (Courtesy, pxhere.com)


By Deborah Reed

WKTV Managing Editor

deborah@wktv.org


Human traffickers prey on vulnerability – bringing them closer to home than most people realize.

Wedgwood Christian Services (WCS) is dedicated to preventing human trafficking by bringing awareness to the community and urging people to educate themselves on the dangers and signs of human trafficking.

Part of that education is recognizing the myths and truths surrounding human trafficking.

Not like the movies

Kali Jackson, Cook Claus Residential Therapist, Wedgwood Christian Services (Courtesy, WCS)

“One of the biggest myths that I see is that all human trafficking involves crossing of state lines,” said Kali Jackson, Cook Claus Residential Therapist, WCS. “A lot of times human trafficking is local, the community trafficking them within the city the individual lives in.”

Trafficking is not like movies often portray, with an individual smuggled or kidnapped by a stranger.

“A lot of times, an individual is groomed into willingly going into a relationship, but then they are manipulated to stay with physical tactics later on,” said Jackson.

Traffickers create relationships with their victims first.

“They become friends with them online, or it may even be a loved one or family member – but they have some sort of connection with that client.”

Jackson went on to say that the predator has to know about the victim’s needs in order to offer a solution, making the perpetrator appear safe. The predator then isolates the victim, causing the victim to feel that only the perpetrator can meet their needs.

“That’s how they get those clients to stay for so long,” Jackson said.

The bottom line?

“A perpetrator is looking for someone who’s vulnerable,” said Jackson.

As the therapist for Wedgwood’s residential home that serves human trafficking victims ages 12-17, Jackson is no stranger to seeing that vulnerability firsthand.

Predators look for vulnerabilities to exploit (Courtesy, pxhere.com)

“I’ve been in this position for four years, and every story is so unique,” said Jackson. “But the one thing always in common is that vulnerability.

“Every single one of my clients, when they talk about why they got into human trafficking, [say] they felt unloved, they felt vulnerable enough to allow anyone to give them that love and attention.”

Many times, that vulnerability is found in younger children.

“Frequently their first experience with someone grooming them or attempting to get them into the life of human trafficking, it’s very young,” said Jackson. “We typically see individuals getting into trafficking between ages 12 and 16.”

A perpetrator is looking to provide them with something they can’t provide themselves. An older individual who has maintained employment, housing, or a stable relationship doesn’t have enough vulnerabilities for the trafficker to easily sustain.

A dysfunctional home life is one of the main catalysts for involvement in human trafficking.

“Maybe they’re running away from home, or they’re displaying images or messages online suggesting that they’re not happy at home,” said Jackson. “They’re looking to try to fill that void of the relationship they don’t have with their parents with anyone out there willing to give it to them.

Predators look for ways they can provide what victims feel they lack (Courtesy, pxhere.com)

“[Predators] look for an individual who has some of those adverse childhood experiences, those traumas, and those vulnerabilities to feed off of.”

Once that relationship is built, the predator begins to abuse their power by making that client do sexual favors for them. That client often feels like they have to stay with them because their needs have been met by that perpetrator for so long, they don’t know how they will have shelter or food if they leave.

Fear of that perpetrator going after the victim’s parents, or doubt that their parents will believe them, can also cause the victim to stay.

Human trafficking on the rise

“There’s definitely been an increase in the amount of [trafficking] incidents that have happened over the past several years,” said Jackson. “The big thing that’s coming into play is technology.

“A lot of individuals are experiencing their first grooming incidents online. Displaying vulnerabilities on social media, having someone reach out to them, asking them to build that relationship…that may turn into human trafficking later.”

Not all chains trapping a victim are physical (Courtesy photo)

Jackson went on to say that a growing awareness of human trafficking has also caused an increase in incidents.

The knowledge that there is such a thing as receiving money, clothing, or shelter in exchange for services has caused victims to willingly enter trafficking situations while on the run from their family.

Psychological chains

Though many victims are physically locked down and unable to leave their situation, many times the chains are psychological.

“That is a myth in itself, that sometimes these victims physically are unable to leave, like they are chained up or behind locked doors,” said Jackson. “With a lot of my clients, they are forced to be in hotel rooms where they could walk out, but they’re fearful of what might happen [if they leave].

“Although the door isn’t physically locked, they have emotional chains on them.”

Trafficking stereotype

Though many people think traffickers are male, Jackson said that it is important to realize that women can also be perpetrators. Some traffickers work in groups consisting of both men and women.

“A lot of times we actually see women being the trafficker because they know that another woman would build trust with [the victim] easier than a male would,” said Jackson.

Stopping the cycle

Open conversations and a safe home environment are important (Courtesy, pxhere.com)

Prevention of human trafficking, Jackson believes, begins in the home.

“It first starts with having, and modeling, positive relationships in the home,” said Jackson. “A lot of times when we see youth seek out that negative attention, it’s because they’re looking to fill that void they’re not getting in the home.”

Creating a safe space at home for children to give voice to their feelings is crucial.

Having open conversations with children about warning signs they should look for online is also essential.

“A lot of times when clients come to us, they have a lack of education growing up,” said Jackson. “So when they get trafficked, they don’t necessarily know what they are getting into.

“They really thought they were getting into a safe relationship, but no one ever taught them what to look for, what is healthy and unhealthy, and those dos and don’ts when talking to someone online or in the community.”

Jackson urges parents to be aware of current street language, their children’s social media use, and who their children talk to.

Educate yourself and others to help prevent this crime (Courtesy photo)

Red flags to watch for can include changes in a youth’s personal hygiene, the amount of cash they have on them, and evidence of sexual activity.

Continual education regarding human trafficking is encouraged.

“This is a topic that continues to grow, and there’s more information on it all the time,” Jackson said.

Resources for victims

Wedgwood’s Cook Claus Program, also known as Wedgwood’s Manasseh Project Trauma Recovery Center, is a local residential treatment program for victims of sex trafficking.

The program provides a safe environment where victims can begin to heal and gain hope for their future.

Access the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.

Crimes committed by human trafficking victims would be forgiven under bill package

When a victim steals a car to get away from human trafficking, should they be charged with theft? that is a question a bill in the state legislature would answer. (pxhere.com)

By Barbara Bellinger
Capital News Service


LANSING — Police have made arrests this year for human trafficking in Oakland County and more recently in Mecosta County.

Yet legislation that would keep victims of human trafficking from being arrested, charged and jailed when they are coerced to commit crimes has not moved since legislative hearings were held in early March and the end of April. 

 

“It’s discouraging to see the lack of progress for these bills thus far, and it’s my hope legislators will give them the priority they deserve,” Attorney General Dana Nessel wrote in an email to Capital News Service.

Michigan ranked in the top 10 states for human trafficking in 2019 with 364 cases, according to the Polaris Project, which operates the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline. The Michigan Abolitionist Project, which works to end trafficking, estimates that the actual numbers are closer to 1,100-1,400 individuals.

A sting operation in Mecosta County in August resulted in arrests of six men who came to the area to have sex with children. They could serve up to four to 40 years in prison if convicted.

But at issue is when children and adult victims of human trafficking commit crimes as a result of being trafficked or when they try to escape. Some lawmakers hope to keep them out of jail. 

“When a victim steals a car to get away from human trafficking, should they be charged with theft?” asked Rep. Graham Filler, R-DeWitt, and chair of the House Judiciary Committee. “These victims need more grace.”

Trafficking doesn’t exist only in the larger cities such as Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Lansing, Filler said. “This happens in rural Michigan. Even in my hometown of DeWitt, it’s easy for (the traffickers) to hide people in those communities.”

The human trafficking package of 26 bills that sits in the House Judiciary Committee  would strengthen existing laws to protect the victims of human trafficking who commit crimes because of their situation.

A bill sponsored by Rep. Mary Whiteford, R-Casco Township, would erase any crime committed by a human trafficking victim as a direct result of being trafficked. That applies only to crimes of prostitution now.

Another bill, sponsored by Filler, would give the victims the right to present evidence that the crimes they committed occurred because they were trafficked.

Another, sponsored by Rep. Bronna Kahle, R-Adrian, would require the courts to stop moving forward cases where children commit a crime because they are human trafficking victims.

 

“Every child needs a champion,” Whiteford said in a Zoom interview. Whiteford said that the bills would provide just that to both juvenile and adult victims of human trafficking.

Hearings on the bills have been held in the Judiciary Committee, and Nessel testified about her strong support for the package and said victims of human trafficking needed encouragement to break the “cycle of silence.”

 

Whiteford said she is frustrated by the lack of action since then. The bills have taken a back seat in the past few months, she said. “The chair of the Judiciary Committee has other priorities.”

When asked about the hold up, Filler said that although the bills had broad support, concerns were raised at the most recent hearing that the laws as written would allow traffickers to force victims to commit multiple crimes knowing that they would get off.

 

Filler said he doesn’t want to give a free pass to all criminals. “I want to narrow them so they apply instead to real victims.” When asked whether this work has begun, Filler said his staff will review the issues.

Whiteford said the bills have enough flexibility already and should stand as proposed. “The bills give the judges the discretion to expunge on a case-by-case basis,” she said.

The Michigan Coalition to end Sexual and Domestic Violence welcomed the bills’ additional “safeguards to victims who have engaged in criminal activity in connection with their victimization.” The group pointed out that traffickers commonly coerce their victims to commit crimes as a method of control.

“No statistics exist for victims of human trafficking who have committed crimes because of their situation,” said Jane White, the executive director of the Michigan Human Trafficking Task Force at Michigan State University.

“Do we know that this exists?” White wrote in an email. “Absolutely. Survivors tell us this often. It’s part of what human trafficking is.”

Whiteford’s goal is to get the bills out of committee before the end of the year.

“People are exploited,” she said. “Children are exploited. The average age of the juvenile human trafficking victim is 15 years old. We should all look out for the children in our lives.”

Shop to Rescue, Shop to Save

Women at Risk Internationalkathy_grayThe holidays are a time of shopping for family and friends, but have you ever thought of shopping for a cause?

The War Chest Boutique, located in the Women At Risk, International headquarters at 2790 44th Street in Wyoming, offers an opportunity to do just that. The elegant and spacious storefront displays items produced or supported by women who have escaped sexual slavery or other at-risk situations such as domestic violence, substance abuse, and exploitation. The products include spa items, scarves, cards, bags, and beautiful jewelry made from items unique to their country of origin such as pearls, gems, paper, and nuts.

From its humble beginnings in the kitchen of founder and president, Rebecca McDonald, Women at Risk, International, or WAR Int’L, now has safe houses in 40 countries. These safe houses and related programs work to rescue women and children from the ravages of human trafficking and bring them to a place where they can enjoy job training, education, counseling, therapy, and mentoring. Stephanie Cozzolino, Retail District Manager, shared that recently the organization achieved a grant allowing WAR Int’L to increase the size of their program. Cozzolino asserts their excitement that lives can be restored and dignity reclaimed.

Women at Risk InternationalYou may be thinking that WAR Int’L is a noble cause to help these women and children in foreign lands, but that human trafficking doesn’t have an effect on your life. Unfortunately, sexual exploitation not only exists overseas but indeed is thriving underground in small towns across America; Yes, even towns like Wyoming, Kentwood, and Grandville.

An estimated 2,400 children are living in slavery, exploited, or sold in West Michigan, according to the U. S. Department of State.

According to the Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Michigan ranks 13th in the country for the number of sex trafficking victims.

You may remember the recent news headlines when WCSG radio personality, John Balyo, was arrested and convicted of first-degree criminal sexual conduct for arranging sexual encounters with minors. Internet child pornography is an ever-growing industry in our country. According to the FBI, “The new slavery…human trafficking, is the fastest growing segment of organized crime.”

“There is a misconception that all traffickers are men,” states Cozzolino. “It is surprising that women play a growing role in the trafficking and prostitution business.”

Large public events such as the Superbowl have become the largest incidents for human trafficking in the United States. Likewise, Cozzolino statesWomen at Risk International local Grand Rapids events such as Art Prize have drawn similar crime. Many from out-of-town use internet sources like Backpage to obtain children and women for illicit purposes. War Int’L closely monitors these events, participating with groups like the S.O.A.P. project to offer rescue and assistance to those in need.

The S.O.A.P. project works to place bars of soap in hotel bathrooms (many times the only time the victim is away from her captor) with the number for the National Human Trafficking Resource Center imprinted on the wrapper. Aside from large events, intervention and assistance is also offered at bars, strip clubs, and red light districts within the city.

Traffickers are very adept at luring vulnerable teens with flattery, gifts, or the promise of love or riches before drugging them and selling their bodies to the highest bidders. Those victims who are able to escape are left with nothing but scars, both emotional and physical. That is where WAR Int’L comes in. Rescued and at-risk women can come to the WAR Int’L headquarters for protection and assistance. Safe houses offer “safe places to turn crisis into hope, where women can be rescued, restored, and empowered to walk with dignity.”

Women at Risk InternationalHow can you help? Shop! That’s right, it’s as easy as visiting the War Chest Boutique in Wyoming (or its counterparts in Rockford, MI and Napierville, IL) and picking out an item, made with love by a woman who has overcome darkness and is on the path to independence. One hundred percent of the money from the product made by these women returns to them and their programs. Staff at WAR Int’L are compensated through donations.

Looking forward to the spring, Cozzolino explained that the current Winter Wonderland theme in the anteroom will be transformed into a café, staffed with baristas to make and serve fresh coffee and treats. Please take the time to stop in for a break and peruse the gorgeous products being sold in the name of love.

While donations are always appreciated, you can also host a War Chest party at your home, church, office, or at the War Chest Boutique. Please go to www.Warinternational.org for more information.

Kathy is a long-time employee with Spectrum Health. She has been married for 28 years to her wonderful husband, Duke. Together they have 2 children, Emily and Daniel. In her free time she enjoys volunteering with the Casting Bread Mobile Food Pantry at Kentwood Christian Church, making sandwiches at Kids Food Basket, and leading Ladies Bible Study on Thursday nights. Writing has been her passion since elementary school and she loves to write about how others enjoy what they are passionate about!