A Childhood Lost
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A post by "Dame Judy" To see more posts click here |
I was reading the November issue of Essence magazine (I know what you’re thinking, “what’s a white girl doing reading Essence?” First of all, I’m not white, I’m Latina. Second, we have a subscription in my office, so there!) Anyways, I came upon an extremely touching report.
The story was about a 12-year-old runaway girl and how she got involved in prostitution. Believe it or not, child prostitution and trafficking is a very large problem in the United States. According to the article, The University of Pennsylvania School of Social Work published a report in 2001 that stated that an estimated 200,000 to 300,000 children currently are at high risk for being involved in commercial sexual exploitation. Yes, that’s U.S. children.
I was, and still am, shocked at the large number. I have heard about the sexual exploitation and trafficking of children in other countries like Thailand and Mexico, but it’s a huge eye opener to see the high number here in the U.S. As a mother, I feel upset and scared. As a human being, I feel disappointed and guilty.
When we watch the evening news, we hardly ever hear about these cases. It seems like the media brushes this under the carpet and moves on to other things, like Balloon Boy or what club Paris Hilton is being paid to show up to. News like this is something most people are completely obsessed with, but change the channel when real human issues are brought up. When was the last time you heard about child sexual exploitation and prostitution on the 6:00 p.m. news? I know that the Heene family from Colorado took up all the air time last week, but what about:
Paula Bianca Arat, 15 years old from Falls Church, missing since September 23
Katy Johanna Martinez, 16 years old from Fairfax, missing since October 2
Brandi Little, 14 years old from Silver Spring, missing since September 14
Shanie Zannette Hall, 15 years old from Gaithersburg, missing since October 9
I have never heard of them either, until doing research for this post. I can see why this would not be the “Breaking News” our local media would look for, since these girls are categorized as runaways. But that’s exactly why this problem continues. Runaways are the easiest target for traffickers and sexual predators. Most girls have self esteem issues and most likely come from broken homes full of abuse, whether it’s emotional, psychological or physical.
Like the Essence article was quick to point out, predators have a “gift” at spotting these girls, offering them things they have never had, telling them that they are pretty and sexy. They lavish the girls with attention and compliments, clothes and shoes, things that most teenagers desire. After these men (and women) have the runaway completely dependent on them, they start making the child feel guilty and asking them to contribute to the lifestyle. This turns into prostitution and sexual slavery, stealing and other criminal activity. Most female runaways become victims to pimps and most male runaways get wrapped into a life of crime and drug addiction. Then we, “society”, complain about the crack head behind the 7 Eleven, the whore on 14th Street, and the high crime rate.
This is a cycle that needs to stop, and now. We need to start from the get-go. Let’s teach our children what is right and what is wrong. Let’s shower them with love, but also be strict and stern. Let’s stop the television from becoming our source of information and education for our school-age children. If you don’t have children, think of your little cousins, nieces, nephews, and neighbors. I don’t think the victimized children that are now being trafficked expected this to happen to them. But if we get the information out, pressure our representatives and our state governments to pursue and prosecute all these cases, volunteer, even forwarding the link below to friends and family, all this can make a difference. We must bring this issue to light. Today it’s Paula, Katy, Brandi, and Shanie. Tomorrow it could be little Amy or Tommy, from next door.
Udothedishes…
All the girls above have posters that the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children have created and are available to the public.
Since NCMEC is local, please volunteer or donate:
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
Charles B. Wang International Children’s Building
699 Prince Street
Alexandria, Virginia 22314-3175
Phone: 703-224-2150
Fax: 703-224-2122
1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678)
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- The Red Light District: San Francisco
- Another Case of Missing White Woman Syndrome
- John Edwards, This Summer’s Eliot Spitzer
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I tend to think, “So What?” And then I think if these kids had 2 parents, a father/mother, then they probably wouldn’t be in the predicament they find themselves in. Then I think with all the other things we have to stress about the 16-year-old whore on 14th or the crackhead behind 7-11 who was once a runaway, isn’t one of them.
We ALL tend to think that way Blake, until it happens to a child we know. I know our lives are filled with other things to worry about, but some of these runaways don’t have ONE SINGLE PERSON to care for them. They get lost in the system and a new generation of whores, drug addicts, thugs, and homeless is born. Just keeping an eye open for potential abuse is good enough…we can all contribute by being vigilant and proactive.
I don’t think “So What”, but I think it is a bigger problem that how it was presented here. Blake touches on it. It starts with parenting. There isn’t much else we as a society can do. People have a right to raise their kids how they see fit. It is hard to change that, even through education. People have to learn to take responsibility for bringing a life into this world. Rich, poor, black, white, brown, whatever. Way too many people in all classes and sects of this society fail when it comes to devoting the monetary and emotional resources necessary to raise a child correctly.
Of course its all about parenting! But at the same time, the current victims will someday become adults and parents themselves. I just think we give up too easily on these runaways. Most of these girls will probably be mothers before they turn 18. I honestly think that we are not paying enough attention to this. It not only about the runaways John, but its also about kipnapped children that end up in the hands of sexual predators. Sexual abuse and exploitation is overall awful, but its the worst when it happens to a child.