HumanTrafficking/Stalking

end the theft of indigenous bodies on indigenous land

ROOT CAUSES

U.S. Federal policies were designed with the intention of disrupting natural lifeways and values of self-governance, thus breaking down traditional Indigenous culture.
The hypersexualization of Indigenous women, children, and Two-Spirit, Third-Gender, and LGBTQIA+
U.S. Assimilation & ongoing theft of Native children in violation of ICWA (Indian Child Welfare Act)
The Foster Care System
Broken Treaties
Capitalism
Man Camps

MOST SACRED, MOST AT RISK

Those who identify as Two-Spirit, Third-Gender, LGBTQIA+, Fa’afafine in Samoan culture and Māhū in Hawaiian culture are at an even greater risk of exploitation. While these identities are often embraced within their cultures, they may still experience heightened risk, especially when living off their homelands. Due to forced assimilation & colonization of Indigenous lifeways, the stigmatization of native gender identities has led to the hypersexualization and exploitation of 2sLGBTQAI+, Fa’afafine, and Māhū. They are often a forgotten and underserved population in all areas, including child welfare, violence of all forms, and human trafficking.

SOURCE: Human Trafficking Leadership Academy Class 5 Recommendations September 10, 2020

VULNERABILITIES

Factors such as poverty and high rates of family involvement with the child welfare system are a direct result of colonization and the deep wounds that run through Indigenous communities. The inability to heal from this trauma increases the likelihood that these cycles of trauma will continue for each successive generation, through direct and indirect interactions, particularly in children and youth experiencing trauma at a young age (Weston, 2018).

What is Human Trafficking?

Human trafficking is a crime involving the use of force, fraud, or coercion to compel a person to perform sexual labor or commercial sex. Trafficking can happen in any community and anyone can be trafficked, regardless of age, race, gender, nationality, or socioeconomic status. Native populations experience disproportionately high rates given the history of government-sanctioned policies that resulted in being trafficked in boarding schools and by child welfare systems, churches, the military, and extractive industries. Traffickers often use violence, physical and psychological torture, manipulation, and false promises of well-paying jobs or romantic relationships to entrap victims into trafficking situations.

Another type of human trafficking is sex trafficking, which involves the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for commercial sex, in which sexual acts are induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such act has not attained 18 years of age. Traffickers may use technology to target their victims. In the United States, 40% of victims are recruited online, frequently through means such as false job postings and social media.

Victims of sex trafficking are often isolated, “invisible” to society, labeled as “throwaway kids”, or addicts, or are targeted because they are already vulnerable. It’s important to note that traffickers can be part of a gang, organized crime syndicate, a family member/relative, or a supposed friend, boyfriend, or spouse.