It was nothing to slap a price onto every bit of their existence. Degrade them and make them feel like they are nothing.
As awful as this sounds and as much as our people had to experience such turmoil, the storm of selling out, only seems like it has briefly died down.
The storm has returned, and it is much more aggressive than before, because this time young teen girls are the expense.
You see in movies, young girls who are vulnerable and sometimes unaware.
Usually their knight in shining armor comes to rescue them, right from the very street they walk. These predators disguise their true intentions with showers of basic necessities.
That can be anything from, transportation, a roof over their heads, food, sweet compliments, even money to get their hair and nails done with. The whole time they are preying and planning the perfect way to abduct and abuse.
Milwaukee has a reputation for this kind of underrepresented behavior. According to WUWM 89.7, in an interview with Assistant Milwaukee County District Attorney Erin Karshen, we can learn that there are several reasons sex trafficking is worse in Milwaukee than in any other state.
One is because of the expressways and easy access to places like Chicago, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin Dells. There are also a lot of conventions and sporting events in Milwaukee where trafficking surges. These numbers are increasing and they are usually higher in young girls who are younger than 19.
Can you imagine your daughter, or your neighbors daughter becoming so lost in this world, that a complete stranger can brainwash them, force them to obey, all while allowing them to be the reason they are getting money?
This is not only inhuman, but it is despicable and should not be tolerated or silenced. Even the most protective parents have to be careful to pay attention of who their child comes into contact with. Authorities even say that spotting a trafficker can be tricky because these people look like legit businessmen and that’s exactly what this is to the traffickers. This is a business.
So as guides, parents, mentors, teachers and just as a community in general, it is our job to protect our young girls. It is our job to communicate with them and keep their heads on straight.
This is the age where tweens begin to feel pressure from family, and the first thing they want to do is move out and find their way around this dog-eat-dog world. Sometimes trafficking cases aren’t from teens leaving the nest.
Sometimes these little girls are abducted and held against their will. Regardless of the circumstances that surround the events of a sex trafficking case, always educate and encourage. It is our job to protect our young black queens.
Paishance Welch
Tweens, Teens & Young Adults