Last weekend I attended a talk, moderated by Gloria Steinem, entitled “Sex Trafficking and the New Abolitionists” (video available here). Her panel consisted of Rachel Lloyd, Executive Director of GEMS (Girls Educational & Mentoring Services) and Taina Bien-Aime, Executive Director of Equality Now. It was an eye-opening afternoon…to say the least.
Prior to attending the talk, when I thought of sex “trafficking” I tended to associate it with an international context- women and children (and occasionally men) brought to the U.S. under false conditions or completely against their will who then become victims of sexual exploitation. This is, of course, part of the problem. But the afternoon also focused on the alarming numbers of local children being forced into the sex industry. NOW-NYC estimates the number of children involved in New York City’s sex trade to be near 4,000. Of those, 85% are girls and 67% are African American. Lloyd, who is herself a survivor, founded GEMS to provide much needed social services to this under served population. Her work with these young women was recently chronicled in a documentary, Very Young Girls, which is currently playing on Showtime (who btw has a late night lineup including titles like Young Girls Do and Young and Tempting- nice) and also available  for purchase on the GEMS Web site (you can get a free copy by agreeing to host a viewing). We were shown a 10-minute clip that was both heartbreaking and infuriating- the home video footage of the pimps scouting for new girls was the infuriating part.
Some good news is that last September Governor Paterson signed the “Safe Harbor for Exploited Youth Act” which says that individuals under the age of 18 who are arrested for “prostitution” will now receive intervention services and community- based programming, rather than being treated as juvenile delinquents in the criminal justice system. This is certainly a step in the right direction. However, this is an issue that deserves more attention than it receives. Too often, when we hear about the sex industry at all, it’s when a public figure is involved. Both Lloyd and Bien-Aime spoke of their extreme disappointment when Elliot Spitzer, who had been such an advocate for their cause, was caught paying for sex. What’s worse is that when this happens, the women involved are often portrayed in the press as leading glamorous sex-positive lives. This gives people the wrong idea about the sex industry. Sure, there may be a small percentage of women involved for whom it is 100% a choice. But the sad truth is that the vast majority are forced into it, come from abusive backgrounds and are dealing with mental health issues (depression, PTSD, substance abuse, etc.).
When an audience member asked for some practical steps she could take to help, the panelists urged her to get the word out, especially to the men in her life (there would be no supply without demand). Additionally, folks might consider hosting a screening of the film or helping GEMS directly by making a donation. Their donation page also contains a link to their Target wish list so you can provide the girls they serve with clothing and everyday items they need. Seems like an easy way to take some right action this holiday season.