people, not PRODUCTS

what does the barcode tattoo mean?

Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) is a worldwide problem. It is also very prevalent in United States of America; it is not just happening in other parts of the world. It often happens due to our young people joining dating sites, video chat rooms or instant messaging across all social media platforms. It typically will involve someone the victim knows and trusts, or it can be someone in a gang or cartel using online seduction and recruitment tactics.

As stated by Million Kids, “In some cases of human trafficking barcode tattoos are placed on the victims to indicate the victim is no longer in control of their own body.”

Can you imagine anything more barbaric, disgusting, and inhumane? How and why did this grow to such a big business? Who has closed their eyes along the way?

TRAFFICKING SURVIVOR QUOTES:

Reading these comments and quotes broke me; I literally cried organizing this post. We CANNOT let more time go by. We must act as a community and find a way to end this demonic crisis. Between public awareness, fundraising and simply talking about it, we are doing our part.

“Many days I thought it might be my last. I was constantly being beat as if I weren’t human”

“Slowly, I'm beginning to realise that what happened to me wasn't my fault, that I was taken advantage of by a group of vile, twisted men.”

“All the drugs in the world couldn’t numb the pain I felt.”

“The day my innocence got taken away was the day my life changed forever.”

“I was his property, like a car or a house. It looks beautiful, you show it off and you’re proud of it, but you don’t love it. Not the way you love a human being.”

“For me, prostitution wasn’t an option or choice. It was a way of life, a generational thing. My Mother was my first trafficker.”

“In reality, victims of human trafficking are often left voiceless and completely unseen by society.”