Female Trafficking: The Harsh Reality

When I was younger, I didn't understand what was meant by human trafficking. It was a word I heard frequently on the news growing up - but I didn't have the faintest idea what it meant. I just knew it was wrong. A few months ago, I finally understood what human trafficking was. According to the United States Department of Justice, human trafficking is described as 'A crime that involves compelling or coercing a person to provide labor or different services' mostly for profit. 

While researching this topic and reading through cases, I realized how easy it is to become a victim. Human Traffickers have several tactics they use to lure in their victims. Most often, human traffickers lure their victims in by giving them fake promises. This can include promises of a higher status, better living conditions, better jobs, etc. In certain circumstances, traffickers approach people when they are in dire need of money. They offer the individual huge sums of money and jobs that ultimately are disguised traps. Human traffickers also manipulate their victims by exploiting normally trustworthy relationships like family or romantic relationships. Of course, traffickers also threaten, blackmail, and may sometimes use physical violence to lure individuals into their traps. 

Overall, victims are often subjected to various methods of torture, whether that be physical or psychological. They have their basic rights violated and have no freedom. This is how Jeffery Epstein lured in his victims. 

Epstein was an American serial offender of human, especially female, trafficking. He worked in finance and was a very successful Multi-millionaire. He developed a very wealthy social circle that included Donald Trump, Prince Andrew, Bill Clinton, etc. Jeffery Epstein was a very educated man. He was excellent at Mathematics. He also attended university but didn't end up graduating. Afterwards, he started teaching Mathematics and Physics in private schools. It was reported that in these schools, he behaved wrongly with female students. 

He was first accused of exploitation in 2005. 

It was discovered that he ran a human trafficking operation in which he sexually exploited girls for himself and his wealthy social circle. The same year a woman came to the police department and claimed that her stepdaughter was being exploited by Epstein. More accusations and cases of Jeffery’s behavior started to build up. A criminal case was then put together. At the time, Epstein had trafficked about 40 girls. He was given 13 months in prison and work release privileges - however, Jeffery avoided his jail sentence through a plea deal in 2008.

These incidents did not affect Jeffery’s operation, and he kept going. He majorly exploited minor girls. In 2018, there were about 80-150 victims of exploitation by Epstein. 

In 2019, a second criminal case was built against Epstein, and he was arrested in July of the same year. This time he wasn't exempted from any of the charges against him. Alas, Jeffery Epstein died on August 10th, 2019 in his jail cell at 66 years old. The autopsy results concluded that his death was a suicide, but evidence on the scene concludes that it was most likely a murder. Epstein also claimed various times that he wasn’t suicidal - as he lived a ‘wonderous’ life. His wife, Ghislaine Maxwell, also claimed that he wasn’t the suicidal type. 

As mentioned earlier, human traffickers have many ways they lure in their victims. Jeffery Epstein had tactics similar to the ones written above. Firstly, he used to pay the girls he exploited. He manipulated the girls with false promises of money, gifts, and opportunities. He asked his victims to bring their friends along. He used his power and his status to show his ‘authority’ and ended up manipulating young girls. 

It was later found out that his wife was helping his operation the whole time. In 2021 Ghislaine Maxwell was arrested for human trafficking accusations and sentenced to 20 years in prison. 

It was confirmed that she found girls for her husband and his friends to exploit. She purposely selected younger girls who were innocent and vulnerable. She played a crucial role in Epstein's trafficking operations from the very beginning. It is reported that she used to ‘recruit, groom, and ultimately abuse' these young girls. Maxwell, Epstein, and their social circle caused a lot of trauma for dozens of young girls. They were subjected to all kinds of torture and they all had to endure it silently unless someone else spoke out first.

These situations are traumatizing to be put into but they are also avoidable. Avoiding human trafficking requires both awareness and many safety measures. Women, including young girls, should be acquitted with the knowledge of common trafficking tactics such as manipulation. It is vital for women not to share their details on online platforms and to avoid keeping public accounts. This way there is less chance of women getting blackmailed into being trafficked. 

By being informed and watchful, women and young girls can protect themselves from being trafficked and stay away from such circumstances. It is essential to be vigilant when dealing with strangers or accepting offers that seem too good to be true or appear out of the ordinary. Women need to be made aware of the strategies used by traffickers, like manipulation and false promises. Maintaining privacy on the internet is also crucial to reducing the possibility of being blackmailed, which can result in being trafficked. Above all, a woman should be mindful of her surroundings at all times. She should be capable of identifying unsafe situations and have the courage to escape from them.