WATERTOWN — Victoria J. Recor’s daughter was only 15 years old when she was entered into a sex trafficking ring, but how she got there is probably not what most would think.
In her first year at Watertown High School, Ms. Recor’s daughter was approached by an older woman living in town. The two became inseparable and suddenly her daughter became rebellious; she would be out late night after night, was caught stealing and didn’t seem like herself. The so-called friend she made was working for a Jefferson County sex trafficking ring, Ms. Recor explained, and had chosen her daughter as the next victim.
On a July night in 2015, Ms. Recor’s daughter was brought to a motel by her friend, and she thought it was just another party. Little did she know she would end up back at her mother’s house 24 hours later with her virginity lost to three men, bruises all over her body and a drug addiction.
Following that night, Ms. Recor’s daughter never fully recovered. She hasn’t lived at home for over two years and is still hooked on opiates.
After years of letting the situation control her life, Ms. Recor decided to, instead, let it give her a new purpose.
Ms. Recor has been working with the Alliance for Better Communities on its education and awareness campaign, “The Intersection of the Opioid Crisis and Sex Trafficking.”
Project Director of the Alliance for Better Communities, Anita K. Seefried-Brown, said the campaign will take on a multi-pronged approach, starting in Jefferson County.
To start, Ms. Seefried-Brown said, with hotels and motels being among the top sites for sex trafficking, the alliance will educate local hospitality industries. On July 2, the campaign sent out packets, giving a brief description of what sex trafficking is and how to recognize the signs and symptoms.
Some signs include a man checking in with numerous girls unrelated to him who appear very young, an individual with numerous rooms booked for one night or guests left in the room who may seem confused or disoriented.
Because of the outside access to rooms and lower costs, trafficking mostly occurs in open-air motels, said campaign member and recovering heroin addict, The Rev. Jeffrey E. Smith. The issue with educating workers or owners at these businesses, The Rev. Mr. Smith added, is they often don’t care “as long as they get their money.” It’s fairly common, The Rev. Mr. Smith said, for owners of these motels to be aware trafficking is occurring or be in on the profits themselves.
Members of the campaign said they hope their efforts will make law enforcement hold these motels accountable for their actions.
Additionally, the alliance will be hosting several international awareness events throughout September and October for community members and hospital workers. They also will be posting signs in public transportation systems with the alliance’s number on them for victims or family members to call.
Partnership for Success Coordinator of the Alliance for Better Communities Ann Marie Crescent said victims of trafficking are likely unaware they are being victimized, making it impossible for them to report their case. Specifically for the north country, the situation typically starts with young boys and girls in vulnerable situations. This could be anyone from a child living in a broken home to a teen posting about their depression online.
The trafficker will give them attention through different gifts and, in turn, gain the victim’s trust. Drugs, free of payment, will be offered to the victim shortly after. Once the victim is addicted, the trafficker withholds the drugs until the victim is involved with a sexual act, through a type of coercion.
Ms. Crescent explained because the interaction starts off as voluntary, most victims believe everything they do from that point is also voluntary. Prostitution is usually what victims think they are partaking in, she added.
The Rev. Mr. Smith said when these victims get hooked on opiates, that is the only thing their body can focus on. How they get to the drug doesn’t matter.
“You don’t think about anything else other than that substance, other than that thing your mind is saying that you have to have,” The Rev. Mr. Smith said. “They don’t realize they are being trafficked or used, all they know is they got to a point that their mind is just on the drugs, regardless of who they hurt or what they do. You will do whatever necessary to get that, trust me.”
If the individual does end up realizing they are a victim, it’s likely they’ll blame themselves, Ms. Crescent added. The stigmas with opioid addiction are prevalent, and to additionally deal with the stigma of sex trafficking can be emotionally debilitating for victims.
If you or anyone you know is a victim of sex trafficking, contact the Alliance for Better Communities at 315-788-4660. For the national hotline, call 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733.
“I just want people to talk about this,” Ms. Recor said. “I want to stop hiding.”
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