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She showed me her scars.  The physical ones you could see on the surface anyway.  Others became apparent as we talked.  I could see them, even if she couldn’t.

The evidence showed this was no made-up story she’d told me about a terrible accident, being patched back together and having to learn to walk again.

It wasn’t the first story I’d heard like that, and it wouldn’t be the last.

Her pain was her vulnerability.  Traffickers prey on vulnerabilities.

She’d been prescribed opioids to manage the pain, to help her heal. Her will and tenacity helped her stand again, and the drugs knocked her back down.

Instead of healing, too much of this medicine did harm.  Grave harm. Maybe even wrecked her life more than the accident.

She became addicted to the pain meds.  The street version was cheaper…

Have you seen the viral posts about the latest hotspot for human sex trafficking?  Highlighting where traffickers go to scope out their prey?  Or the warning about the traffickers waiting to abduct your teenager at the mall?  Did you see the one about the store, where if you take your eyes off your shopping cart for just a second, your toddler will be snatched and sold on the black market?  Or the stats about the city ranked highest for trafficking, where you’d never want to relocate your family?

During ten years as an FBI Special Agent and in the year and half since I’ve come to RAHAB, I’ve had conversations with parents who tell me about fear that changes how they live their lives.  Fear prompted by misinformation that is repeated until it’s accepted as fact.  Fear that takes people captive, impacting where they live, shop and allow their children to go… (Read More)