The myth has even been debunked by antis-trafficking. Law enforcement has reported this as a myth with heavy spin of course -pivoting to “we are looking for missing kids” or “this a daily thing”. And even @polaris_project started backpedaling in 2016 polarisproject.org/blog/2016/02/t…
In their 2016 blog post @Polaris_Project states “This post is part of an ongoing series confronting the myths and misconceptions surrounding human trafficking.” But then of course they doubled down on the “widespread issue” by pointing out it happens 365 days year…
And suggesting that law enforcement has done such a “great job” in preparation for these events that “traffickers worry about the increased scrutiny” is NOT true because they rarely go to jail (the few that actually exist) and they can disappear pretty quick if need be.
And the. Of course they close the blog post with a call for money and links to paid training opportunities. @polaris_project has recently experienced some harassment of their own after Qanon caller reports of pizza store trafficking and furniture crates filled children…
They did a similar strategy in 2019, suggesting that labor #trafficking at the #SuperBowl might be more visible if you looked to see if your nachos were ethically sourced and proffered under “fair trade” practice. polarisproject.org/blog/2019/01/w…
In 2021 @Polaris_Project upped their game with a blog post asking for #SexWorkers not to be arrested, cops not to have sex with targets of arrest and immunity for any #SexWorker who reports crime. They linked to @christianashnc post with 60 org sign on swopbehindbars.org/post/on-the-su…
2020 was actually a great turn in the #SuperBowl #SexTrafficking for a lot of mainstream media and our longtime Media supporters really brought their a-game. @stephenlemons covered our bailout event with @bailfundnetwork and local group @LGBTQ_Freedom frontpageconfidential.com/miami-super-bo…
Since it’s Florida and February, anti trafficking groups came down in droves to “raise awareness” by passing out soap with the @polaris_project hotline They also spammed online #SexWorkers ads by promising free programs & housing - even telling one girl they would accept her pet
This local #SexWorker was living in a motel and hadn’t made enough money to pay the next days rent and the anti ad spammer told her they would get her section 8 housing with her own apartment. Further checks found section 8 housing in Ohio to have a 10 year wait list.
She talked to them the week before the #SuperBowl - and also with #SWCSL - and they just kept upping the stakes - “all she had to do was get on a plane and come to their program in Ohio and everything would work out.” Last straw for her was when they told her she was a victim.
She just didn’t want to be a victim and the more they pressed her, the more exploited she felt. She also didn’t want to be homeless so she had to keep taking appointments and became increasingly paranoid that they were watching her.
As quoted “Since they haven’t been able to find trafficking victims or traffickers, now they’re switching up the story to say it’s all about missing kids,” we say of these wannabe Samaritans, who regularly conflate prostitution with human trafficking and/or sex trafficking.
I will say here that they DID trip over - quite by accident - one 17 year old who had been brought to Miami from Connecticut with a dude who paid for the ads and the hotel rooms for her and two other females. He was recently convicted and given 25 years In a florida Prison.
I word has ever been heard about the 17 year old but she turned 18 in jail - so they kept the victim there for 4 months and the. Held criminal charges over her head until she testified against the exploitive guy from Connecticut. She didn’t get services and she’s in the wind.
And yet @WomensFundMiami Laura Guitar, their spokesperson, wrote back that, “The entire campaign has been informed throughout the process by law enforcement agencies, community-based organizations, and survivor leaders.” But our #SoFlo #lgbt partners deny hearing a peep from them
And yet these myths persist, since they are great for funding, excusing stings, and political back-patting.
From the Anti-Trafficking review article: “Before 2018, 76% of U.S. print media helped propagate the myth of spiking numbers of #SexTrafficking during the #SuperBowl.”
From the Anti-Trafficking review article: “Before 2018, 76% of U.S. print media helped propagate the myth of spiking numbers of #SexTrafficking during the #SuperBowl.”
The only people that these #SuperBowl #SexTrafficking myths benefits is politicians who are making their bones. It’s super FINANCIALLY advantageous for these anti-trafficking organizations who are making money hand over fist on the big lie so the only answer is to #StopTheRaids 
Here’s this year’s batch coming already @lacountysheriff says #SuperBowl draws human traffickers - @ladailynews - 01/12/2022 - Southern California is already a hot spot for #SexTrafficking, in part because of “large runaway and homeless youth” dailynews.com/2022/01/12/la-…
Do you NOT HEAR YOURSELF HERE??? @LASDNews Homeless youth need homes! Not handcuffs! Runaways are running away for a reason and maybe you should figure out if there is violence or exploitation going on THERE before you try to conflate it with bad data. #ListenToSexWorkers
The @ladailynews also reports in 1/22/2022 - with a dramatic headline - that for the LA #SuperBowl - The It's A Penalty campaign works to prevent abuse, exploitation and human trafficking worldwide, particularly during large sporting events dailynews.com/2022/01/21/la-…
The @LACoSheriff advised people to report their suspicions to local law enforcement agencies or Crime Stoppers. On Jan. 12, Villanueva told locals, “if you see something, say something.” ibtimes.com/super-bowl-spa…
So why is it bad to say something if you see something while being hyped up on all the extra caffeinated #SuperBowl #SexYrafficking hysteria? Ask @cindymccain who reported an interracial couple with a small child at an airport - later found to be the child’s parents. #Racism
Or ask the other same sex couple with a crying child at the airport denied boarding until they could produce documents proving they were legal guardians. This increased surveillance - and asking an untrained general public to report their prejudice - is not how we build community
It’s not uncommon to see it repeated in blog posts and PR releases and interviews like these ones from @IJM @ECPAT, Rended Heart, @RahabsDaughter , @UAHT and others. “It’s a Penalty” is a yearly effort on this #SuperBowl #SexTrafficking myth, now on its 9th iteration.
In a Year of Wild Conspiracy Theories was a great article by @enbrown in @reason in 2021, demonstrating #SuperBowl #SexTrafficking Is a Classic
Plus: A reminder that censorship backfires, Wyoming city considers ban on "performance prostitution," reason.com/2021/02/04/sup…
Plus: A reminder that censorship backfires, Wyoming city considers ban on "performance prostitution," reason.com/2021/02/04/sup…
These initiatives report as “trafficking” but arrest people for “prostitution” or for responding to an ad that is a sting. Of the 100 arrested in #ArrestCoachingMafia #SuperBowl stings - 02/20/2018 - “Most of the men arrested had no criminal history, This came as a “surprise.”
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