Published
6 years agoon
“Human trafficking is modern-day slavery.”
Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp says that is the unvarnished reality of prostitution and for those who become ensnared by it.
“They live in fear that the pimp is going to hurt their family.”
In an interview with GV Wire, Smittcamp says many are unwittingly lured in by traffickers who know how to prey on the trust of their victims – and even families.
“A wolf in sheep’s clothing” is how Smittcamp describes many of these predators. “Sometimes (family members) think, ‘Oh look, he’s such a nice guy.’ Their daughter met the man of her dreams,” she said. “And, all of a sudden, she disappears.”
A perfect example of how such a scenario might unfold was the Christmas Day arrest of a Kennedy High School soccer coach in Sacramento on suspicion of selling underage girls.
Traffickers then “break” their victims with threats and physical violence. That leads to a feeling of utter powerlessness, Smittcamp says. “They’ve lost their self-worth and they live in fear not only for their own life, but they live in fear that the pimp is going to hurt their family.”
Fighting Back Against Trafficking
Jamie Ouverson is a Creative Producer for GV Wire. She joined GV Wire in September 2017 with over a decade of experience in high-end television production. Jamie specializes in fully produced content for both web and TV. She has a wide range of skills with extensive experience in production management, producing, post-production editing, filming, directing, and writing. She has worked for FOX, DISNEY, and ESL Gaming Network as a camera operator for nationally syndicated shows, including exclusive on-site access to film the Oscars and Primetime Emmys for multiple years. Jamie is a dog lover and athlete who enjoys softball, cycling and golf year-round and spends the winter months in the mountains snowboarding the Sierras. Send an Email to contact Jamie.
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