When we think of cases of human trafficking, most people’s first assumption is that the victim was kidnapped, or threatened with physical force. However, in most cases this is not true at all. Most women are mentally manipulated, in order for a perpetrator to get what they want without gaining the attention of police or law enforcement.
There are many ways a victim can be manipulated. A trafficker can manipulate the victims mind to believe that they are worthless or that they will not be able to get help from anyone else around. Many times, a human trafficking case starts off with the trafficker getting the man/woman to trust him/her in order to reel them in and make the victim believe that he/she is in good hands. Sometimes, victims will be in a relationship with the trafficker so that the trafficker has even more control over the victim.
After the trafficker gets the victim to trust him/her, the trafficker may offer the victim to come stay with them, or allow them to “help” with a situation such as financial disability. By doing this, the trafficker now already has something to hang over the victims head. A trafficker may slowly begin to say things such as “you have no control over your life”, or “you have no way to get home, money, or help”. This leads the victim to believe they they cannot make it on their own without the trafficker/perpetrator.
Traffickers will also scare victims into believing that they will be homeless, or that they will be deported if they do not have a visa or are not legal (meaning they cannot report to the police). Traffickers will also sometimes avoid physical abuse, in order to further manipulate the victim (making the victim question whether or not they are being abused at all;making the victim question if they are overreacting), and even to keep low in case someone else may see the victim and possibly report the visual signs of abuse.
Manipulation in human trafficking should not be overlooked, and should be treated the same as any case with physical abuse/force involved. Many victims seek therapy if available after getting out of their trafficking situation, and many cannot reverse how their mind is after being manipulated. This manipulation leaves victims with permanent scars; even if not visible to the eye.
“Psychological Tactics Used By Human Traffickers”. Psychology Today, 2021, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/modern-day-slavery/201610/psychological-tactics-used-human-traffickers.
It’s honestly disgusting to think of the amount of people that are in relationships with men and women who are literally just preying on them in order to throw them into trafficking . It’s actually kind of terrifying to think that there’s more possibilities than just being kidnapped while walking to your car or from the street while walking at night. To think that someone you thought you trusted is capable of throwing you into something so sick makes the idea of dating terrifying. These are things that I had never thought of but I plan on looking further into the statistics that come with trafficking manipulation.