Yes Sanders, There is Human Trafficking During the Super Bowl

Today I shared a story about woman who was approached for prostitution during the week of the Super Bowl in Dallas.

In a forum on the Dallas Examiner, a man by the name of Sanders Kauffman basically said that human trafficking during the Super Bowl does not exist. Now having read some of the stuff Sanders writes, I realize his whole goal is shock value and controversy.

Arguing accomplishes nothing, but comments like his need to be stood up to. Trafficking is a reality, if nothing else, these comments need to be stood up to for the thousands of girls and boys being trafficked and pimped out each day.

Sanders Kauffman Comments:

"Evangelicals are coming out of the woodwork, outraged over their belief in human trafficking at the Super Bowl. If you were unaware of the problem, it's because there is none. Dallas has MORE than enough hookers to meet the demand - and some amateurs will likely even go pro just for the show.

There are sex workers being trafficked into the Super Bowl, but they are coming with the Evangelical Republicans' "XXXChurch.com". They are the ones funding the campaign over this non-issue.

They hope to get some money and attention for themselves by warning their fellow Evangelicals (who are *easily* stirred to outrage) that an army of sex slaves are coming to take their children away.

It's important, however, not to take the Republicans marketing stuff too seriously. They don't really mean what they say - they're just doing it for the attention."

In response, here is another story that was shared on this same forum about a young girl that narrowly escaped human trafficking during the Super Bowl in Dallas.

So...THIS PAST WEEKEND... Superbowl 2011 Dallas TX, my friend was standing outside of a 7-11 and saw a young girl crying with no shoes on (in 35 degree weather). She asked her "What was wrong? If she needed help." The young girl went on to explain that she had come to visit her friend who she thought worked at Chili's, but she hadn't seen her in 6 months. Her friend is now turning tricks and making $500 and wanted her to join.

There were 2 men in the car who then wouldn't let her out. She said she had to pee, so she had a reason to get out of the car, but (of course) they told her she could pee in the car. (Nice?) So she managed to escape running barefoot down the street.

The young girl was very distressed and told my friend, " I ain't stupid. I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to prostitute. I have parents. I just thought I was going to visit my friend who I hadn't seen. I didn't know she was doing that." Soooo.....I'm pretty sure my friend is a democrat, does that make her a reliable resource? If my friend can meet someone 5 minutes out of escaping a human trafficking situation in Dallas on Superbowl weekend at the 7-11......

Also, here are some links to previous posts I and others have written. I ask people to do their own research as well.

http://www.examiner.com/human-trafficking-in-dallas/human-trafficking-and-the-super-bowl
http://www.sharedhope.org/Portals/0/Documents/Dallas_PrinterFriendly.pdf
http://news.change.org/stories/the-results-are-in-sex-trafficking-at-the-superbowl

Human trafficking is a reality here in the United States and it occurs 24/7 outside of Super Bowl week. As much as this saddens me, I am glad so much attention has been raised from the super bowl. As Tina Frundt, a former sex trafficking survivor and 2010 Frederick Douglass Award winner told me in an interview...

Q: What is the biggest challenge you face with the work you are doing?

A: To be honest with you, the biggest challenge that we face at Courtney's House is convincing people that slavery exists inside the United States. We think overseas immediately when we think about trafficking, but we don't think about the 250,000 children trafficked within the United States. So that's the biggest challenge we have come across, letting people know that it's happening here.