In reality the victims of child trafficking may be struggling with substance abuse, mental health issues, unwanted pregnancies, they may be queer teens, very poor, or have had "trouble with the law" (think petty theft, underage drinking etc.)
These extra challenges can be used by the people who victimize them to coerce, control and keep them for asking for help.
Programs that address these issues are kind of critical to addressing exploitation.
If you were someone who was worried about that.
The notion of perfect victims only makes more victims because no one is perfect. And no one should need to think they need to be perfect to be taken seriously, or to get help to get away from someone who is exploiting them.
These "imperfections" also allow abusers to fail to see themselves as real sources of harm.
"well what if she was 17" you might hear such a person say as they negotiate and deflect.
@futurebird It's like the idea of "the deserving poor" being the only poor that need support. As if people with any problems are "undeserving."
I'm starting to believe there is a real empathy disease -- not like the one Musk worries about, but one which is killing empathy in people. I'm not sure if it spreads by memes or genes or viruses; but it feels like it is spreading none the less.
Liarbility
myrmepropagandist
Analog AI