Human trafficking cases are never pretty. They often leave
us wondering where Humanity went to
vacation and when we can join her.
Recent news of a UK
child sex operation was no exception, but the case added fuel to the fire when
commentators drew upon issues of race as the motive for
perpetrators and as the explanation behind failure to prosecute by law
enforcement. (You can read more about the details of the case in a
well-summarized piece by the Guardian here).
The case highlighted that though human trafficking cases are
all tragically in violation of fundamental human rights, they are still never
one and the same. In fact, the various misperceptions and preconceived notions at
play that often come from only knowing or believing one story – whether the
single story of a perpetrator, of a young runaway or of marginalized sexually
active youth in general - solidified barriers to exit for victims in this
particular situation, leaving us with a handful of myths that warrant immediate
debunking.
MYTH #1: THOSE WHO PERPETRATE AND THOSE WHO ARE VICTIMIZED
CAN BE CATEGORIZED BY RACE
Media outlets from all over the political spectrum are
drawing attention to the fact that the young white victims fell prey to South
Asians who saw them as worthless because of their race. Taking it one step
further, they also state that law enforcement’s failure to take on the case
stemmed from fear of being dubbed racist toward South Asians in general. It is
undoubtedly a crucial misstep on the part of law enforcement for not having
heeded victims who came forward years ago, whether on account of political
correctness or not. However, the nine South Asian men who forcefully engaged
young white girls in sex acts simply reinforce the reality that traffickers
come in all sizes, shapes and colors, as do victims.
To the various race-based outcries, it is
ironic that the case did not break until Nazir Afzal, a prominent British
lawyer of South Asian descent, reopened the case upon his appointment as chief
crown prosecutor, overturning his predecessor’s decision to decline it.
Regardless, to harp on the questions of whether racial
animus against whites motivated the Asian perpetrators of this crime or whether
the prosecutors declined the case in the interest of political correctness is
to simply fan the flames of a political fire and propagate fears of a racial
minority and underclass. Meanwhile, experts have documented that the majority
of sex crimes in Britain are committed by white men. For that matter,
perpetration and victimization are not sequestered to one racial group, and
this case is simply further proof to that end.
MYTH #2: SEXUALLY ACTIVE YOUTH ARE PROMISCUOUS, AND
THEREFORE, NOT CREDIBLE VICTIMS
According to BBC, all
five girls who were witnesses in the gang's conviction were known to
social services at some stage in their lives. The young girls, who were
described as vulnerable because of their “chaotic lifestyles, hanging round
kebab shops late at night and befriending the staff who worked there”, should
have been on the radar if they were already known within the system. Did their
outward reputation render them beyond belief?
Huffington Post contributor Hayley Meachin brings up a
critical point when she questions why we only take notice of our vulnerable
youth once they are made victims on the books as criminals are convicted. (You
can read her thoughts here.)
At
what point did these social service providers and the community at large let
them fall through the cracks?
The systems that failed these girls are not unlike the
systems that often fail youth here in the United States and elsewhere, ultimately
calling to question what makes vulnerable and disadvantaged youth around the
world prone to exploitation and ignored. Perhaps it's time we listen to
young people regardless of the social constructs that place them in a rigid binary of ‘right’ and ‘wrong’. How can we break free from looking for one
type of person to fit the mold of a so-called ‘credible victim’?
CONCLUSIONS
While demographics, socioeconomic status and family history can make some groups more vulnerable to exploitation than others, efforts to categorize race as a determining factor on either end of victimization or perpetration are wholly misguided. Furthermore, a narrow interpretation of what makes victims credible only further marginalizes youth, leaving them at risk of never believing the system can or wants to help them.
Finally, as with all human trafficking cases, prosecution, protection and prevention are equally important.
The delay in prosecution no doubt harmed young women who already faced multiple
barriers to a healthy trajectory, but the remaining two parts must be weighed
as well if we are to fully understand how we, as a global society, can do
better to help our vulnerable youth.
- Summar Ghias
Program Development Intern