Page 10 - The Wayne Dispatch

Trafficking, Continued from page 7 showed up from Kentucky or what-
Indicators of Human Trafficking ever southern state she was living in
hard by the time the 6th man came at the time. Mom told the police that
into the room, he broke her nose. From the Department of Homeland Security website Devaun was rebellious, that she
Bill was angry. He took Devaun Recognizing key indicators of human trafficking is the first didn’t want to follow the rules, that
into the bathroom, cuddled her step in identifying victims and can help save a life. Here are her bruises were from falling be-
against him and then cleaned her up. some common indicators to help recognize human trafficking: cause she was an alcoholic. She told
The Doctor set her nose. The birth- police Devaun was a runaway. Police
day party was over. • Does the person appear disconnected from family, friends, took Devaun back to live with her
The next day, she says she woke community organizations, or houses of worship? older sister and Bill. She says she
up sore, bruised and with black eyes. • Has a child stopped attending school? slept in a corner of the room. Her
Bill was very excited about how suc- • Has the person had a sudden or dramatic change in behav- mom said she was being dramatic.
cessful the night had been. The Doc- ior? To this day, Devaun believes her
tor gave her more medications. She • Is a juvenile engaged in commercial sex acts? mother was getting financial gains
missed school until her face cleared from Bill and her sister.
up. • Is the person disoriented or confused, or showing signs of The police were at school again
Every weekend until she was 16 mental or physical abuse? the next day. The first part of the
1/2 the “party” continued. She had • Does the person have bruises in various stages of healing? nightmare was over.
“regulars.” She says Bill had some • Is the person fearful, timid, or submissive? Devaun started speaking about
other friends that apparently threw • Does the person show signs of having been denied food, her ordeal about ten years after she
the same kind of parties. She occa- water, sleep, or medical care? was removed from the situation. Her
sionally went to other homes to • Is the person often in the company of someone to whom he husband didn’t know the details of
“work.” her past. She had three kids.
When she first moved in with her or she defers? Or someone who seems to be in control of the One of Devaun’s friends had a
sister, Devaun says her sister and situation, e.g., where they go or who they talk to? heart for the issue of human traffick-
Bill both worked. Soon, her sister no • Does the person appear to be coached on what to say? ing and heard of an event called
longer worked outside the home and • Is the person living in unsuitable conditions? SOAP (Save Our Adolescents from
Bill did not work either, saying he • Does the person lack personal possessions and appear not Prostitution) she wanted to go to.
had hurt his back. As she looks to have a stable living situation? She dragged Devaun along. “It was
back, she says “No way we could af- very emotional. I felt sick, but re-
ford everything we had.” She was • Does the person have freedom of movement? Can the person lieved too. It was an epiphany to me,”
promised a car for her 17th birthday. freely leave where they live? Are there unreasonable security she said of hearing SOAP founder
One day she was walking home measures? Theresa Flores speak of her own
from school with a male friend. She Not all indicators listed above are present in every human story.
hugged the friend before she got trafficking situation, and the presence or absence of any of the Not wanting the guilt anymore,
home. Bill saw the hug and called indicators is not necessarily proof of human trafficking. Devaun wants to help everyone she
her a slut for hugging the male. His can. She runs the Metro Detroit
punishment? Not letting her work chapter of SOAP, one of the most suc-
that weekend. He locked her in her cessful chapters, she says. She tries
bedroom from Friday to Sunday her Bill was hurting her, and she visible burn marks and bite marks. to help survivors of human traffick-
with a bucket to use as her bath- wanted to go home. The sister said Devaun says the counselor then ing. Most human traffickers, she
room. All weekend, she could hear she’d pick her up after school. In the reached out, touched her hand and says, are husbands, boyfriends, and
the sounds of a new girl upstairs. meantime, the gym class friend had said, “Let me help you.” uncles. Of the approximately 200
At school Monday, a friend saw gone to a counselor about what she The police soon arrived and gave survivors on a Facebook group she’s
her covered in bruises during gym saw. Devaun was called to the office her to the other sister who lived in involved with, only two were ab-
class. She told the friend she was to see the counselor. She told the Westland. She says she apologized to ducted into trafficking. Major out-
going to call her other sister who counselor she was not being hurt. her older sister, saying that she reaches of SOAP occur locally during
happened to live nearby in Westland. The counselor repeatedly asked her didn’t start all this.
She did call the other sister, telling if she was being hurt. Devaun had Devaun’s mother suddenly See Trafficking, page 11

10 · January 2019 · The Wayne Dispatch