Tainted Love
Every year, over 1 million children fall victim to sex trafficking and join the millions of others already being held captive as slaves. Statistically, a child is being prepared for sexual exploitation every 2 minutes. “Tainted Love” exposes modern-day slave trading and human trafficking, talks to victims and experts, and celebrates the efforts of modern abolitionists fighting to set them free.This new original series tells the tragic and hopeful stories behind the shocking numbers.
The Facts
• The International Labor Organization estimates that there are at least 12.3 million adults and children in forced labor, bonded labor, and commercial sexual servitude at any given time. Of these, 1.4 million are victims of commercial sexual servitude. Also, 56% of all forced labor victims are women and girls. In the case of all forced labor, 40-50% of persons exploited may be children.
• The average age of a trafficked victim is 12-14 years old, and there are girls as young as 5 and 6 years old in the U.S. that are forced to do sexual acts for economic gain by their pimp. (U.S. Department of Justice)
• In 2005, the Department of Justice reported that there have been an estimated 100,000 to 150,000 sex slaves in the U.S. since 2001.
• 1 in 12 youth experienced sexual victimization, including sexual assault and attempted or completed rape. (Crimes Against Children Research Center)
• UNICEF reports approximately 30 million children have lost their childhood through sexual exploitation over the past 30 years.
Ep 1- How do girls get involved in sex trafficking? What were their lives like before? How did they get out? Shared Hope President Linda Smith and FBI investigator Kenneth Kaiser address the stigma, incomplete understanding and naivety surrounding sex trafficking in the United States. They explain that for many girls it is nonconsensual. Annette, a victim of sex trafficking tells her story of a life marked by rape, abuse and ultimately hope for a promising future.
EP 2- Think sex trafficking isn’t a concern for mainstream America? Statistics tell another story. Between 100,000 and 300,000 children a year in the U.S. alone are involved in sex trafficking. Globally, the numbers climb around 1.8 million. Experts Linda Smith and Ernie Allen explain that these children are 21st century slaves. Words such as “prostitute” label the victims as criminals. Learn about the new abolitionists who are joining together to see the world eradicated of this heinous, worldwide crime.
EP 3- What type of person would buy sexual services? There is no average profile. The average buyer could come from any profession, any status and any race. Twelve year old girls are brought to court as criminals. Shouldn’t the buyers and sellers trade places with these victims? It is time to hold accountable the buyers and to offer hope for a promising future to these girls.
EP 4- Money is power. Samantha Vardaman explains that a commonality in commercial sex between four diverse countries is demand. Thus, if you eradicate the demand for commercial sex, then you also eradicate the commercial sex industry.
EP 5- Trafficking is the use of fraud, force or coercion to exploit a person for profit. It is modern slavery. Eight hundred thousand to 900,000 human slaves are bought or sold each year. It is estimated that between 12 and 30 million slaves are in the world today. There are more slaves in the world today than during the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Interviews with Melissa Snow and Jesse Eaves are supported by true stories from victims of the heinous crimes. Together they present some astounding facts about modern day slavery.
EP 6- Sex trafficking victim Tina Frundt uses her experiences to positively impact the lives of girls currently trapped in commercial sex. Annie Lobert explains that commercial sex is fueled by the lust of money. The victims of human trafficking are in invisible, but real, chains. They are enticed and then shackled by the use of deceit and fraud.
EP 7- “Pimps haven’t changed their ways…we just choose not to see it.” Interviews with Tina Frundt and Jesse Eaves explain that selling and buying of commercial sex not only happens overseas, but is occurring in the U.S. as well. More often than not, the girls involved in sex trafficking are trapped by fraud, force and coercion. Annette, a victim of sex trafficking explains that when broken, hungry with no place to go, she had no other option.
EP 8- “I can’t describe to you the feeling of terror…I didn’t know was I was going to have to endure that night.” They are not criminals, but instead victims. Interviews with Susan D. Roske and Megan Clark explain that although they’re victims, the girls also pose a risk to themselves. Most will return to their previous lifestyle; without education or family, their options are limited. Lauren, a victim of sex trafficking says, “I didn’t want to do it anymore, but I didn’t know how to stop.” What options do these girls have?
EP 9- The viscous nature of the sex trade industry spans across every country, culture and language. An Indian sex trafficking victim tells her horrific tale as experts Bradley Myles of the Polaris Project and Alexandra Gelber of the U.S. Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section lend their voices.
EP 10- Every story different, but very much the same. An Indian sex trafficking victim tells of her ordeal and how she was fooled into thinking it would be something much different. Experts Bradley Myles and Alexandra Gelber comment on this all too common occurrence.
Linda Smith
In 1998, while a member of the U.S. Congress, Linda Smith traveled to Falkland Road in Mumbai, India – one of the worst brothel districts in the world. The hopeless faces of desperate women and children forced into prostitution compelled Linda to found Shared Hope International.
Kenneth Kaiser
Mr. Kaiser joined the FBI as a special agent in 1982, after serving as a special agent in the State Department’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security. Before retirement Ken was responsible for coordinating, managing, and directing all criminal investigative programs nationwide.
Ernie Allen
Ernie Allen is President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children. Through his leadership, NCMEC has played a role in the recovery of 74,000 children, with NCMEC’s recovery rate climbing from 62% in 1990 to 94% today.
Dr. Alexis Kennedy
Dr. M. Alexis Kennedy received her law degree from the University of Manitoba, Canada in 1993 and her Ph.D. in Forensic Psychology from the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada in 2004. Her areas of interest include child abuse, sexual assault, body image and prostitution.
Judge William Voy
Every week, Judge William Voy of the Clark County Juvenile Court in Las Vegas holds a special session for underage sex trafficking victims picked up by police in Las Vegas. For years, Voy has been working on an alternative for the girls who appear before him each week on prostitution-related charges.
Samantha Vardaman
Samantha Vardaman is the lead on policy issues for Shared Hope International coordinating advocacy efforts to further the protection of sex trafficking victims. Samantha joined Shared Hope International in July 2005 to direct the Trafficking Markets in Jamaica, Japan, the Netherlands and the U.S.
Dr. Mark P. Lagon
Lagon has been Executive Director and CEO of the anti-human trafficking nonprofit, Polaris Project. Dr. Lagon is currently on the Board of Directors of the Council for a Community of Democracies, as well as the Advisory Board of ECPAT-USA (End Child Prostitution Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes).
Annie Lobert
A former call girl, who founded the international Christian ministry “Hookers for Jesus.” Lobert worked 16 years as a prostitute and escort. Annie is recognized worldwide for her expertise and knowledge of human sex trafficking.
Melissa Snow
Melissa Snow is the lead on rescue and restoration partnerships for Shared Hope International in the U.S. and the world. Melissa joined Shared Hope International in May 2004, and in 2005 began operating as the Deputy Director of Communications for the Trafficking Markets in Jamaica, Japan, the Netherlands and the U.S.
Jesse Eaves
Jesse Eaves is the Policy adviser for children in crisis at World Vision in Washington, D.C. He was the Operations Manager for Invisible Children in Gulu, Uganda where he worked with war-affected communities to rebuild schools, provide water and sanitation, technology, and improved access to education.
Tina Frundt
Tina Frundt, founder and executive director of Courtney’s House is a leading figure in the crusade to help children sexually exploited for commercial purposes. Tina is herself a survivor of domestic sex trafficking and dedicates her life to helping women and children heal from sex exploitation.
Susan D. Roske
Susan Roske is an attorney at Clark County, Las Vegas, NV. Susan heads the Juvenile Public Defender Program, which provides free attorneys to most defendants in Juvenile Delinquency proceedings.
Megan Clark
Megan is the Vice President of Programs for World Hope, which is a Christian relief and development organization working with vulnerable and exploited communities to alleviate poverty, suffering and injustice.
Bradley Myles
Bradley Myles serves as Polaris Project’s Executive Director and CEO. He has been working on combating human trafficking since 2002. In his current role he oversees all the programmatic, financial and operational areas of the organization, including leading the executive team and liaising with the Board of Directors.
Alexandra Gelber
Alexandra Gelber is the Assistant Deputy Chief of Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) for the US Department of Justice. The mission of CEOS is to protect the welfare of America’s children and communities.
Empowered to Act
Power, lust, greed—and all else that fuels the sex trafficking industry—transcends ethnicities, race, socio-economic and educational boundaries.
It happens here in America.
The FBI estimates that well over 100,000 children and young women are trafficked in America and that many victims are no longer just runaways, or abandoned kids but people who may come from a family with a good standing within their community.
Tainted Love, Season 2: My Introduction to India
I recall thinking that doing a simple “show” on sex trafficking was such a waste of time. However, like most of any of my thoughts…I was wrong.
Vote for Shared Hope Int’l
This summer Vivant will be donating a total 1.25 million dollars to deserving local charities that make a difference. Help Shared Hope Int’l win.
6 Orgs Ending Human Trafficking
Human trafficking is a lucrative industry. Identified as the fastest growing criminal industry in the world, it is tied with the illegal arms trade, as the second largest criminal activity, following the drug trade. Halogen TV sheds light on the sex trade industry in the original series “Tainted Love,” which airs Tuesdays at 10:30pm ET. [...]
Tina Frundt Gets a Human Rights Award Nom
Freedom fighter Tina Frundt was recently nominated for this year’s Human Rights People’s Choice Awards for her work in creating Courtney’s House. (Help her out and vote here. The last day to vote is April 19.) Named after her older daughter, Courtney’s House is a shelter to help young survivors of domestic sex trafficking. And [...]
40% of Investigated Trafficking Cases Involve Children
A report from United States Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) shows that nearly half – 48 percent – of human trafficking allegations investigated between January 2008 and June 2010 involved allegations of adult prostitution, the Bureau said; 40 percent of cases pursued during that same time period involved children. The report, Characteristics of [...]
Tainted Love: Sex Trafficking Statistics
Sex Trafficking in the United States • In 2005, the Department of Justice reported there have been an estimated 100,000 to 150,000 sex slaves in the U.S. since 2001.i • In 2009, a University of Pennsylvania study estimated nearly 300,000 youth in the United States were at risk of being sexually exploited for commercial uses [...]
Tainted Love: Anti-Trafficking Organizations
Shared Hope International exists to rescue and restore women and children in crisis. They are leaders in a worldwide effort to prevent and eradicate sex trafficking and slavery through education and public awareness. Sharedhope.org Courtney’s House is a charity committed to helping boys and girls who are survivors of domestic sex trafficking by providing services and [...]
