Misunderstanding

I was recently watching a documentary online about child sex trafficking and prostitution (just one example of the uplifting topics that occupy my thoughts and time). Unfortunately, we know this phenomenal crime is widespread and increasing and that humans have become the number one trafficked “commodity” in the world…even surpassing drugs and weaponry. We have at least made strides in awareness of the topic, but some of the comments in this documentary affirmed my concerns that there is still much to be desired in understanding and preventing the crime as well as the way in which people respond to victims. Here is one example of an extremely frustrating quote from the movie: “The hardest thing to understand is why [Jane] and girls like her would keep going back.” Really? That’s the hardest thing to understand? What about why men are interested in purchasing sex from young girls or why statistics show there is only one offender prosecuted for every 800 victims? To me, those facts are harder to understand than a brainwashed, vulnerable, drug-addicted girl thinking that her best option is to stay and live rather than risk death by trying to escape. This is the same question that we hear all the time. It is, “why do women stay in abusive relationships” instead of “why do some men abuse”? Why the rape victim went out drinking instead of why the perpetrator thought it was okay to have sex with an unconscious, lifeless body? I guess for some people, these questions are too hard to ask or understand. But if we continue to question the victims rather than the perpetrators, we continue to incorrectly place the blame as well as perpetuate passivity, inaction, and abuse.