Post by HeadMarshal on Mar 24, 2013 13:07:39 GMT -5
One of the most reoccuring themes on Lifetime AMW is the fight against sex trafficking. At first glance it may be because of Lifetime being a women's orienated network, however regular AMW viewers will recall specials on FOX AMW regarding sex trafficking in 2006 and 2010. I feel that Lifetime will be in the long haul to fight sex trafficking with the help of AMW.
There are two issues that I've heard people bring up regarding certain aspects of sex trafficking coverage on AMW.
1: The first one is one my father brought up when I told him that Rufus Byers had been captured by AMW. When I mentioned that AMW caught a sex trafficker, he went "Was he Russian?", I replied "No he's black", he responded, "So he's a pimp" and seemed rather uninterested. The problem with this is that some people assume that AMW will be looking for fugitives wanted for international sex trafficking rings that victimize children and women who weren't previously prostitutes or were considered to be "at-risk". And not stereotypical Mexican fugitives like the Cadena-Sosa Family but people will connections to governments and who have large amounts of power.
Unforunately for that argument, a large number of sex traffickers operating in the United States tend to be pimps or members of criminal organizations like MS-13 and not something such as what was exhibitied in say the movie (Taken). I've read other missing person forums and they are starting to think that a large number of the missing non-family abducted children out there were taken by sex traffickers (granted most missing children are parental kidnapping victims and runaways). This is problematic in that some people may feel that AMW is just taking out the low-level pimps similar to low-level drug dealers. However, AMW did capture An Soon Kim.
2): People will think that the War On Sex Trafficking will become another stereotypically failed War On Drugs. I don't agree with that but some believe that prostitution needs to be legalized so adults can live out their life without being constantly arrested. The problem is that victims of sex trafficking typically are being prostituted against their free will and prostituting children is never okay.
So where does everyone see Lifetime AMW taking the fight against sex trafficking in 2013 and beyond? Based on previous stories by AMW (Costa Rican sex tourists, Cambodian sex tourists, sex trafficking in America specials, etc.) this will mainly be American centric involving victims who are residents of the United States. Pimps and members of criminal organizations like the aftermentioned MS-13 will continue to consist of most of the fugitives. The Mexican Drug Cartels are even making significant inroads into sex trafficking (especially the uber violent Los Zetas).
There are two issues that I've heard people bring up regarding certain aspects of sex trafficking coverage on AMW.
1: The first one is one my father brought up when I told him that Rufus Byers had been captured by AMW. When I mentioned that AMW caught a sex trafficker, he went "Was he Russian?", I replied "No he's black", he responded, "So he's a pimp" and seemed rather uninterested. The problem with this is that some people assume that AMW will be looking for fugitives wanted for international sex trafficking rings that victimize children and women who weren't previously prostitutes or were considered to be "at-risk". And not stereotypical Mexican fugitives like the Cadena-Sosa Family but people will connections to governments and who have large amounts of power.
Unforunately for that argument, a large number of sex traffickers operating in the United States tend to be pimps or members of criminal organizations like MS-13 and not something such as what was exhibitied in say the movie (Taken). I've read other missing person forums and they are starting to think that a large number of the missing non-family abducted children out there were taken by sex traffickers (granted most missing children are parental kidnapping victims and runaways). This is problematic in that some people may feel that AMW is just taking out the low-level pimps similar to low-level drug dealers. However, AMW did capture An Soon Kim.
2): People will think that the War On Sex Trafficking will become another stereotypically failed War On Drugs. I don't agree with that but some believe that prostitution needs to be legalized so adults can live out their life without being constantly arrested. The problem is that victims of sex trafficking typically are being prostituted against their free will and prostituting children is never okay.
So where does everyone see Lifetime AMW taking the fight against sex trafficking in 2013 and beyond? Based on previous stories by AMW (Costa Rican sex tourists, Cambodian sex tourists, sex trafficking in America specials, etc.) this will mainly be American centric involving victims who are residents of the United States. Pimps and members of criminal organizations like the aftermentioned MS-13 will continue to consist of most of the fugitives. The Mexican Drug Cartels are even making significant inroads into sex trafficking (especially the uber violent Los Zetas).
