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Colette BercuColette BercuCEO/FounderCEO/Founder

Free for Life InternationalFree for Life International

1.888.335.88351.888.335.8835

www.freeforlifeintl.orgwww.freeforlifeintl.org

Who was she?Who was she?Who is she?Who is she?

Who could she have been?Who could she have been?

�� These girls are chosen because they are already vulnerable. These girls are chosen because they are already vulnerable.

�� ProfileProfileRunaway, throwawayRunaway, throwaway

Dysfunctional homeDysfunctional home

History of sexual, emotional, and/or physical abuseHistory of sexual, emotional, and/or physical abuse

History of witnessing domestic violenceHistory of witnessing domestic violence

Criminal historyCriminal history

Drug abuse and/or witnessing parental drug abuseDrug abuse and/or witnessing parental drug abuse

Low selfLow self--esteemesteem

“Repeated trauma/chronic stress will shrink the “Repeated trauma/chronic stress will shrink the hippocampus and kill brain cells”hippocampus and kill brain cells”

Why?Why?

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Some of the main forms of control found in Some of the main forms of control found in Trafficking in persons cases areTrafficking in persons cases are

��Violence and threats of violenceViolence and threats of violence

��DeceptionDeception

��ImprisonmentImprisonment

��CollusionCollusion

��Debt bondageDebt bondage

��Religion, culture and beliefReligion, culture and belief

Control by violence or threat of violenceControl by violence or threat of violence��May not come into play until victims attempts nonMay not come into play until victims attempts non--compliancecompliance

��Simply the hint of violence is enough in some instances especially concerning Simply the hint of violence is enough in some instances especially concerning family/loved onesfamily/loved ones

��Rape, beatings, marking as property, torture, making to watch all of the above Rape, beatings, marking as property, torture, making to watch all of the above all used to controlall used to control

Methods of ControlMethods of Control

Victims repeatedly told that the police are all corruptVictims repeatedly told that the police are all corruptAnd against themAnd against them

Making the victim feel that they are involved in and Making the victim feel that they are involved in and Or benefitting from the trafficOr benefitting from the traffic

��Receiving moneyReceiving money

��Consenting to prostitution at first (but not this)Consenting to prostitution at first (but not this)

��Illegally entering a country/stateIllegally entering a country/state

��Victims forced to commit other crimes (shoplifting, drug transport etc)Victims forced to commit other crimes (shoplifting, drug transport etc)

��“ Promotion” within the organization to recruiter/enforcer/informant (victims “ Promotion” within the organization to recruiter/enforcer/informant (victims thinks they are part of the trafficking.thinks they are part of the trafficking.

Control by CollusionControl by Collusion

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ConsiderationsConsiderations

••FoodFood

••ClothingClothing

••Shelter/HousingShelter/Housing

••Mental health careMental health care

••Crisis interventionCrisis intervention

••Long term counselingLong term counseling

Legal servicesLegal services

EducationEducation

Job skillsJob skills

Employment assistanceEmployment assistance

Child careChild care

Medical and Health Considerations

••Self mutilationSelf mutilation

••Suicidal threats and attemptsSuicidal threats and attempts

••Dissociative Identify DisorderDissociative Identify Disorder

••Substance abuseSubstance abuse

••Eating DisordersEating Disorders

••DepressionDepression

••AnxietyAnxiety

PTSDPTSD

OCDOCD

DissociationDissociation

Past physical injuries (closed head Past physical injuries (closed head injuries, fractures, lacerations, injuries, fractures, lacerations, abdominal trauma, genital/anal abdominal trauma, genital/anal trauma, internal injuries)trauma, internal injuries)

Stress related physical symptoms Stress related physical symptoms (migraines, ulcers, IBS)(migraines, ulcers, IBS)

PregnancyPregnancy

STD’s (TB, Hep B, gonorrhea, STD’s (TB, Hep B, gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, HIV, AIDS)syphilis, chlamydia, HIV, AIDS)

Medical careMedical care——Fractures, improperly Fractures, improperly healed bones; head traumahealed bones; head trauma

Dental careDental care

AngerAnger

Inability to articulate needsInability to articulate needs

Excessive fearExcessive fear

Insomnia/NightmaresInsomnia/Nightmares

DenialDenial

Belief that they love their traffickerBelief that they love their trafficker

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Based on information from Domestic Sex Trafficking: The Criminal Operations of the American Pimp. Polaris Project. 2006