Wellness Spotlight: Megan Brown on Human Trafficking
I was incredibly lucky to have the chance to sit down with Megan to get to know a bit more about Human Trafficking. Like most, I didn’t fully understand what human trafficking actually was, how often it is occurs, and how close to home it’s occurring. Not only did I learn so much from this conversation, but I loved being able to connect with a powerful woman who saw a problem and it actively working for a solution to that problem. Let this be educational to you, but take the information that you learn and become more aware of your surroundings, or even find ways to be vocal about it and help with the solution because that is what wellness encompasses: using your knowledge, privilege, and voice to help those in our community.
Q:
Who is Megan Brown?
A: Originally from Jonesboro, Megan graduated from Jonesboro High School, and then from Arkansas State University in 2007 with a bachelors degree in social work. After a move to Nashville, she learned about human trafficking while watching a documentary at the local theatre in Franklin in 09’ called Call + Response. The documentary discussed the the overseas trafficking that happened in China, Cambodia, and other places around the world, while collaborating with music socially conscious musicians who wrote music for the documentary. After watching this film she felt called to do something. This began her research into the human trafficking in Nashville, which led her to work and intern at two non-profits that helped to stop human trafficking overseas and locally in Tennessee. She learned what human trafficking really is, what survivors needed, how to identify human trafficking, key words that human traffickers would use in agencies, and so much more.
Megan moved back to Arkansas in 2011 to do more research here in this community, which lead her to PATH in Little Rock, where she became the Northeast Arkansas representative as a volunteer position. She served at this organization until 2015 until she decided to focus on opening up her own safe house in Arkansas, which is something she had long felt called to do in her heart. From 2015-2018 she had 3 kids (go mama!) and became a stay at home mom, but had connected with 3 other women who shared the same mutual passion, including Audra King, Mary Sellers, and Miranda Ballard, who helped her form Hope Found in 2019.
Q:
What does Hope Found do?
A: Hope Found is a Northeast Arkansas non-profit that educates the community on human trafficking and provides holistic support services for those that are victims of human trafficking and exploitations. Hope Found is focused on and located in Northeast Arkansas, partnering with law enforcement, Arkansas State University, as well as other national organizations that help with the same cause.
Q:
So, what exactly is human trafficking?
A: Of course, there is the official definition of sex trafficking, but essentially it is the act of sex trafficking is the buying and selling of people or exploiting a person in order to make money from them. Megan breaks it down into two main categories: Sex trafficking and labor trafficking.
Labor trafficking is a situation where someone who is a boss/parent uses force, fraud or coercion (the 3 main elements of sex trafficking), to make an adult or minor work in some type of job setting. An example of this could be a boss telling their employee that they have to work in this restaurant for x amount of hours, and if they don’t, they are threatened to be deported or have harm caused to their family. Another example might be tricking someone into a job situation by stating is how much they are going to work/make, but then identification is taken and then they are told what they are actually going to be doing, and withholding money until then those acts are performed.
Sex trafficking, what most people think of with human trafficking, is when something of value is being exchanged for sex. A sexual act could be full penetration, stripping, or sexual performance of any kind. Something of value doesn’t necessarily mean money, but could be rent, cell phones, etc. Sex trafficking is further divided into adults and minors; with adults, somebody is using force, fraud or coercion to make an adult provide a commercial sex act. An example of adult sex trafficking could be a boyfriend who you have been with for 6 months now is now demanding you make sex for money, but when you refuse, he rapes or beats you. You could then feel trapped and scared so you do what he tells you. Or it could be that he takes the photos that you took just for him and puts them on escort ads to find buyers to set up "tricks" with.” With minors it could be any sexual act with someone under 18 in exchange for something of value. An example of that would be someone saying to a child, “I’ll give you a place to stay or give you weed if you do this for me.” Sometimes it’s about making porn for a partner, then the porn is sold for something of value.
Often, sex trafficking involves three people. A trafficker (the person coordinating the acts or recruiting the people), the buyer (the person receiving the act - which is sometimes the same as the trafficker but not always), and then the victim (the person who is being forced to partake in the act).
Q:
What is the difference between human trafficking and prostitution?
A: It’s important to note that sex trafficking is not the same as prostitution. With prostitution, nobody is saying ‘this is who you are going to have sex’ with and controlling their money. With human trafficking, someone is controlling your money and telling you to go to certain hotels - there is much more of a control aspect. We’ve been raised to think prostitution is by choice, that they just “choose to do that”, but there are so many factors going into it that need consideration. The overall umbrella of sex trafficking is that there is exploitation and that something is being exchanged.
Both are often due to lack of help; not to mention that our entertainment industry just glamorizes the commercial sex industry of stripping and pornography being “empowering” and “liberating”. However, this often don’t show the harm behind the industry, which often leads to kids wanting to create only fans and be a partake in this industry.
Q:
What are some misconceptions about human trafficking?
A: Most people think that sex trafficking happens mostly overseas, but it happens so often here in Northeast Arkansas and throughout the country. Most important to note, traffickers prey on vulnerable people that are easier to take advantage of , which are in ALL in communities in ALL places. These populations include the homelessness, kids that run away, low-income communities or those with more recent financial insecurity, such as the single parent that suddenly lost their job who need money fast.
We often jump to think about the movie Taken, but sex trafficking usually doesn’t involve even kidnapping, which is actually really rare. It usually happens with people that someone knows and trusts. Social media has also made it into this thing where there is a “sign” on people’s cars to mark single women (or men/boys, because this happens to both genders), but traffickers don’t want you to know that you’re being targeted for trafficking. They want to build a relationship first with a gradual expansion of boundaries and increase in trust, not mark your cars.
Q:
What are the signs of human trafficking:
A: It’s important to know that just because these signs occur doesn’t mean it’s happening, but some common signs of human trafficking include:
Someone that is super controlling in the relationship
Certain tattoos that traffickers may put on their victim as signs of money (money bags, vulgar tattoos such as “bitch” “property of”, degrading tattoos)
A boss is threatening an employee by yelling or making them work excessive hours. This is very common in nail salons, massage businesses, and bars.
Someone suddenly having higher price tag items when they didn’t before and cannot afford them (new cellphones, clothing, bags)
Traffickers often say they are in the “entreatment industry or modeling company” but aren’t specific about what they are doing.
Signs of addiction in the victim, such as the start using drugs and they didn’t before; traffickers will often get victims addicted to drugs as a way to maintain control over them.
Sudden behavioral changes after a relationship; This is often a total 180 spin of going out all the time to suddenly not hanging out with you, secluding themselves, or becoming anxious/jumpy.
Q:
How do I know if I am a victim of this?
A: Ask yourself these questions or consider these factors with your partner:
Am I being forced? Am I having something held over my head?
They have a fancy car, clothes, or jewelry
They frequently spend the nights away or is out of town
They portray the negative aspects of rap culture
They claim to have a job, but not in a location one can visit (Example- he says he owns a record label, magazine company, billboards, restaurants, sometimes in other cities)
Your dreams and goals for life are put on hold for him
Sometimes he promises to make your dreams come true (finishing school, modeling, marriage and family)
He pulls you into his life. Everything becomes “we” in your conversation.
He isolates you from family and friends by moving away
He tries to fast track the relationship. (moving in and talking of marriage within a short time frame should be a cause for concern)
He limits your access to relationships (healthy partnerships expand your circle of friends)
He carries multiple cell phones
Q:
You know someone that’s in it or you’re in it yourself; what can we/they do?
A: It’s so much more common than you think, so always try to analyze the situation if you feel it’s happening. You can reach out to Hope Found directly via 877-688-4673. We will meet with them, talk with them, and help to distinguish if it is happening or not, as well figure out how to help in a discrete way. We can, but don’t always have to, involve law enforcement or can move them into a safe place where the trafficker cannot find them. If they’re involved in prostitution and want out of that lifestyle, Hope Found helps with that too.
If you’re asking, it’s important to build a relationship with them and then ask. It’s not going to be comfortable, but building a relationship first and creating a safe space opens up the opportunity to ask questions such as: Do you feel forced to do anything? Are you having your needs met financially, or is there anything I can do to help? Often, they will open up when they’re ready. Be there for them, but also be ready to help in the best that you can, including building up their confidence that they can leave and change their situation with the right help. Make it realistic for them and connect them with the program. If they are not in Northeast Arkansas, Hope Found can connect them with other programs around the country that are in the area of the victim that can help them. Remember that you can always offer support, but they’re not going to leave until they’re ready.
Most importantly, grow your knowledge on the subject of Human Trafficking; you can currently request presentations from Hope Found in schools and businesses or do your own research. Of course, you can always support Hope Found financially via donation. Most importantly, get involved in your community; especially areas where this could be common. Place yourself in the situations where you can build these relationships and help someone that is a victim of sex trafficking due to their life circumstances. Look closely at situations. A great podcast I recommend is Someone Like Me, a podcast by our partners End Slavery TN in Nashville.
Other resources Megan included include: spotting sex trafficking, spotting labor trafficking, and common labor trafficking rumors.
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Remember that wellness is not just about supporting your body with smoothies, sauna, and exercise and your mind with meditation. It’s about giving back, using your privilege, and about doing something for humanity, especially in your very own communities. Once you have knowledge, you cannot turn a blind eye. This. Is. Wellness.