SESTA and Survivors
Trafficking survivors support SESTA. The main goal of SESTA is to give trafficking survivors recourse against the online facilitators of sex trafficking. #LetUsSurvive is the most recent example of language being highjacked to push an opposite agenda. They do so in the name of human rights.
Flawed Research
Some people are being convinced by a piece of so-called research that touts Craigslist ads for a drop in the murder rate of women. The piece was brought up and used in the NH House to argue against supporting SESTA.
I careful look into the research revealed a number of fatal flaws. Not the least of which, was the use of statistics. All female murders were reduced by 17% in an area where the online ads sold human beings for sex. Wait just a minute. Were they all prostituted? It doesn’t say. Should we assume they were? No! Just yesterday, a man killed his wife here in NH. There is no reason to lump all women into that statistic.
Then there are the reporting mechanisms. Murders are reported differently by different agencies and not all info is succinct enough for such a report. Should we assume that the info was fully and completely vetted? No! The research methodology isn’t even included in the piece. How could we?
There were presumptions expressed in the article. I read a lot of research for certain projects. There are times when people will express a hypothesis and it is stated as such. Key words like, “we believe,” or “it would appear,” or “our hope is,” or “suppose,” or “to extrapolate,” are all phrases that indicate theory and not actual fact.
Language matters
We all know that in order to communicate, you have to use language that is common between the communicator and those with whom the message is shared. The problem is, that in this world of tweets and posts, we have forgotten critical thinking.
The ability to look at what is being shared in a broader way. Who is behind it? What is the objective? Do the words being used actually represent the truth?
All one has to do is look at Planned Parenthood. Neither word represents their mission. They cater to those who have neither planned to get pregnant, nor wish to parent. They branded their business on the antithesis of their mission, to kill the children and rob parents of parenthood.
As with other demonically inspired pursuits, pro-prostitution groups are using the antithesis language. With the hashtag, let us survive, they fight SESTA. Survive to what? Survive to another day of prostitution, another day of being used as an implement for the pleasure of affluent white men, primarily.
Prostitution isn’t dangerous because it’s against the law. It’s against the law because it’s dangerous.
My reply
The pro-protitution advocates have decided to hyjack language in this article, per usual. As a prostitution survivor and member of the NSN, https://nationalsurvivornetwork.org, I believe there are many reasons to examine the language used.
The people who are claiming #LetUsSurvive are the same ones telling you prostitution is safe, that they are not placing themselves in harms way, and that danger is due to the laws. Those of us, many of whom used dissociation and drugs to get through the days of being used and treated as commodities and not people, realized that there is a better way to live.
Remember, there are people who by use of charm are able to convince other people to prostitute themselves. Even after beatings, rapes, and deprivations of all sorts they still return to their charming “managers” and “advocates” with intense loyalty.
Ace helped me sell my only worldly possesion, my body. Your body is the only way that you can interact with this world. When, after years of use and abuse, it doesn’t do what you need it to because it’s broken, you look back and realize it was a deceptive path.
I hope SESTA will give survivors the recourse to hold online facilitators accountable. For those who use online marketing for themselves, it would appear that there may be some inconveniences at times, but let’s be real here. The internet is limitless. SESTA won’t stop anyone from using it by choice.
This world is temporary. Our time here is short. I hope you make the most of it and make it count.
~Darlene