Teen Vogue: Grooming Your Kids for Exploitation

This publication is so full of smut. Teen Vogue is grooming your kids for exploitation.

The Thin, Fragile Veil

If you have read Wisdom Speaks blog before, you know about the thin and fragile veil between prostitution and sex trafficking. Legally, any commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) of anyone under 18 years old is sex trafficking. So, that includes every CSE: sexual abuse images for sale, prostitution, stripping, remote interactive video, sexting, or whatever else.

Adults might choose prostitution, rarely, but usually there has been manipulation or a play on vulnerabilities. Most often, that is a history of child sexual abuse (CSA) or other, physical or mental child abuse, homelessness, poverty, substance use, family disfunction, or cognitive deficits. Other ways traffickers lure people into prostitution is with falsehoods and trickery. Sometimes, outright force is used.

Even if a person believed they chose prostitution, it could be one more rape, another derogatory comment, a bad diagnosis, that time they couldn’t dissociate from their body during the abuse, an overdose, or possibly noticing someone with the peace and joy that they have longed for -and a person suddenly realizes that they want out! Or further, that they didn’t really choose at all, they were manipulated. The veil is easily pierced.

Grooming

Teen Vogue is grooming your kids to be easy prey for traffickers by constantly pushing the narrative that they are nothing without money and fashion. They need to look a certain way. They should be seductive and sexual in their dress, make up, conversations, and activities.

But it’s even worse than that. The publication recently pushed early anal sex on our kids. And birth control for their audience of 12-17 year old children is encouraged as well. And now, they are defending their piece normalizing prostitution at the end of this NY Times article.

Recall, prostitution and all CSE of anyone under 18 years of age is sex trafficking according to federal law. Teen Vogue is grooming kids for exploitation, specifically for commercial sexual exploitation by traffickers and pimps.

Traffickers will have a ready supply of youth to draw from, thanks to the editors of Teen Vogue. The young girls and boys will readily accept the idea that buying people is acceptable and even cool, since a “doctor” is advocating it for them in their own publication, specifically marketed to minor children.

Aftermath

Who will pick up the pieces of the broken people after their experience in prostitution? Many of us, who have survived prostitution know of others who didn’t make it out. The died by suicide, overdose, diseases, damage from injuries, and murder.

For those who do make it out, there is a long road of intentional healing to travel. The complex trauma impacts the one person and everyone else around them. Trauma occurs when a person is overwhelmed by an experience. Imagine what it’s like to be brutally raped and live through it. Then, think about what it is like to have that happen more times than you can count. That was my experience in only four years.

Not every buyer is brutal, but many are. Now, your daughter, son, niece, nephew, cousins, and friends are being targeted –groomed by Teen Vogue– to fill the void of those who cannot take it anymore. The broken and damaged are working on their healing for years, and some of us have turned our attention to reach out and bring awareness and prevention to this terrible blight on human rights in the USA and around the world.

Sadly, many cannot. There are some who are literally too damaged to speak or take action on behalf of the next generation of victims. They struggle. Their families and friends are impacted by their plight to find housing, sustainable income, relief from addictions, and physical and mental illnesses too. Some have too much difficulty with their own complex trauma to maintain relationships. They end up in and out of state hospital or worse, left on the streets.

Exiting is Hard

Exiting the life is really hard. There are multiple barriers, from the trauma to lack of every imaginable resource. Most people want to get out, but many find it too difficult.

It’s a terrible trap. The imposed shame and guilt, especially for youth is enormous. Youth are victims. Tragically, they don’t know it. And even worse, for those who stay in the situation into adulthood, the implication that they can just choose differently brings more shame and guilt.

Many adults in the sex trade were groomed and recruited as youth, children, vulnerable simply because of their age and inexperience. They face harsh treatment from society in general. They are probably the hardest on themselves, believing they deserve all that they get.

Our Children’s Dignity

Our kids need to be told that they have innate dignity, worthy of protection. Publications like Teen Vogue, grooming our kids for commercial sexual exploitation are touting the opposite.

Preserving the dignity of human beings in our corrupt culture is a worthy fight. We, adults, must engage.

It isn’t as difficult as it seems. It is well within our ability to influence those around us. Communicating the value of our loved ones and all with whom we interact is virtually free.

Be kind, honest, and speak into the lives of those within our sphere of influence. Tell them they are important, that they are worthy of love and protection. Show that their bodies are worthy of protection and care. Warn them that there are people who would hurt them, but that you love them.

Be available

Life can get really busy, but if we are going to protect our loved ones, we must be available to them for whatever their need is. Answer the phone. Communicate without judgement. Provide transportation and other safety measures.

This is the fight: to be available for good.

Obviously, if you are able to engage outside of your family and immediate community, there are local, regional, and nationwide organizations that will welcome your gifts and talents.

If you want to get connected with a group that works to promote human dignity, comment below or fill out the contact form and I will connect you.

And, please be kind.