RE: THORNBLADE SAGA
Dear Editor,
It doesn’t appear as though the writer of the Thornblade/ Homeland Security article truly understands the meaning of trafficking. I would encourage the time be taken for them to be educated about this issue so that misinformation does not confuse the community further.
A lot of work has been done by anti-trafficking groups to bring awareness and understanding to this topic. It’s the best way we can help prevent more of it. Sex trafficking takes place anytime someone is sold for sex and force, fraud or coercion is used to make that happen – OR if someone being sold for sex is under eighteen.
This takes shape through dozens of different scenarios – all resulting in abuse and trauma that takes a lifetime of healing to try to undo, all while perpetuating demand in our over-sexualized culture.
Most people who become victims suffered from early sexual abuse in their lives. It’s all so tragic and heartbreaking. Contact SWITCH or Jasmine Road locally to learn more but please be aware that hundreds of thousands of stories of people over the age of eighteen who have gotten stuck in a life of “prostitution” typically involve stories of force, fraud or coercion that derail their lives into this hellish nightmare.
Thank you for considering this.
Sincerely,
Jesslyn Griffith
Greer, S.C.
FROM THE EDITOR …
Jess,
Thank you for such a thoughtful message. It certainly represents a vast improvement on the last letter we published related to the Thornblade saga.
As to the trafficking angle in our most recent story, your perspective is one we absolutely need to keep in mind moving forward – and I am grateful to you for sharing it. I am also grateful to you for providing resources to readers who may be caught up in this awful cycle.
There is a lot I would like to publish about this story right now – yesterday, even – but given where things are with the investigation, it is just not possible to do so. Ultimately my hope is your hope: That the truth comes out and that justice is served. In the meantime, keep holding us accountable. It is very much appreciated.
Will Folks
Founding Editor
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