Walking prey
Subtitle: how America's youth are vulnerable to sex slavery
By: Holly Austin Smith ; foreword by Mira Sorvino
Edition: First edition.
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
Published: 2014
Language: eng
Number of pages: 248
ISBN-13: 9781137278739
Subjects: Sexually abused children; Child prostitution; Sex crimes; Child trafficking; Prevention
Other titles: How America's youth are vulnerable to sex slavery
Description: "Today, two cultural forces are converging to make America's youth easy targets for sex traffickers. Younger and younger girls are engaging in adult sexual attitudes and practices, and the pressure to conform means thousands have little self-worth and are vulnerable to exploitation. At the same time, thanks to social media, texting, and chatting services, predators are able to ferret out their victims more easily than ever before. In Walking Prey, advocate and former victim Holly Austin Smith shows how middle class suburban communities are fast becoming the new epicenter of sex trafficking in America. Smith speaks from experience: Without consistent positive guidance or engagement, Holly was ripe for exploitation at age fourteen. A chance encounter with an older man led her to run away from home, and she soon found herself on the streets of Atlantic City. Her experience led her, two decades later, to become one of the foremost advocates for trafficking victims. Smith argues that these young women should be treated as victims by law enforcement, but that too often the criminal justice system lacks the resources and training to prevent the vicious cycle of prostitution. This is a clarion call to take a sharp look at one of the most striking human rights abuses, and one that is going on in our own backyard."--
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: Foreword / Mira Sorvino; title: Prologue; title: Introduction; title: Before Atlantic City:; title: Are your children at risk?; title: Willing victim; title: Community risk factors; title: Advertising to children and teens; title: Negative messages in popular culture; title: Violence against women; title: Atlantic City:; title: Buyers; title: Control and violence; title: Traffickers and the rules of trafficking; title: Rescue; title: After Atlantic City:; title: Immediate aftercare for child victims of commercial sexual exploitation; title: Intermediate and long-term aftercare; title: Prevention and advocacy; title: Epilogue; title: Appendix A: Resources for parents and victims; title: Appendix B: Resources for law enforcement and other first responders; title: Appendix C: 10 tips for teens for protection against traffickers; title: Appendix D: 10 tips for parents to protect your children from predators; title: Appendix E: 10 tips for elementary school teachers and counselors; title: Appendix F: 10 tips for idle school teachers and counselors; title: Appendix: G: Press #1-Psychiatric emergency screening services on July 11, 1992; title: Appendix H: Discharge summary #1; title: Appendix I: PESS #2-Psychiatric emergency screening services on August 7, 1992; title: Appendix J: Discharge summary #2; title: Notes; title: Index.