How Traffickers Prey on America's Vulnerable Youth: Jaco Booyens

The trafficking of American citizens, primarily women and children, continues to increase in America, while prosecutions decrease.

Despite sound anti-trafficking laws on the books, there is little enforcement, says Jaco Booyens.

Gen Z, which spends much of their time online, is particularly vulnerable to predators who, over an average period of nine months, groom and desensitize them to gain proximity.

Here's one example of a real case Jaco Booyens shared with me:

"We'll call this girl 'Sarah.' Sarah is 13. She has a deep desire to play on a soccer team. She doesn't make the team, but she serves the team as kind of a water girl.

This predator notices this online because she talks about that. She [says] that her sister makes the varsity team. The predator starts affirming her, encouraging her, for nine months, until one day he shows up at her soccer game. He flies two states over, takes a selfie with her in the background, doesn't introduce himself to her, goes back home, two weeks later sends her the selfie, and he says, 'When your dad doesn't show up, I will show up. You can trust me.'

He's earning her favor. She says to him online, 'You should have said hello.' There's such a deep desire for that child to be seen, to be affirmed. So, it's the exploitation of vulnerabilities.

Unfortunately, Gen Z displays their vulnerabilities publicly. It's not hidden. They overshare publicly. It's easy to read them."

Jaco Booyens is founder of the anti-trafficking organization Jaco Booyens Ministries.

Watch the full episode: https://ept.ms/4f72VlM