When trust becomes a weapon: How predators groom their victims with guest Karla Solomon (Ep. 313)

When trust becomes a weapon: How predators groom their victims with guest Karla Solomon (Ep. 313)

"Trading the use of my body for basic needs" – these haunting words from Karla Solomon capture the brutal reality of human trafficking that occurs not in distant lands, but right here in America. In this powerful conversation, Karla courageously shares her journey through multiple trafficking situations, beginning when she was just twelve years old.

The episode unveils how trafficking actually works through psychological manipulation and grooming. Karla explains how her unstable childhood created vulnerabilities that traffickers expertly exploited. Removed from her mother due to neglect and abuse, then abruptly returned at age eleven, she found herself in an environment of drugs and violence. When an older woman offered the maternal care she desperately craved – waiting at bus stops, making sandwiches, offering attention – it seemed like salvation. Instead, it was calculated grooming that led to exploitation, as this "mother figure" eventually sold her to men in exchange for drugs while simultaneously addicting Karla to those same substances.

What makes this conversation particularly illuminating is Karla's insight into the psychological dynamics of trafficking. "A successful grooming process results in a victim participating in their own exploitation and sale, thinking they've made that choice willingly," she explains. This understanding challenges the common misconception that trafficking victims should simply "run away" or seek help. The invisible chains of emotional dependency, substance abuse, and psychological manipulation create bonds that are as restricting as physical restraints. Years later, as an adult struggling with opioid addiction following a medical procedure, Karla encountered a second trafficker who employed these same tactics – proving how unresolved trauma creates ongoing vulnerability.

Today, Karla works to support other survivors through direct assistance and advocacy. She understands what it means to be desperate, having experienced "being on the streets with a backpack full of dirty clothes and not having any help except for trading the use of my body." Visit karlasolomon.com to learn more about her work and how you can join the fight against human trafficking. If you suspect trafficking, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline immediately – because someone's life may depend on your call.

Chapter Markers
0:00 Welcome to Voices for VoicesⓇ
8:10 Karla's Early Childhood Trauma
17:14 Betrayal and Child Trafficking
24:20 Pregnancy and Continued Exploitation

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