Survivor warns human trafficking 'happens here in America': 'Master manipulators'

By Samantha Kamman, Christian Post Reporter Saturday, February 24, 2024

NATIONAL HARBOR, Maryland. — A woman who was trafficked in her Virginia hometown after turning 18 warned that human trafficking is not an issue only happening in some faraway places but right here in America, "the land of the free, and the home of the brave." 

Tanya Gould, the director of Virginia's Anti-Human Trafficking Office, spoke at the 2024 Conservative Political Action Conference on Friday.

The panel discussion, "Combating Human Trafficking," also featured Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Elizabeth Ameling, founder and executive director of Latisha's House, a nonprofit that serves trafficking survivors. 

Get Our Latest News for FREE

Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know.

Subscribe

Gould has spokenpublicly about how a family member sexually abused her for years, and then, when she was 18, an older man came into her life and trafficked her. She recounted part of her story, where she emphasized the need to educate lawmakers on both sides of the aisle about the issue. 

"As you're going about your day, remember that this happens here in America," Gould said.  

The survivor warned that traffickers are "master manipulators" who know their victims are "vulnerable." She said that this manipulation often consists of traffickers convincing women to become involved in crime, which leads to the trafficking victim going to jail. 

Ameling, a certified traumatologist, said Latisha's House has helped many trafficking survivors with a criminal record. Many of the women the organization has helped have kids in the foster care system, and Ameling said they need help overcoming addiction and building life skills. 

The executive director said that Latisha's House usually only has 12 to 13 months to bring victims to a place of healing where they're ready to get their kids back from foster care. 

Ameling called for better laws to prevent human trafficking survivors from losing their kids, noting that children in foster care are at a higher risk of experiencing sex trafficking. Ameling added that she wants trafficking victims to have housing and independence, saying that she wants to "break the cycle" that leads to abuse and exploitation. 

At the beginning of the panel, Ameling shared some information about common traits associated with human trafficking survivors, including that the average age at which a young person becomes involved in trafficking is 12 years old. She noted that many trafficking victims are also survivors of child sexual abuse. 

Ameling explained how Latisha's House helps trafficking survivors find healing, adding that faith often plays a role in the process. According to the traumatologist, the survivors who embrace a connection with God typically do better with counseling, adding that the result is "transformative." 

Ameling recalled how one of the women who sought help through Latisha's House said, "I feel loved for the first time in my life." 

Ohio Attorney General Yost believes that the fight against human trafficking is a "fundamentally conservative" one, stating that it is about advocating for the "dignity and quality of human beings." Yost became the state's attorney general in 2019 and launched the Human Trafficking Initiative, which aims to end the practice in his state.