Opportunity:
Human Trafficking in Gainesville- Gainesville is now on the human trafficking
map in Florida as a green zone.
-The who: College students, children, and teenagers.
-The what: People feel unsafe going to out in general, and
especially going out to where traffickers are known to do abductions such major
grocery stores, or night to clubs and bars.
-The why: Due to the rise in sex trafficking in Florida, Gainesville
has become a predominant location due to the proximity to the highway and the
amount of college students here.
·
Testing the who: Sex trafficking affects the
entire nation, especially minors or woman. This opportunity is open to any
location in the world, but predominant in certain states such as Florida.
·
Testing the what: Anywhere in the world one could
be targeted for sex trafficking. Gainesville’s night clubs and bars with a
growing population and ever revolving student population provides a unique atmosphere
to be targeted.
·
Testing the why: There are highways every where
but the human sex trafficking maps show that rural areas that are not near
major highways are not at increased risk. Gainesville has been moved into a green
zone on the sex trafficking map. This increased awareness of the danger could
have parents more concerned about their teenagers, college students, and
children.
Interview #1
·
I interviewed a senior UF student majoring in
biology about human trafficking and he was aware that it was a problem down south
but had not thought about it being a major problem in Gainesville. He does not
have kids or siblings that live here, and he believes that since he is a man it
doesn’t directly affect him. He explained that even when he goes out, he doesn’t
have to worry about other threats including human trafficking because of his
sex.
Summary: After doing this
interview it’s very obvious that some people aren’t directly affected by this
opportunity. Being a large male, he explained how he is able to defend himself
if any threat came his way. He isn’t as concerned as the other people I
interviewed, giving he is an only child and most of his family are adults making
the threat of human trafficking for his family and him less viable.
Interview #2
·
I interviewed a lady at church who has three
children and lived in Gainesville her whole life. I asked her about her
awareness of human trafficking in town and she responded that she sees post on facebook
about friends and family warning her of the up-rise of human trafficking in central
Florida. She said that she has done research about it and is aware of the
potential dangers to her and her children even here in Gainesville. She told me
that when she goes out, she keeps her children close and has also taught her
children not to go with strangers no matter what. So, she explained that she has
taken certain precautions making the threat of being a victim for her and her
children less possible.
Summary: After doing this
interview, it is clear that the threat of human trafficking has affected the
respondent directly. She is aware of the up-rise in town, and has to live every
day being aware by taking precautions for her and her children from becoming a
victim to this threat. The opportunity is definitely valid in her predicament
giving she is a single woman parent to 3 children, which 2 are girls.
Interview #3
·
I interviewed a Female Junior Finance Major
student at UF at my bus stop. We had a 15-minute wait for the bus so I took advantage
of the opportunity and we had an in depth conversation about human trafficking.
She explained to me how she’s completely aware of human trafficking increasing
in central Florida. She stated how being a young woman while this up-rise is
taking place is extremely scary to her. I agreed completely. She stated that
she takes precautions when going to grocery stores and purposely avoids going
at night-time, and also takes precautions when going to clubs and bars by being
in a large group of friends. She said that she has a taser also as a self-defense
mechanism for any potential threat.
Summary: After interviewing this
college student it is valid that this opportunity directly affects her. Being a
young woman she could be a potential target. She is aware of the
progressiveness of human trafficking in Gainesville, and finds it extremely
alarming. This opportunity affects her everyday life decisions and that is honestly
a hard way to live.
Interview #4
·
I interviewed a construction worker who has a
wife and one son. When I asked him about human trafficking in Gainesville he
was extremely informative. He told me that Gainesville has an increased gang
presence from the construction workers that have come because of the building
boom that is currently taking place. He also said that the bars in Gainesville are
dangerous and that his wife before he had met her had been drugged. He has his
concealed carry and takes his families safety extremely personal.
Summary: This interviewee was
aware of human trafficking and other potential threats that could affect him
and his family. He has gone to the extent of carrying a concealed weapon just
in case of any threat that would target him or his family. He has personal
experience with the threat of human trafficking as his wife has been drugged at
a bar, and that is a main M.O for many traffickers in the nation. They may use
methods such as drugging someone at a bar who appears as an easy target and take
advantage of the opportunity.
Interview #5
·
I interviewed a home-less man in Downtown about his
awareness of human trafficking and if it affects him in any way. His response
was that he knows it is happening in the world, and that it could affect him. He
explained how being homeless in town, there’s always a potential threat of any
kind of violence towards the homeless population and they have to always keep
an eye out of their surroundings no matter what. He told me how friends of his
that were also homeless, one day, just disappeared and he hasn’t seen them
since. He said he has no idea where they went or if they’re even alive still,
but there is definitely a possibility of someone abducting them since they’re
homeless and nobody could report them missing.
Summary: After conducting my
interview with this homeless man I was shocked of his awareness of the threats
of human trafficking and other harmful threats. I thought that his position of
being homeless and not being surrounded by social media and the news, would
hinder his knowledge on the subject. But, he has first-hand experience of the
threat of human trafficking; as homeless people are an easy target because most
of them don’t have families with nobody to report them missing. After learning
about how his friends have gone missing and he doesn’t know where they are or
if they’re alive or dead, the opportunity of human trafficking in the homeless
community is large, as before this assignment I thought it only affected woman
and children.
