Powerful organizations and advocates wielding power unethically has contributed to violence and bullying even between survivors. This is harmful, unethical, and exploitative, and is a big part of the reason we only hear from survivors who agree with the existing narratives. This movement is not safe when survivors are pitted against each other, and many survivors who don’t fit the mold leave the anti-human trafficking movement to work in other anti-violence and harm reduction fields. Sometimes they are pushed out of the movement by bullying, harassment, and being talked over repeatedly. Other times they avoid even connecting with the movement because it is so dysfunctional.
If you are a survivor of human trafficking looking for a workbook to reflect on your role in this movement, check out The 6 C’s of Becoming an Advocate.
And if you’re someone who has experienced force, fraud, or coercion in any form of labor (including the sex trades), or someone who began trading sex as a minor, your voice is just as valid as any other survivor. Don’t think you fit in? You’re not alone. We need your voice. Those of us who get it will have your back.