After watching the clip in class about human trafficking in Minneapolis I was really surprised to find out that Minneapolis is the 13th place for human trafficking and child prostitutions in the USA. I was not surprised to learn how innocent people become victims of this business. I come from East Europe where human trafficking and child prostitution has a high rate. I have heard a lot of stories from different victims how they get involved in this traffic or the factors that lead them to become part of this business. But where I come from, I was aware of these facts and I knew which parts of the city where safe or not for me to walk or spend my time, I knew how to protect myself. But after watching the clip about Minneapolis and his high rate of human trafficking really surprised how different or fake Minneapolis has seemed to me so far. The city of night life which I always attend in the weekend, the city of every well known company is located in, the city where you can walk and enjoy a great day of sight seen, has a high rate of human trafficking? It has been four years that I spend my time in Minneapolis and I have not been aware of what goes around or how good it is hidden.
I also found that fact hard to believe and I grew up in North Minneapolis which seems to be the area in Minnesota that sees the most criminal activity. I think what surprised me the most was not in the video, but what was revealed in lecture. As I can recall one of the slides stated that most people who are involved in sex work are actual U.S. citizens and I think most people have this stigma that if you live here and you are a citizen then you were not forced into sex work and that you are the sole reason to your situation. I can't imagine how many people were brought into the U.S. to service people who want to purchase sex acts.
I think you make a great point. It is very interesting how so many people are unaware that sex trafficking occurs here - in their own state, and maybe even in some of their own cities. You would think that authority figures, such as police forces and state government, would do everything in their power to raise awareness of and put an end to the sex trafficking occurring in Minnesota. However, as you said, you don't even know specific locations where this is occurring - so you can avoid them - as you did back home. This makes me question the role of the authority figures in sex trafficking, or if people are even regarding this as a serious matter.