Setting the Story Straight

As the leading provider for young survivors of commercial sexual exploitation in Massachusetts and a model for anti-trafficking organizations across the country, we feel it is our responsibility to help set the story straight when mainstream media gets it wrong. On the 4th of July, the new movie “Sound of Freedom” hit theaters, grossing enough views to become 3rd on domestic box office charts. Based on the grossly exaggerated stories of the Director of Operation Underground Railroad, a far-right anti-trafficking organization, this movie primes viewers to accept this film as a documentary rather than a dramatization that feeds into conspiracy theories surrounding child sex-trafficking. These “true” stories that the film purports to tell have not only been found to be false but they also perpetuate a narrative that supports the idea that trafficking is something that happens far away from our communities and survivors just need to be rescued or “saved”.  

These thrilling rescue narratives allow viewers to create an unrealistic belief that sex trafficking is about being a savior to helpless individuals whose trauma can be easily reversed with little or no lasting effects on the trafficked individual. At My Life My Choice, we believe in recovery rather than rescue, and we believe in the resilience and strength of survivors. We provide a continuum of services that support adolescents not only when they are leaving the commercial sex industry but also as they grow into young adults, acknowledging the lasting traumatic impact that sexual exploitation can have. Further, we work to change the structural inequities that give rise to trafficking— the marginalization that renders youth of color and LGBTQIA+ youth disproportionately targeted and disproportionately trapped. A rescue narrative lets everyone else off the hook, when in reality we are all responsible for co-signing this egregious form of child abuse. 

Unfortunately, these exaggerated narratives are not uncommon within the anti-trafficking movement, and therefore we believe it is incumbent on organizations at the forefront of this work to center survivors and uplift the reality. While these rescue stories that are often set in foreign countries may be compelling to watch, what we know is that the commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) happens in all our communities, often going unnoticed or ignored. We know this to be true not just through first-hand experience, but from our own data and research from youth served at My Life My Choice. In the past 21 years, we have served young people from over 180 cities and towns in Massachusetts. 

Some may believe that any dialogue about human trafficking raises awareness and builds the movement, and therefore “Sound of Freedom” has an important role to play. We disagree. This film takes attention and investment away from the true work of supporting survivors and shifting the circumstances that makes CSEC possible. Some films that we think get it right and are watched by our staff as part of their orientation include, “Very Young Girls,” “I am Jane Doe,” and “A Path Appears.” Stand with us as we tackle this insidious crime by reaffirming that there is no such thing as other people’s children.