R. Kelly was found guilty on all counts in his sex-trafficking trial Monday . For the most part, I don\u2019t think any of us are \u2026<\/b>
\nR. Kelly was found guilty on all counts in his sex-trafficking trial Monday. For the most part, I don\u2019t think any of us are shocked at this verdict. Kelly has a long history of sexual abuse and exploitation of women and minors that spans several decades. What is shocking is one of the defense strategies from Kelly\u2019s attorney, Deveraux Cannick. He said Kelly\u2019s accusers stuck around because he spoiled them with free air travel, shopping sprees and fancy dinners. \u201cHe gave them a lavish lifestyle,\u201d Cannick said. \u201cThat\u2019s not what a predator is supposed to do.\u201d This raises the question: What is a predator supposed to do? Should sex-trafficking predators kidnap victims from parking lots in the middle of the night? Should they keep the victims tied up in basements? Do victims need to be battered and bruised in order for their abuse to be legitimate? For a long time, we\u2019ve only imagined human trafficking to look like the movie “ Taken.“ An unsuspecting, innocent victim kidnapped by a violent trafficker and rescued by Liam Neeson, our perfect hero. Yet at Restore NYC, the anti-trafficking organization I co-founded 12 years ago, we know things aren\u2019t as simple. R. Kelly victim: I found the strength to leave ‚Pied Piper of R&B.‘ Why won’t his fans? The common reality is that traffickers disproportionately prey on people who experience intersecting vulnerabilities like racism, misogyny and classism. Yet for too long, our society has perpetuated a narrative of what the perfect victim of sex trafficking should be \u2013 a narrative that often excludes Black survivors. \u201cWhen our idea of a sex-trafficking victim is a young, suburban, white girl that was kidnapped and locked in a basement, it can be hard to understand how many of the women that bravely spoke against R. Kelly fit the criteria,\u201d said Beck Sullivan, Restore\u2019s chief program officer. \u201cBut their story is actually what a common trafficking case looks like: women of color being coerced by men.\u201d One of the top recruiting tactics for sex trafficking in the United States is \u201c boyfriending,\u201d a grooming method where traffickers offer love, attention and lavish gifts in order to lure new victims. This subtle process can take anywhere from days to months, with traffickers knowing the more a potential victim feels bonded to them, the longer they will stay in cycles of exploitation. \u201cLavish gifts is also a very relative term,\u201d Sullivan said. \u201cI know of a victim who felt indebted to their trafficker because he took them to several dinners at Olive Garden. To someone with disposable income, the idea of being exploited because of an Olive Garden meal can seem ridiculous, but to someone living in poverty, this can easily be used for manipulation.\u201d Over the past year, we\u2019ve heard dozens of headlines about sex trafficking. From former Olympics gymnastics coach John Geddert to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, and now R&B star R. Kelly. With so many narratives about what human trafficking is, it can feel nearly impossible to digest, much less dismantle, the systems that lead to exploitation. I grew up ‚under a rock‘: My parents banned social media until I was 17. I’m glad they did. Next time you see a sex trafficking case in the news, consider: \u25baWho holds the power in this story? \u25baWhat other vulnerabilities is the victim experiencing? \u25baHow might these vulnerabilities prevent them from speaking out? \u25baWho\u2019s benefiting from the exploitation? As the R. Kelly headlines become scarcer and the solidarity hashtags stop trending, let’s continue to press in to understanding what sex trafficking actually looks like: a nuanced crime that will always impact those most vulnerable. Faith Huckel Motter, co-founder of Restore NYC, is its interim executive director.<\/p>\n