About the Founder
Tina Frundt, founder and executive director of Courtney’s House is
a leading figure in the crusade to help children sexually exploited for
commercial purposes. Ms. Frundt herself a survivor of domestic sex
trafficking; now dedicates her life to helping women and children heal
from domestic sex trafficking and commercial sex exploitation.
After
realizing there was no specialized housing available for sex trafficked
children in Washington, D.C., Ms. Frundt founded Courtney’s House in
August 2008. Since its inception, Courtney’s House and
Ms. Frundt have helped over 500 victims escape from being trafficked.
She also trains law enforcement and other non-profit groups to rescue
and provide resources to victims. She is also a member of the
Washington, D.C. Anti-Trafficking Task Force.
Ms.
Frundt has been featured on numerous national television shows and
publications, including The Oprah Show, The Montel Williams Show, CNN
and Redbook Magazine. In 2010, she was awarded the Frederick Douglass
Award. The award is given to an individual who has survived slavery and
is using their life in freedom to help others. She has also testified
before U.S. Congress about her own experiences and the need for greater
protection and services for trafficked persons.
"Enslaved in America"
Human Trafficking in the U.S.
by Tina Frundt
When
most of us Americans hear the words "human trafficking", we invariably
think of women and children overseas who are being forced into the sex
trade overseas, or who are brought to the United States for the purpose
of sex. We, consequently, don't think closer to home. I want you to
think about women that you have seen late at night on your way home from
work or at social events. Maybe you have seen women in the streets in
short dresses. You turn your head to look away. We do not look at the
faces of these young women and girls who are forced to be out in the
street. Maybe we think this is what they want to do, or they wouldn't be
out there. Maybe it is easier to believe that it is empowering rather
than facing the harsh reality of child sexual abuse, which is
perpetrated against them both physically and mentally by the pimps who
prey on these women and children.
To
understand human trafficking in the United States, you have to open
your mind and let go of what you have seen or heard on television, and
its portrayal of the joys of street prostitution. You have to open up
your eyes and understand that some aspects of street prostitution are
indeed human trafficking.
Ecpact
USA states that the average age of entry into street prostitution is
between 12 and 14 years; though there have been cases of girls as young
as 10 years old being forced into the trade.
I
was 14 years old when I was forced into prostitution. Like many teens
at that age, finding my own identity and defying my parents were top on
my list. Consequently, when a man came into my life and showered me with
attention and listened to me when I complained about my parents, I did
not think twice about the fact that he was 10 years my senior. After
all, he said I was mature for my age and I understood him better than
anyone his age. Little did I know, he was planting the seeds of
manipulation. It did not matter what my parents said to me, they did not
understand me and he was the only one that "got me". After 6 months, I
thought I loved him, at least that is what he told me, so I did what I
thought my heart was telling me; I ran away to be with him. We ended up
in Cleveland, Ohio. He told me we were going to meet the rest of the
family. I had no idea the "family" meant myself and three other girls.
After
I was introduced to the "family", I was told what my role would be. I
would go out to "work" that night and bring him back the money. How else
would we build our dream home? He assured me he would always love me no
matter what, but to prove just how much I loved him, he needed to make
sure I would do anything for him. Later that evening, his friends came
by the motel. At first, he told me to have sex with someone. I did not
want to so his friends raped me. Afterwards, he said "that wouldn't have
happened if you would have just listened to me at first." I blamed
myself instead of being angry at him for being raped. I was angry at
myself for not listening to him in the first place. Right after that, he
picked my clothes out, he told me what to wear, what to say, how to
walk, what to say to "Johns" and how much money I was to bring back to
him. He then forced me to go out into the streets.
When
I first went out into the streets and met my first "John", I felt like
this was something I did not want to do. I walked around the streets
back and forth, for hours. Finally, I got into a car because we were
always being watched and I knew I had to get into a car sooner or later.
Our quota was $500, and I had only made $50 that night to give back to
the pimp. As a result, he beat me in front of the other girls to make an
example out of me and then he made me go back out until I had made the
money. This is the same man that took me out to eat, listened to me when
I wanted to complain about my parents, and gave me words of advice. I
was now seeing a side of him that I never saw before - a brutal side
where he repeatedly hit me in front of the other girls to teach us all a
lesson. Not only was I shocked, I was scared. What would happen to me
if I did try to leave and who would believe me if I told them what was
going on?
I
worked from 6 until 10 the next night without eating or sleeping. I
came back with the $500, but in his mind I still did not learn my
lesson. He sent me back outside until 5 a.m. the next morning. After the
second day, he finally bought me something to eat, but as a punishment
to learn never to do it again, he locked me in the closet to sleep.
Since that night, I was locked in the closet on numerous occasions and
had my finger broken, which never set right. None of us were ever
allowed to see a doctor so we endured our pain by pushing it deep down
inside and trying to forget it ever happened. I can't count the number
of times people have asked me "why don't you just leave?" "Couldn't you
escape?" To that, I simply say, "do you ask a child that is kidnapped
why they didn't try to leave?" No. We automatically say they are a
victim; it wasn't their fault and now I know it was not my fault that a
pimp manipulated a child.
Under
federal law, a child under 18 years old is considered a victim when
there is child trafficking involved. On the local level, however, you
are charged with child prostitution.
The Reality of the "Pimp Game"
Pimps
have a great marketing tool: the media. You can turn on the TV now and
see pimps glamorized through TV shows, music videos and movies. Now the
term “pimp” is so commercialized, we as Americans do nothing
while it becomes part of our socially acceptable
vocabulary. Children and teens use the word in everyday
conversation: “my ride is pimped out,” “your clothes are pimping.” We do
not understand the reality behind the term.
Pimps
prey on women and children by finding out their weakness and attacking
it. It’s easier to manipulate children, because by the time they become
adults, they are dependent on a pimp. After the pimp gets into your
mind, it’s easy for him to maintain control. From that point, you have
to call him “daddy”, and he will punish you if he feels that you have
stepped out of line. You are required to bring home between $500 and
$2,000 every night, as are the other women in his “stable.” You are not a
“woman”; you are always a “bitch” or a “ho”. You are reminded of that
daily. If you do not want to follow the rules, then he may sell you at
anytime to another pimp. The pimp game is not anything like the drug
game because it’s not territorial. With drugs, you buy and sell it once;
but with people, you can buy and sell them over and over again. This is
why they move you around from city to city and state to state so you do
not have anyone to run to. That way, they can keep making money off of
you.
A
non-profit organization in Washington, D.C. reported that a pimp, who
had 3 women in his “stable”, had each bringing back $500 every day. He
was making about $24,000 per month or about $642,000 a year – tax
free!
In
the dictionary, the definition of slavery is the “state of one bound in
servitude as the property of a slaveholder or household.” If someone
sells you to someone else, is that not slavery? If someone forces you to
do things against your will and you are not allowed to leave, is that
not slavery? Then I ask you why, when the word pimp is added into the
mix, we as Americans do not consider this as slavery?
What
happened to me 15-20 years ago is still going on today. It is not
better; it is actually getting worse. I spoke about children being
forced out into the streets, but there are women over 18 years old who
are being forced as well - after all they were once children. Now that
you have the knowledge what will you do with it?
Join the fight for our children’s future!
