Rebecca Bender

Summary

Rebecca Bender, a survivor of human trafficking, discusses the importance of media's role in shaping perceptions of modern-day slavery. She emphasizes the need to avoid terms like 'child prostitute,' which wrongly blame victims, and highlights the dangers of sensationalism that misrepresents trafficking as primarily involving kidnappings. Instead, most victims are manipulated through coercion and deception, blending into everyday life unnoticed. Bender calls for accurate language and imagery in media to help survivors recognize their situation and seek help, urging a cultural shift in understanding human trafficking.

Takeaways

• 🎤 Media plays a crucial role in shaping public perception of modern-day slavery and human trafficking.
• 😞 Using terms like 'child prostitute' instead of 'sex trafficked victim' places blame on the victim instead of the perpetrator.
• 🎬 Sensationalism in media, such as focusing on kidnapping and duct tape, misrepresents the reality of most human trafficking cases.
• 👥 Only 5% of human trafficking victims are kidnapped, while 95% are lured through coercion and fraudulent tactics.
• 👀 Many victims of human trafficking live unnoticed in society; they go to school, shop, and work alongside the public without recognition.
• ❌ Misrepresentation in the media makes it harder for the public to identify trafficking victims.
• 🧠 Survivors may not recognize themselves as victims due to the media's portrayal of trafficking as primarily kidnapping.
• 💡 Proper word choice and accurate imagery in media can help shift cultural understanding of human trafficking.
• 🗣️ Survivors continue to believe traffickers' lies because they don't see their situation reflected in media portrayals of trafficking.
• 📢 Advocating for the correct use of language and imagery is essential for supporting survivors and combating human trafficking.

Q & A

What is the main reason Rebecca Bender emphasizes the importance of media in shaping the issue of modern-day slavery?

Rebecca Bender believes media is crucial in shaping the issue of modern-day slavery because entertainment has the ability to influence culture. The way the media portrays human trafficking affects how the public perceives the issue, influencing emotions and attitudes towards both victims and perpetrators.

How does the use of terms like 'child prostitute' differ from 'sex trafficked victim' according to the speaker?

Using terms like 'child prostitute' places blame on the victim, while 'sex trafficked victim' correctly attributes the responsibility to the traffickers and perpetrators. This distinction evokes different emotional responses from the audience, with the former leading to victim-blaming.

Why does Rebecca Bender criticize the sensationalism in media regarding human trafficking?

Rebecca Bender criticizes sensationalism because it often focuses on extreme cases, such as kidnapping and duct tape, which only represent 5% of trafficking cases. This portrayal overlooks the reality of the 95% of victims who are lured through coercion and fraud, and as a result, many victims remain invisible to the public.

What does Rebecca Bender say about the 95% of trafficking victims?

She explains that 95% of trafficking victims are not kidnapped or locked away but are instead manipulated through coercive and fraudulent tactics. These victims walk amongst the public unnoticed, and their invisibility is partly due to the media's narrow focus on sensationalized portrayals of trafficking.

How does inaccurate media portrayal of trafficking affect victims, according to the speaker?

Inaccurate portrayals of trafficking in the media can prevent victims from recognizing their own exploitation. Since many victims do not experience sensationalized forms of trafficking, such as kidnapping, they may believe they are not being trafficked and therefore avoid seeking help.

Why is proper word choice and imagery in media important for survivors of trafficking?

Proper word choice and imagery are essential because survivors, like the general public, are influenced by cultural narratives. When the media consistently portrays trafficking as something it is not, survivors may internalize these misrepresentations and believe that their exploitation is their choice or fault.

What role do cultural narratives play in the mindset of trafficking survivors?

Cultural narratives, shaped by media, can reinforce the trafficker's lie that the exploitation is the survivor's choice or fault. As survivors consume media that misrepresents trafficking, they may not recognize their own situation as exploitation and thus refrain from seeking help.

What message does Rebecca Bender want to convey regarding the portrayal of trafficking victims in everyday life?

Rebecca Bender wants to convey that most trafficking victims are integrated into everyday life, and they go unnoticed because the media tends to focus on sensationalized cases. These victims live among us, attending school, going to grocery stores, and living normal lives, making it harder for people to recognize them.

What specific request does Rebecca Bender make to the audience regarding her story and dignity?

Rebecca Bender requests that the audience join her in ensuring that the right language and imagery are used in the media to accurately depict human trafficking. She emphasizes that this is crucial for respecting survivors' dignity and shaping an accurate cultural understanding of the issue.

How can the media help in preventing victims from remaining silent?

The media can help by portraying human trafficking accurately, without sensationalism or misleading narratives. By using correct terminology and focusing on the broader reality of trafficking, the media can empower victims to recognize their own exploitation and seek help, rather than feeling isolated or at fault.