The covid crisis has increased vulnerability, and therefore susceptibility, to exploitation and trafficking for many people in America. Economic hardship, isolation, and disconnection from support systems due to safer at home orders are some of the many factors playing a role in this. One amateur porn site is looking to capitalize off of the economic crisis brought on by Covid by offering former McDonald’s employees the opportunity to join the site as porn content creators after company layoffs. 

As soon as quarantine began, there were trucks with billboards, luring women into escorting and webcamming, driving around Los Angeles. 

And women who have already worked in the sex industry are being affected. We have heard time and time again that women who previously worked in strip clubs, most of which are still shut down, are being pressured to turn to prostitution in order to make ends meet. Others are being enticed to create their own porn at home for amateur porn sites that are seeing an astronomical influx of demand since quarantine began. Just one of these websites has reported that they are receiving 6,000-8,000 new “content creators” every 24 hours. And one woman who used to work in a strip club reported that almost every single one of her coworkers are doing porn or escorting now. 

What we are talking about here are real people with real lives. So, I want to take a moment and consider the real life experience of the women we serve. Imagine you are a single mom who fought to escape your trafficker and regain custody of your child. You have a part time job in retail and work for a ride share company to keep a roof over their heads. Meanwhile, you are tirelessly attending support groups and pursuing recovery from the trauma of your past. Covid hits. You lose your retail job. The demand for ride share services plummets. The truth is, you couldn’t drive much anyway because your child is distance learning and requires 24-hour supervision. You no longer have “childcare” during school hours. Quarantine leaves you isolated and disconnected from your support systems. The pressure in your life is mounting. You begin to wonder if you will be able to keep the apartment you worked so hard to get. Homelessness is a looming threat. Meanwhile, Your ex-trafficker and several other people from your past are pressuring you to return to your old life, promising fast, easy money. 

But you have come too far. You know the money is never easy. The price is high. 

With our virtual support groups, mentoring program, and emergency relief fund, we are helping women stay free. We are helping them continue to rebuild their lives, even in the midst of extreme hardship. 

I am here to tell you that the women of Treasures are some of the strongest women I know. They are fighters and they have the capacity to overcome; they just need some extra support in the process. 

If you want to learn more about how you can partner with us to help women stay free from exploitation and trafficking, visit our website at www.iamatreasure.com 

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/otilliasteadman/coronavirus-amateur-porn-onlyfans