MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A joint operation between law enforcement agencies ended with 10 people arrested with charges related to prostitution and sex trafficking. Several people believed to be victims in the sting were put in contact with Restore Corps, a Memphis organization looking to help victims and eradicate human trafficking.
The sting targeted predators of minors. Rachel Sumner Haaga, executive director of Restore Corps, warned that instances of sex trafficking can happen in isolated incidents but are more often longer processes.
"The victim is almost unaware of how they got themselves there," Sumner Haaga said. "It just changed from simple and innocent and sweet until it wasn’t."
The River Inn in Harbor Town was the location where the most recent sex trafficking sting happened, but the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) said it's a statewide problem.
"It's tough to say that, ‘hey, Memphis has a problem with this’ when this is a problem everywhere," said Jeremy Lofquest, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of Human Trafficking for the TBI.
From 2020 to 2021, Lofquest said the TBI has had a 30% increase to their human trafficking line.
In this sting, agents posed as minors on websites known for prostitution. Men then engaged with them over the internet and texts, while others came across the agents for the first time in Harbor Town.
"In general, this is not the first time that these people have done this," Lufquest said. "It’s not the first time they’ve come for a minor so it’s a problem that we’re trying to attack all the way across the state."
Whether in person or online, agencies like the TBI, Memphis Police, the Shelby County District Attorney’s office and the FBI are teaming up to catch the predators.
Activists and non-profits like Restore Corps are also educating the public while helping those who have fallen victim. The organization walks a victim through their trauma as fast or slow as they want to take it.
"Taking as much or as little of the narrative that the victim wants to share in that moment because we’re not the investigators," Sumner Haaga said. "We don’t need the narrative of the exploitation."
In this case, offenders were looking for minors and Sumner Haaga warns parents that child sex trafficking may not be one isolated incident, but a longer process from a simple meeting to grooming to exploitation. Sumner Haaga warns often times “stranger danger” can’t be the narrative when the exploiter may seem like a friend or significant other.
While giving resources to exploited women or teens is an important step, Haaga said acknowledging the underline reason - a buyer's market - is a bigger one.
"We have to remove the narrative of kind of 'boys will be boys' narrative that says it’s totally fine and there’s never a victim when someone is paying for sex," she said.
The organization is in constant contact with about 55 women that they look to reintroduce to normal life after contact with sexual trafficking. Resources for those who want more education can be found on their website.
To report a human trafficking tip, people can call - 1-855-55-TNHTH.