Smithsonian Child Traffickers
Riss Flex introduces a new documentary film from The Guardian that explores the realm of trafficked children, their pimps and their customers, right in the heart of Washington D.C., alongside the Smithsonian Institution. This is a heartbreaking story that focuses on a tough-minded woman by the name of Tina Frundt who runs a safe house called Courtney’s House for these victims.
Most of the trafficking is done via social media platforms, like Instagram and Meta (Facebook). They seem miffed the film was made, but have made some changes to correct the worst instances of abuse. For instance, teens under the age of 16 can now access “teen accounts” on Meta that boast more protective safety settings.
Likewise, the police seem pretty clueless on how to handle the problem but Frundt can move more forcefully on the mean streets. She also uses TokTok to communicate with these young women, who all seem to be 14 or 15. Their faces have been blurred out to protective their actual identities.
