This first part of an America Trends episode with Aimee Fuller interviews Joseph Travers to learn more about Saved in America, the motivation behind its creation, and how the organization works in San Diego and throughout the nation. Travers explains to Aimee that he first thought about creating an organization after reading an article about a similar group fighting back against human trafficking overseas. He knew, due to his police officer experience, that human trafficking was also happening in America, and at alarming rates, meriting a similar effort towards fighting back. This was the group's impetus group and what got them started in San Diego. 

Triad of Evil

Travers explains that the human trafficking networks are made up of a triad of evil. These three parts include prison gangs, street gangs, and drug cartels. Border states are at an even greater risk for human trafficking as many of these predators use the well-known drug routes to smuggle in and out humans along with drugs to man the trafficking rings. One Saved in America case saw a California girl be kidnapped and taken across the border into Mexico. It took a great deal of undercover work and social media sleuthing to figure out where the girl was and to organize her rescue. Thankfully, as of the present time, SIA has a 100% success rate meaning 100% of the time they have found the girl they are looking for and overseen her rescue. 

The Art of Coercion

Human trafficking doesn’t work like many people might imagine it to, meaning there are no snatching kids off the street corner or in a store. Instead, the predators are well-versed in persuasion. They groom young girls to trust them, gaining their affection, and their loyalty. Eventually, they convince the girl to leave the safety of her home and venture out on her own as a runaway. This is when they slowly entrap them in a human trafficking ring and through abuse and drug addiction keep the girl from leaving or calling her loved ones or friends for help. They get into the head of the victim to the point that she is convinced she is not worth saving, and has such poor self-esteem she will not even try to escape. Thankfully, SIA is fighting for victims like this, rescuing them and then getting them the help they need to recover.