https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 29 Apr 2026 08:06:39 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reports-of-families-being-scouted-by-human-trafficking-in-public/page/2#post-2718790 Fri, 31 Mar 2017 12:51:33 +0000 littlejoy 2718790@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@kiddosc: I completely agree. Yes, trafficking happens. No, not likely at an IKEA or department store. This story went viral because it was a "normal mom" (assumed to be middle class, suburban parent) who many moms could relate to. I think it detracts from the real issue of human trafficking, which happens more in low income areas and traditionally involves less privileged people. I'm not sure how/why my point was lost. </p> <p>Any story involving children being targeting hits me in my gut. True or not, it causes me to think a bit more when being out with my child. </p> <p>I also think profiling has a lot to do with these viral stories. Very sad. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reports-of-families-being-scouted-by-human-trafficking-in-public/page/2#post-2718781 Fri, 31 Mar 2017 12:07:11 +0000 tlynne 2718781@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@littlejoy: In my area, it is an issue for all classes and races. Many of the girls that I teach are at risk; some of them because they are rebelling from parental control - but definitely not as a result of poverty. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reports-of-families-being-scouted-by-human-trafficking-in-public/page/2#post-2718758 Fri, 31 Mar 2017 10:54:47 +0000 808love 2718758@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am not scared easily but I saw a few security cam clips of attempted grocery store snatchings. It prompted me to hold (and hug) LO tighter in and out of the store. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reports-of-families-being-scouted-by-human-trafficking-in-public#post-2718755 Fri, 31 Mar 2017 10:42:26 +0000 kiddosc 2718755@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@littlejoy: Trafficking does happen, but I have yet to hear a credible story of a child being snatched from a department store from right under their mother's nose and forced into the sex trade. I don't think I'm not hearing about these stories because they happened to a poor POC, I just don't think it's happening this way. I would be very interested if you could produce a story of an instance where this had happened. </p> <p>By all means, be vigilant of your children in public. But these types of stories of children being blatantly targeted in busy stores seem pretty far fetched to me. I think they only serve to make mothers suspicious of innocent people. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reports-of-families-being-scouted-by-human-trafficking-in-public#post-2718747 Fri, 31 Mar 2017 10:23:55 +0000 littlejoy 2718747@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Madison43: I'm not concerned about my child getting snatched from IKEA - but I will say that it made me think a little more about ensuring I have a close eye on my kiddo. </p> <p>In my original comment, I said that trafficking does actually happen, but we don't hear much about it because it's not a middle class/upper class issue - sad fact of how the news industry goes. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reports-of-families-being-scouted-by-human-trafficking-in-public#post-2718684 Fri, 31 Mar 2017 08:09:53 +0000 looch 2718684@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I do think it is important to discuss these kinds of things, why do they come up, what does it mean for people and their feelings about people around them. I think for a lot of people, there is a fear of "otherness" and suspicions about people that don't look like them. It's fine with them existing in the underworld and doing stuff like washing dishes in restaurants, but when they come out into our environments, we're uncomfortable.</p> <p>That's what needs to be addressed, I think, not urban legends. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reports-of-families-being-scouted-by-human-trafficking-in-public#post-2718670 Fri, 31 Mar 2017 07:36:22 +0000 Anagram 2718670@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Also on a related note, when I bought my first house I always rented out one of the bedrooms for extra income. For a year, I had a roommate who was getting her master's in a specific type of therapy for sexual assault survivors and she also worked part time at an assault crisis center. And she was constantly telling me scary statistics, but also preventative measures people can take.</p> <p>Like, one scary fact (I haven't fact checked this actually, I should disclose that) that many home invasion assaults are targeted when the perp is walking neighborhoods at night and see victims through windows--and statistically, if you keep your blinds/shades open at night while you are awake and moving around, you are more likely to be a vicitim. Same with sleeping with windows open.</p> <p>There were other stats she gave me. I would love to see similar information about abductions--but based on facts, not social media posts. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reports-of-families-being-scouted-by-human-trafficking-in-public#post-2718666 Fri, 31 Mar 2017 07:32:06 +0000 Anagram 2718666@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>In the comments of the original article, many women have made comments like "My city is the 2nd worst city", or "My city has the highest rates for human trafficking in the US", but I'm having trouble finding actual stats on this.</p> <p>A general google search said Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Las Vegas, San Diego, San Francisco, St. Louis, Tampa, and Washington, DC. were the worst.</p> <p>Anyone have any real information? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reports-of-families-being-scouted-by-human-trafficking-in-public#post-2718656 Fri, 31 Mar 2017 06:57:56 +0000 Madison43 2718656@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@littlejoy: see, but I think the element of truth is what causes these types of stories to turn into urban legends and internet lore, you know? If there was no danger whatsoever of trafficking, people wouldn't get hysterical about the risk (not saying you're hysterical). But the reality is that if a child is going to get trafficked, it is likely not because a stranger snatched them at Target or IKEA while they were being supervised by their parent and grandparent (has that happened??? Ever?? Her story seemed so silly to me), but rather because they are already part of an at risk population. The whole internet saying "omg - this could happen to me" just takes attention away from the actual and potential victims. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reports-of-families-being-scouted-by-human-trafficking-in-public#post-2718641 Thu, 30 Mar 2017 23:27:58 +0000 littlejoy 2718641@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sarac: It's not hysteria ... it is truth that Portland has a problem with human trafficking. I only brought it up because I live here - outsiders wouldn't assume this. The OP also lives here, so I was using a relatable example. And, it's okay to compare one area to another. NE and NOPO have way more gang activity than SW Portland. Why would my true statement offend you? It's not disparaging ... I don't live in a hysterical state of being, but I know these things exist in my backyard, and I consider it when going out with my child. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reports-of-families-being-scouted-by-human-trafficking-in-public#post-2718634 Thu, 30 Mar 2017 21:21:50 +0000 MrsSCB 2718634@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@caterw: omg, so similar -- right down to the "loitering" thing! That's what the cop said, that someone reported a homeless man loitering. My dad was like, "if by loitering you mean sitting on a park bench, then sure. Why have benches if no one is supposed to sit on them?!" 🙄 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reports-of-families-being-scouted-by-human-trafficking-in-public#post-2718631 Thu, 30 Mar 2017 20:59:00 +0000 sarac 2718631@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@littlejoy: primarily because I think that this kind of hysteria is a huge societal net negative. People see this, they feel afraid, life is worse. All for nothing, because it just isn't true. </p> <p>I also hate to hear people disparage Portland, and east Portland specifically. Portland, like all big cities, sees (mostly runaway teenaged) girls trafficked, but not any more than most big cities. But this notion that we need to worry about people snatching our children in public - there just isn't any truth in it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reports-of-families-being-scouted-by-human-trafficking-in-public#post-2718630 Thu, 30 Mar 2017 20:57:49 +0000 caterw 2718630@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSCB: THIS JUST HAPPENED TO MY HUSBAND! We were visiting my parents, who live in a nice area that has all of a sudden become a very trendy, expensive neighborhood... so they have all of these brand new, super rich white neighbors. My husband (who is also large and bearded) decided to go walk my parent's dog while wearing a bandanna on his head since he had been doing some yardwork for them. Apparently one of these people called the police saying that "There is a suspicious man in a bandanna with a pitbull loitering in the neighborhood". He was literally just walking the dog on a leash in broad daylight. </p> <p>I think a lot of people have lost all sense of what is or is not a safe situation and tend to think the worst of others. Dude walking a dog= probably safe. Dude loitering in Ikea= probably safe. I personally always loiter at Ikea while lounging on furniture and staring at other patrons because I am in a food coma. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reports-of-families-being-scouted-by-human-trafficking-in-public#post-2718621 Thu, 30 Mar 2017 20:23:11 +0000 littlejoy 2718621@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sarac: Why are you so aggressive? Portland has been known as a hub for sex and human trafficking for years. Being on the I-5 corridor makes it a "prime" location. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reports-of-families-being-scouted-by-human-trafficking-in-public#post-2718512 Thu, 30 Mar 2017 14:44:42 +0000 gingerbebe 2718512@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've not had this happen to me specifically, but I *have* had many random people (of all races and backgrounds) give a lot of attention to my boys in public because they are mixed race. I am Korean and my husband is white and while its not that uncommon where we live, there have been pretty bold people at parks or in stores who come up and talk my ear off about our boys or want to talk to them or just stare really hard at them, going on and on about their mixed race heritage and wanting to talk about their various physical features. To the point where my mother has been really creeped out and told me she has been worried that someone would kidnap them from a park or something. And my husband, who is a total skeptic about everything, even gets skeeved out and leaves.</p> <p>Unfortunately, lately in Asia, mixed Asian and white people have become "popular" and are featured in ad campaigns and what not. And children from Eastern Europe (where there are a lot of white and Mongol/Kazahk/Uzbekh mixed people) have become very "popular" for adoption too. I'm not saying my kids are being targeted by human traffickers, but basically people are really effing weird and I don't discount a parent feeling uncomfortable about someone paying too much attention to their kiddos.</p> <p>BUT that's why when I read that original story, I was like what mom and grandma STAYS at the store for that long (30 minutes sitting on a couch!?) when you think someone is for sure stalking you? Wouldn't you just get all your stuff and leave immediately? DH and I have definitely left lots of settings with our kids before if we were uncomfortable with something - who hangs around if something feels off?? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reports-of-families-being-scouted-by-human-trafficking-in-public#post-2718452 Thu, 30 Mar 2017 13:41:26 +0000 sarac 2718452@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Urban legends, hysteria, fearmongering. There is nothing to this. And East Portland is not 'known' for this any more than Ikea is, for god's sake. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reports-of-families-being-scouted-by-human-trafficking-in-public#post-2718431 Thu, 30 Mar 2017 12:57:45 +0000 winniebee 2718431@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am very skeptical that human traffickers will sit around at department stores where they will be caught on camera. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reports-of-families-being-scouted-by-human-trafficking-in-public#post-2718415 Thu, 30 Mar 2017 12:33:36 +0000 Dahlia 2718415@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm sorry, but I think this is way blown out of proportion for the reasons listed above. In IKEA everyone has to walk in the same direction, and she wasn't really there to shop either so why are the men suspicious for not seeming like they are shopping? Even if they were up to no good, trafficking kids seems unlikely given the statistics people have mentioned above. </p> <p>Why didn't she report it and leave the store earlier? Was that before or after she took that lovely picture of her family on the couch? And if she's so concerned about safety, why on earth is she putting her full name, location, and kids' pictures ON THE INTERNET? </p> <p>People and stories like this make me rage. Human trafficking is very serious, but this takes the focus off learning how to really help those who may be or become victims. It also downplays the very real risks kids face by placing parents' focus on unlikely to happen events. If she needed to post about IKEA, why not a post on the importance of tethering your dressers to the wall? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reports-of-families-being-scouted-by-human-trafficking-in-public#post-2718403 Thu, 30 Mar 2017 12:24:12 +0000 Truth Bombs 2718403@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I absolutely believe these social media stories are blown out of proportion. However, if the result is parents being more vigilant about their children's safety, I'm not sure that's such a bad thing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reports-of-families-being-scouted-by-human-trafficking-in-public#post-2718395 Thu, 30 Mar 2017 12:08:20 +0000 stargal 2718395@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>so suspicious of these stories when read them. At best, i think its mom's being parnoid thinking that the average stranger is following htem and putting thier kids at danger. but thinking about it logically, is a pimp going to go kidnap kids from a store with NUMEROUS security cameras everywhere where it would be broadcasted everywhere. and lets be honest, if they are targeting places like ikea and target, they would most likely targeting "middle class" families which statistics do not support in cases of human trafficking..... its to risky to target the middle class, they have to many resources on their side (the media, money,etc)<br /> the naysayer in me is that Mommy bloggers see these stories going viral and know it could drive up traffic to their own page..... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reports-of-families-being-scouted-by-human-trafficking-in-public#post-2718388 Thu, 30 Mar 2017 12:00:52 +0000 yoursilverlining 2718388@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree with many of you who are suspicious of these stories. </p> <p>Re: the Washington, DC girls all being runaways - yeah, doubtful. When I was 14, a classmate/friend went missing and was later found murdered. The Seattle police initially insisted she had to be a runaway, even though her family, friends and teachers insisted she was not a runaway and she wouldn't have runaway. They wasted valuable time not investigating her disappearance because instead they wanted to insist, without reason, she ran away. The fact that she was black, from the inner-city I'm sure had nothing to do with that determination (/sarcasm). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reports-of-families-being-scouted-by-human-trafficking-in-public#post-2718383 Thu, 30 Mar 2017 11:55:04 +0000 MrsSCB 2718383@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: Omg, that is terrible, I'm glad he said something! My dad finally said to the cop, after he asked some demeaning questions, "I live nearby. I'm a retired lawyer." And that was the end of it...ha. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reports-of-families-being-scouted-by-human-trafficking-in-public#post-2718379 Thu, 30 Mar 2017 11:52:13 +0000 Anagram 2718379@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSCB: yeah, so....on a related note. My mom lives in a gated subdivision in the south. And it's a huge subdivision with different areas of different styles of houses, all centered around a common pool, movie theater, and gym just for the subdivision. And there are several "busybody" types in her neighborhood and they all have an online message board, kind of like Next Door.</p> <p>My mom was just here visiting me and told me about some "drama" going on. A resident was robbed (they left their garage door open, and a bunch of stuff was stolen while they were home). The resident messaged the whole group to just say, double check that your garage doors are down and report any suspicious activity. </p> <p>Immediately, a woman (a white woman) messaged the whole group (we are talking hundreds of residents) saying, "I just saw a suspicious black man walking alone last evening!" And she described him.</p> <p>And then a resident of the subdivision responded and said.<br /> I may have been that "suspicious black man". I'm black. I have lived in this subdivision for 9 years with my wife and our three kids. I am also a captain in the Air Force and I often walk from our house to the gym, because keeping fit is important for my job. The act of me walking from my house to our gym outside should not be considered suspicious. And it should not be suspicious if my children are walking in our own neighborhood at night. We like to exercise, just like many of you."</p> <p>BOOM! I was downright gleeful at his response. Good for him! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reports-of-families-being-scouted-by-human-trafficking-in-public#post-2718372 Thu, 30 Mar 2017 11:44:43 +0000 MrsSCB 2718372@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: Yes, agreed. When I read stories like this, my first thought is, "I really wonder what these 'suspicious' characters looked like..." But then I'm coming from a place where cops once questioned my dad, who is older and has a large beard, because he was sitting on a bench for awhile. In a public park. Apparently someone called to report a homeless person hanging around. It would almost be funny, if it wasn't so ridiculous. And my thought was, so what if he *was* homeless? It's a public space! Anyway, I digress, but I think sometimes people's biases, whether conscious or unconscious, play a role in these scenarios. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reports-of-families-being-scouted-by-human-trafficking-in-public#post-2718359 Thu, 30 Mar 2017 11:31:40 +0000 Anagram 2718359@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yeah, I think that most people are highly suggestible and the more they read these stories on social media, the more they are convinced that people are trying to harm them.</p> <p>Also, several times these stories have had racist undertones. </p> <p>The people are described as being "weird" but they are doing fairly normal things (sitting on couches at IKEA! For long periods of time! Like so many people do when their daughter/spouse/aunt/son is making a 2 hours long return downstairs or while their kid is in the play space or while their MIL and wife are picking out new bedroom furniture for hours), and they are usually "foreign" and "have accents".</p> <p>I'm not saying abductions or odd public behavior *never* happen, but I think it's way more rare than all these social media posts suggest. Also, just staring at other people in public isn't a crime. It's called people watching. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reports-of-families-being-scouted-by-human-trafficking-in-public#post-2718356 Thu, 30 Mar 2017 11:25:15 +0000 travellingbee 2718356@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Cole: If people are on edge thinking that people are following people around Target and then they see some unsavory-looking guy near them they may jump to that conclusion and then tell people that they too experienced that. Or maybe someone did follow them to their car because they considered pick-pocketing them. But in the mom's mind, she's on high alert for what she thinks are kidnappers so she tells everyone that someone was trying to kipnap her. This is really no different than in the 80s when everyone was scared of kidnapping and me and all my friends all claimed that vans had followed us trying to abduct us and we barely got away... We all saw vans driving slow near us and assumed they were trying to kidnap us. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reports-of-families-being-scouted-by-human-trafficking-in-public#post-2718342 Thu, 30 Mar 2017 11:03:29 +0000 MrsSCB 2718342@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think posts like this is largely unnecessary fear-mongering...she's "almost sure" they were targets of human trafficking? Human trafficking is a huge problem. But personally I think rather hysterical conclusion-jumping like this actually draws away from the real issue. Stranger abduction is extremely rare. Most sex traffickers aren't going to be targeting families, or children with their parents close by. It's not worth the risk. They're MUCH more likely to be looking for far more vulnerable children -- runaways, kids or teenagers with bad home lives. Often they get to know their victims first, lull them into a false sense of security, and then get the victims to go somewhere with them willingly. Think about it: there are sadly many vulnerable children and teens out there, so why would a would-be human trafficker risk going for ones out and about WITH their parents, who would surely notice them missing fairly quickly? I've seen this story all over the place, and I just wish people would spend half the time and energy working out ways to help those most at-risk rather than scaring parents with stories like this one. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reports-of-families-being-scouted-by-human-trafficking-in-public#post-2718218 Thu, 30 Mar 2017 09:22:04 +0000 skipra 2718218@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just a thought - did all these reports start after the Sherri Papini disappearance? That got SO much attention that if there was any substance to these claims I'd guess there would be huge media attention. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reports-of-families-being-scouted-by-human-trafficking-in-public#post-2718203 Thu, 30 Mar 2017 09:07:45 +0000 youboots 2718203@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My first thought is that she's describing loss prevention employees. I was trained on this really heavily when I worked retail. They work at all the big box stores. Home Depot, Costco etc</p> <p>Another take:<br /> <a href="http://nypost.com/2017/03/29/get-a-grip-crazy-moms-your-kids-wont-get-kidnapped-at-ikea/" rel="nofollow">http://nypost.com/2017/03/29/get-a-grip-crazy-moms-your-kids-wont-get-kidnapped-at-ikea/</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/reports-of-families-being-scouted-by-human-trafficking-in-public#post-2718174 Thu, 30 Mar 2017 08:41:02 +0000 snowjewelz 2718174@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Maybe that story isn't true, but I've read actual incidents either from the mother herself or from the news around my local Target parking lot, in broad daylight too :sad: </p>