Man Sells Foster Daughter Into Prostitution
Published October 26, 2009 @ 01:24PM PT
Pimps can be strangers to their child victims, but they are often someone the victim trusts, like a boyfriend, a parent, or a family member. In a case out of Maryland recently, Shelby Lewis sold his 12-year-old foster daughter, along with three other girls, into prostitution -- the price of the "rent" he charged them for living in his home. This case is an excellent case study of what domestic minor sex trafficking looks like in the U.S., since it has a number of very common factors present.
- First, the victim was a part of the foster care system. It's common for American girls who are eventually trafficked by pimps to have been in foster care at one point in their lives. The connection between foster care and trafficking is due to both the vulnerability of young people without stable homes and the dysfunction of many foster care systems in the U.S.
Second, the pimp was someone the victim knew as a protector. While pimps can be strangers, they often approach victims first as boyfriends, friends, stepfathers, family members, etc. They groom the victim to rely on them and then claim, as Lewis did, that the cost of their protection and love is prostitution.
Third, the victims started in their early teens. Lewis first began pimping his foster daughter out when she was 12. He also sold three other girls, who he began exploiting at 13, 14, and 16. The average age of entry into prostitution is 12-14 in the U.S., so the ages of the victims in this case are typical.
Fourth, one of his victims was registered with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. It's not unusual for children who are reported missing, either as runaways or as kidnapping victims, end up in the hands of pimps like Lewis.
Lastly, child pornography makes an appearance in this case, as it does in many others. Lewis had pictures of his victims tied to beds in sexual poses at his apartment. Pimps can earn money by selling pornographic images of the girls they exploit in addition to selling the girls themselves.
While one of these factors might not be present in all cases of domestic minor sex trafficking, they are certainly present in a number of them. This case is an example of how the issue of child trafficking in the U.S. is deeply connected to the need for reform of the foster care system and better education for girls. The questions this case begs are much broader than just those related to human trafficking: Why are foster youths so susceptible to trafficking? Why are men buying girls so young for sex? It's a reminder that we must always view trafficking within the context of social issues pimps utilize to help them traffic girls.
Photo credit: EOS Cameroun
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Comments (13)
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Author
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Amanda has been a full-time abolitionist for six years. During that time, she has created reports, documentaries and training materials on human trafficking in the United States and around the world.
Why are foster youths so susceptible to trafficking? Because they are vulnerable.
Why are men buying girls so young for sex? Because they have issues around adequacy and bravery.
Posted by Oceania OZ on 10/26/2009 @ 03:52PM PT
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I would like to know where was the CPS or anyone to that effect, who was supposed to be checking on the foster child well being.
Or do they just place the kids in foster homes and forget about them??
Posted by Damaris Constantino on 10/26/2009 @ 04:16PM PT
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I was a foster child as a young girl. To answer your question: yes. They dont care what child abuser or pedophile they place you with. They just leave you there to fend yourself. And usually, the CPS and police work together to cover their tracks which is why so many children are forgotten about. The ones who should protect them, protect themselves instead.
Posted by EmaliaMarie Styles on 11/05/2009 @ 09:01PM PT
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Son of a bitch...
I hope that bastard gets nailed hard and I agree with miss constantino...
Where the hell was the very people supposed to be looking out for these kids ?
Posted by Thomas McHugh on 10/26/2009 @ 07:46PM PT
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"Why are men buying girls so young for sex?" Because they are dirt bag, child molesting, pedophiles. These men should be locked away in prison for a very, very long time when they are caught. Why are they free to continue to violate young girls? Partially because you have people like Matt Kelley of change.org's Criminal Justice page who continue to protect and enable such offenders. http://criminaljustice.change.org/blog/view/sex_offenders_not_even_welcome_at_church
Posted by Dennis G. on 10/26/2009 @ 08:54PM PT
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Put them away my ass...
They cant be cured and they aint gonna stop if theyre running around free so instead of paying for their incarceration...Just treat them like the rabid dogs they are and shoot them.
Posted by Thomas McHugh on 10/27/2009 @ 05:20PM PT
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How can CPS & other agencies do their jobs properly when they are understaffed ? They can't !
So many people whine about "big government", privacy, taxes, support or tolerate the biggest military budget on the planet, and then SCREAM when things like this happen.
What to do ? Invest in taking care of people. Invest in Human Services. People supporting themselves through helping other people is a good thing. We've needed more federal & state employees, not less, to deal with these horrors.
Posted by Pamylle Greinke on 10/27/2009 @ 04:20PM PT
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This subject needs to be brought forward to the very people who are victims - the children must have education. All the things to suspect.
There should be signs on windows of places where children can go for safety - like neighborhood watch, safe baby drop off.
Some would surely try to save themselves and more and more people would be on the watch for children in these situations.
Of course, what of the children kept out of school? Pass out literature?
Posted by Jennifer Perugini on 10/27/2009 @ 11:26PM PT
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Shouldn't foster parents be passing background checks?? Is this required?
Posted by nadia s on 11/02/2009 @ 10:01AM PT
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This guy needs to face rape charges for every occurence he forced them to participate in.
As we say in the south Bubba will handle when he gets where he's going.
Posted by Gabbai Dickerson on 11/02/2009 @ 08:23PM PT
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There is a lack of quality foster parents in the US. Unfortunately, these children have few good options.
As someone pointed out, CPS is understaffed. The average Social Worker is responsible for 70 cases, works 80 hours per week, and is paid $50,000 per year. Keep in mind you need a masters degree to become a Social Worker. Can you see why there is a shortage of staff?
I volunteered for www.casaforchildren.org and was disturbed by what I learned. Most foster children are recruited by pimps. In fact, many pimps figure out where the group homes are and target them for young girls.
If you want to help, get involved with children living in foster care. There is a CASA in every state.
Posted by Lili Balfour on 11/04/2009 @ 09:14AM PT
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I know for a fact that Social Workers are overworked. My boyfriend is a Social Worker who has a PhD and he works every single day. He works for the Los Angeles County CPS. He has complained about the stress and his boss has written him up for reports not getting in on time. I wish that he could go work somewhere else so he would not be so stressed out.
It makes me sick that pedophiles are able to get foster children in their home. My daughter was molested 25 years ago and when the guy was eventually arrested after leaving the US and going to Canada. I was the only mother of 40 other children who went to court to go against him. He had the same MO, which was to find single mothers with daughters between the ages of 2-4. He served time in prison and he is out. He is about 75 years old now but I wish he would drop dead and die!
Posted by Rita Webber on 11/11/2009 @ 11:48AM PT
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I find this story very disturbing because our society allows this to happen. People have this ideology that being a women equals having to be a mother. The mothers of these unwanted children should have been told they had a choice to either parent or not to parent. I believe that once the choice to defend reproductive rights is won, then these situations can end.
Posted by Veronica Trahan on 11/20/2009 @ 04:47AM PT
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