Katariina Rosenblatt, a sexual assault and sex trafficking survivor, spoke about psychological coercion on the Quite Franklin podcast a few weeks ago.
This came right around the time of Ghislaine Maxwell’s ongoing trial. Even as revelations of her associations with Jeffrey Epstein had sporadically made headlines, I still believe greater public knowledge exchange about the sex trafficking trade is needed.
Raising awareness for the prevention of sexual assault and human trafficking is a cause that is close to my heart.
I’ve hosted two other guests before on Quite Franklin – Shandra Woworuntu and Elizabeth Smart – both of whom had their brushes with kidnapping and sex trafficking.
Although each woman’s story is different, their collective experiences paint a growing problem that legislation and police work have thus far failed to adequately address.
My conversation with Katariina yielded some valuable insights on how to recognize the warning signs of psychological abuse.
So, if you ever find yourself in a similar predicament, she talks about what you can do to fight back.
What is Psychological Coercion
In the context of human trafficking, psychological coercion is the use of force, fraud, or coercion to lure victims and force them into labor or commercial sexual exploitation.
Unlike physical threats, psychological coercion is far more pernicious and can lead to acute chronic, physical, and mental health problems.
Psychological tactics include
- restriction of social contact
- deprivation of basic needs like food and water
- humiliation and degradation
These tactics create an isolated environment that further forces victims to become increasingly dependant on the abuser. This sets up a cycle of abuse and trauma that many victims find hard to escape from.
Tip #1 Accept and Acknowledge your Victimization
The first step to moving on from victimization is to accept your situation.
Remember ‘you are not the problem.’
Acknowledge your past and give yourself a second chance. Once the seed of possibility is planted in your mind, you are more likely to believe there is a way out of your predicament.
What is worse than a battered body is a broken spirit. Sometimes the self-doubt can inflict more harm on your well-being and prevent you from seeking the courage to change your circumstances.
It can be difficult initially to overcome the internalized trauma. It may help you to open up slowly to someone you can trust. The healing will not happen overnight, but once you have acknowledged your victimization, you will gain the confidence to seek help.
Katariina struggled, but after she overcame the guilt and betrayal, she found the mental strength and confidence to resist her abusers.
Tip #2 Learn to Recognize Real Love
Latchkey children are especially vulnerable to psychological coercion. They seek love and attention, a fact which abusers often exploit to manipulate them into their control.
Katariina was groomed as a minor by someone who deliberately tried to get close to her and succeeded.
It can be difficult to recognize real love when you are a child whose mind is not yet fully formed.
Nonetheless, there are ways to discern if someone’s love is real or if they have other nefarious intentions.
Abusers often switch between seduction, charm, and physical threats to break their victims psychologically.
When someone yells and humiliates you in public, but then lavishes praise or gifts afterward as a means to placate you, that is not real love.
Even though it comes with experience, understanding real love will keep you vigilant against the affections of those who mean you harm.
Tip #3 Set Boundaries to Protect Yourself
Setting a boundary means you respect yourself. You have set limits on the bad or undesirable behavior that you are willing to tolerate from others toward you.
If this boundary is crossed, you need to swiftly address the abuser and hold them accountable for their actions.
Cunning abusers who seek to take advantage of you will often test your boundaries first.
They employ covert behaviors to trick you. This can take the form of small, subtle and petty behavior that is interspersed with kindness and graciousness.
Once they have gained your trust, they begin to encroach into your private and personal space.
Therefore, it is important that you put up resistance or stand your ground at the onset of any bad behavior that breaks the boundaries that you have set for them.
Even if the negative behavior recedes, continue to enforce this boundary.
You need to take action against abusers who constantly overstep your boundaries. If you are unable to confront them directly, be sure to seek help from the authorities or a trusted party.
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I hope this information is useful to victims struggling with abuse.
If you are a victim of sex trafficking, please contact the National Human Trafficking hotline for help at 1-888-373-7888.
If you wish to report suspected human trafficking activity, please call the U.S Department of Homeland security at 1-866-347-2423 or submit a tip online at www.ice.gov/tips.
For more information, please visit https://www.state.gov/domestic-trafficking-hotlines