In the second part of our discussion of sex-trafficking legends we discuss some actual rumored and documented cases of sex trafficking, Susana Trimarco--a mother fighting back against sex traffickers, and how legends about sex trafficking interact with these actual case in contemporary culture.

National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline (USA) 1-888-373-7888

Polaris Project has resources for Trafficking victims. 

Sources:

Anne. 2020. “Stop the Spread of Fake News: No One Is Sex Trafficking You at Target.” Iowa City Moms.  https://iowacity.momcollective.com/2020/02/08/stop-the-spread-of-fake-news-no-one-is-sex-trafficking-you-at-target/. 

Barron, Alexis. 2019. “Letty Serrano Was Abducted And Trafficked For Sex At 13; Two Years Later She Committed Suicide.” Mitu. https://wearemitu.com/things-that-matter/human-slavery-is-alive-and-well-letty-serrano-committed-suicide-two-years-after-being-rescued-from-sex-traffickers/. 

BBC News. 2013. “Argentina Convicts 10 in Marita Veron Sex Trafficking Case,.  https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-25429736. 

Buenos Aires Times. 2018. “32 Years after Her Kidnapping, Argentine Woman Rescued in Bolivia,” December 26. https://www.batimes.com.ar/news/argentina/32-years-after-her-kidnapping-argentine-woman-rescued-in-bolivia.phtml. 

Chiaramonte, Perry. 2019. “Houston Teen Takes Own Life after Surviving Sex-Trafficking Ring,.” Fox News. https://www.foxnews.com/us/houston-teen-takes-own-life-sex-trafficking-ring-ongoing-epidemic. 

“Corinna Paige Slusser–Charley Project.” https://charleyproject.org/case/corinna-paige-slusser. 

“FBI Informant Speaks with News10NBC; Says He Witnessed Brittanee Drexel’s Murder.” 2019. WHEC-TV. https://www.whec.com/news/fbi-informant-speaks-with-news10nbc-says-he-witnessed-brittanee-drexels-murder/5260439/. 

Jackson, Angie. 2018. “Man Named in Brittanee Drexel Investigation to Be Released on House Arrest.” Post and Courier. https://www.postandcourier.com/news/man-named-in-brittanee-drexel-investigation-to-be-released-on/article_f97655aa-9fc4-11e8-b719-e3e542ec89c4.html. 

Johnson, Scott C. 2012. “Argentina’s Susana Trimarco: One Mother’s Fight Against Human Trafficking.” Newsweek, https://www.newsweek.com/argentinas-susana-trimarco-one-mothers-fight-against-human-trafficking-65407. 

Lahman, Sean. 2019. “Jailhouse Informant in Brittanee Drexel Disappearance Files Lawsuit.” Democrat and Chronicle,  https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2019/02/28/brittanee-drexel-jailhouse-informant-lawsuit/3015000002/. 

Pasqualini, Kym L. 2020. “The Reality of Sex Trafficking in the US: Corinna Slosser Missing.” Medium. https://kympasqualini.medium.com/the-reality-of-sex-trafficking-in-the-us-corinna-slosser-missing-74e617cbd2dc. 

Recklein, Courtney M. 2020. “The Strange and Unsolved Disappearance of Amy Lynn Bradley.” Film Daily. https://filmdaily.co/news/amy-lynn-bradley/. 

Roy, Anusha. 2017. “Read This before You Share That Viral Facebook Post about Ross.” KUSA.Com. https://www.9news.com/article/news/verify/read-this-before-you-share-that-viral-facebook-post-about-ross/73-455672734. 

“R/UnresolvedMysteries: On the 4th of March 1998, 11-Year-Old Rui Pedro from Portugal Disappears near His Mother’s Workplace. 3 Years Later, His Photo Is Found on the Database of Wonderland Club, a Child Pornography Ring. This Is the Last Anyone Saw of Him.” n.d. Reddit.  https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/9iiawr/on_the_4th_of_march_1998_11yearold_rui_pedro_from/. 

Staver, Anna. 2017. “Do Child Sex Traffickers Look for Victims at the Store?” KUSA.Com, https://www.9news.com/article/news/verify/verify-do-child-sex-traffickers-look-for-victims-at-the-store/73-455918970. 

In part 1 of an impromptu 2 parter, we discuss legends of women being abducted into sex trafficking. We look at older versions of the legends (who knew ice cream parlors were so dangerous?) as well as modern variants spreading on social media. 

Sources

Anne. 2020. “Stop the Spread of Fake News: No One Is Sex Trafficking You at Target.” Iowa City Moms (blog). February 8, 2020. https://iowacity.momcollective.com/2020/02/08/stop-the-spread-of-fake-news-no-one-is-sex-trafficking-you-at-target/.

Ellis, Bill. 2009. “Whispers in an Ice Cream Parlor: Culinary Tourism, Contemporary Legends, and the Urban Interzone.” Journal of American Folklore 122 (1): 53–74. https://doi.org/10.1353/jaf.0.0053.

LaCapria, Kim. n.d. “Department Store Sex Trafficking Rumor.” Snopes.Com. Accessed March 10, 2021. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/department-store-sex-trafficking/.

Roy, Anusha. 2017. “Read This before You Share That Viral Facebook Post about Ross.” KUSA.Com. July 11, 2017. https://www.9news.com/article/news/verify/read-this-before-you-share-that-viral-facebook-post-about-ross/73-455672734.

Staver, Anna. 2017. “VERIFY: Do Child Sex Traffickers Look for Victims at the Store?” KUSA.Com, July 11, 2017. https://www.9news.com/article/news/verify/verify-do-child-sex-traffickers-look-for-victims-at-the-store/73-455918970.

Returning from an unplanned hiatus, Jesse and Kristina discuss the classic urban legend known as "The Boyfriend's Death." What are the implications of stories about couple's being attacked at lovers' lanes? Why is it the man who pays the ultimate price in this story? What things happen when you go outside of populated areas? As always, we compare the legend to true crime stories, discussing some cases in which couples were actually attacked at lover's lanes.

Sources:

Brunvand, Jan Harold. 2002. Encyclopedia of Urban Legends. Illustrated Edition. New York; London: W. W. Norton & Company.

Dziemianowicz, Joe. 2021. “On The Colonial Parkway, The Mark Of Unsolved Murders Remains Thanks To Urban Legends.” Oxygen Official Site. February 5, 2021. https://www.oxygen.com/lovers-lane-murders/crime-news/colonial-parkway-murders-why-lovers-lanes-inspire-urban-legends.

“Frank Mitchell (Prisoner).” 2020. In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Frank_Mitchell_(prisoner)&oldid=993131399.

Glazer, Mark. 1987. “The Cultural Adaptation of a Rumour Legend: The Boyfriend’s Death in South Texas.” In Perspectives on Contemporary Legend II, edited by Gillian Bennett, Paul Smith, and J. D. A. Widdowson, 93–108. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press.

“Kray Twins.” 2021. In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kray_twins&oldid=1004039759.

Wilson, Michael. 1998. “Legend and Life: ‘The Boyfriend’s Death’ and ‘The Mad Axeman.’” Folklore 109: 89–95.

This episode is dedicated in memory of Kristina's beloved cat Wash Seamus Downs, who passed away suddenly in February.