Cheri Crider, survivor and advocate, speaking out against human trafficking
It might seem counterintuitive to seek life lessons from criminals. After all, criminals are typically seen as figures to be avoided, not emulated. However, delving into the world of criminal behavior, particularly through the experiences of victims, can offer profound insights into human nature, societal failings, and the very essence of survival and resilience. Human trafficking, a brutal form of modern slavery, presents a stark example of this. By understanding the dynamics of trafficking and listening to the harrowing stories of survivors, we can uncover critical life lessons that are both deeply disturbing and undeniably valuable.
Cheri Crider’s story is a powerful testament to this. Trafficked in the early 1980s, Cheri endured years of exploitation before even understanding her experience as “domestic sex trafficking” in 2015. This vast gap in time highlights a crucial lesson: societal awareness and understanding of crime, particularly hidden crimes like trafficking, are often lagging. Cheri’s initial silence and lack of recognition of her own victimization underscore how systems designed to protect individuals can fail, leaving victims feeling isolated and responsible for their own suffering. Growing up in poverty and facing violence within her own family, Cheri experienced a childhood where protective systems were absent or ineffective. This harsh reality teaches us about the systemic vulnerabilities that can leave individuals exposed to exploitation.
Her journey from a bright student to a trafficked individual was not a sudden fall but a gradual descent facilitated by the failures of those around her. Despite interactions with parents, doctors, teachers, police, and social workers, no one recognized the signs of trafficking. Instead, her shift in behavior was attributed to personal failings – “bad choices.” This illustrates a critical life lesson: the pervasive tendency to blame individuals for their circumstances, rather than examining the systemic factors at play. This “person-centric” view, as Cheri points out, obscures the larger picture of exploitation and hinders effective intervention.
Cheri’s experience in the sex trade, controlled by manipulators who used her own child as leverage, reveals the ruthless tactics of criminals. She witnessed firsthand the consequences of resistance, learning a brutal lesson in survival under duress. Her repeated arrests, treated as mere “bad choices” by law enforcement, further emphasize the systemic failure to recognize and address the realities of trafficking. This period of her life teaches us about the coercive control and psychological manipulation that are hallmarks of criminal exploitation.
Escape from “the life” was only the beginning of a long and arduous journey of healing. Cheri’s resilience in rebuilding her life, pursuing education, and forging a career, demonstrates the incredible strength of the human spirit in overcoming trauma. Her eventual finding of purpose in anti-trafficking advocacy, sparked by a pastor who recognized the coercion in her story, shows the transformative power of understanding and validation. This part of Cheri’s journey offers a powerful life lesson in resilience, the importance of finding one’s voice, and the potential for post-traumatic growth.
Cheri’s work today emphasizes the need to shift from blaming individuals to examining the systems that enable exploitation. She highlights the detrimental effects of victim-blaming narratives prevalent in media and law enforcement, where victims are often labeled with derogatory terms, hindering their access to help and reinforcing feelings of worthlessness. This underscores the life lesson that societal attitudes and narratives significantly impact the lives of vulnerable individuals and perpetuate cycles of exploitation.
Her observations about the limitations of awareness campaigns that focus on “signs of trafficking” without addressing the underlying mechanisms of exploitation are insightful. True understanding, Cheri argues, lies in comprehending “how trafficking works” – the vulnerabilities exploited, the coercion employed, and the systemic failures that allow it to thrive. This emphasizes the life lesson that effective solutions require a deep, systemic understanding of the problem, moving beyond superficial awareness.
Cheri’s call for survivor leadership and systemic changes, such as holding buyers accountable and investing in survivor-led initiatives, provides concrete lessons in effective action. Her emphasis on the unique insights of survivors and the need for collaboration highlights the importance of diverse perspectives and lived experience in addressing complex social problems. The proposed solutions for buyer accountability – increased fines, buyer education, and public exposure – offer practical lessons in deterring demand, a critical aspect of combating trafficking.
Ultimately, Cheri Crider’s story, and the broader issue of human trafficking, provides a stark but necessary education. While we might not actively seek life lessons from criminals, understanding criminal behavior and its impact on victims offers invaluable insights into the darker aspects of human nature, the failures of social systems, and the extraordinary capacity for human resilience. Learning from these experiences is not about condoning criminal acts, but about gaining a deeper understanding of our world, fostering empathy, and driving meaningful change to prevent future exploitation and injustice. It’s a lesson in seeing beyond individual blame to address systemic issues, in recognizing the strength of survivors, and in understanding that true progress requires a shift in perspective – one that centers on justice and the dismantling of systems that perpetuate harm.
