On-Line Dating and Human Trafficking

The trend of on-line dating can be a fun and convenient way to meet new people and potentially fall in love. It can also be a dangerous portal into the world of human trafficking, specifically sex trafficking and forced labor. Sex trafficking is one of the fastest growing criminal industries in the world today.

Women and children are deceived, lured with the promise of a job or better life but in reality are traded within and between countries for commercial sex work and forced labor.

Such was the case for a Russian woman and her daughter after meeting Joseph Cunningham using an on-line dating service. Elizabeth Shuvalova accepted Joseph Cunningham’s marriage proposal after a 2 year courtship using the online dating site eHarmony. Once in the United States and living at Cunningham’s home in Clearlake California, Elizabeth and her daughter were forced to work long hours without pay, verbally abused and held captive inside the home. There is no way to completely prevent human trafficking but cases like these where abusers are taken to court is a good way to deter others from joining this profession.

In addition to forced labor in the home, Elizabeth claims she was forced to give massages to a naked Cunningham for hours while daughter was forced work on Cunningham’s property moving brush, rock and hauling trash and debris for hours at a time. Eventually the women were able to escape by sneaking off the property and hiding out at the Sonoma County Women’s shelter. According to Courthouse News Service in Sonoma County the women are now suing Mr. Cunningham under the Traffic Victims Protection and Reauthorization Act.

If you do use an on-line dating service while trying to find that special someone be aware of the ploys that traffickers routinely use. Tapping into emotions is the first step a trafficker will use to manipulate you into falling for their lies. Another common ploy especially for those who live in a different country is the promise of a job in America, promising decent pay and paid passage into the country. However once the women arrive they are often forced into prostitution and made to “pay off their debt” through forced labor.

Being aware of the common ploys criminals use is a great step forward to help stop human trafficking. If your on-line suitor is overly eager for you to visit them, offers to pay for everything within just a few days of connecting on-line think twice about accepting their invitation. If it seems too good to be true it probably is. Avoiding any kind of scam that might be criminal is another good step to help stop human trafficking.