Expert discusses complexities of human trafficking in virtual forum

Feb. 26—Few untrained individuals know what sex trafficking is, how widespread it is or how to truly help trafficking victims.

So said Judge Robert Lung in a virtual discussion hosted Thursday evening by the Kern Coalition Against Human Trafficking and sponsored by the Kern County Department of Human Services.

In the presentation titled "Complexities of Human Trafficking," it quickly became evident that Lung's knowledge, sensitivity and professional credentials were considerable — and that his experience in the field brought a victim-centered approach to the discussion.

Judge Lung currently presides over the 18th Judicial District of Colorado. He has served the district for 17 years in almost every docket type with a specialty in human services cases.

He also provides presentations nationally and internationally on issues such as human trafficking, childhood trauma and resiliency. Lung previously served as the judicial representative and the vice-chair on the Colorado Human Trafficking Council and the chair of the U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking.

"Human trafficking is modern-day slavery involving the use of force, fraud or coercion," he said. The stereotype is that it only exists in big cities or low-income areas. That's false, he said. It's everywhere.

"There is no stereotypical person who is a human trafficker," he said. "The movie 'Taken' is as far from the reality of human trafficking as you can get."

About 27 percent of traffickers are the boyfriend (and sometimes girlfriend), 14 percent are employers and less than 10 percent are strangers.

Using slides, Lung introduced viewers to ACEs, Adverse Childhood Experiences that can have a tremendous impact on our future behavior and lifelong health and opportunity.

The original study done in partnership between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Kaiser Permanente is one of the largest investigations of childhood abuse and neglect and household challenges and later-life health and well-being.

It's detailed and complex, but the main takeaway is that children who experience physical, sexual, psychological, mental abuse, or neglect often suffer for it into adulthood and later in life. The rougher your childhood, the higher your risk is for later health problems, Lung said.

And for those who become aware of a child or young adult who has suffered these sorts of traumas, please allow trained professionals to take the lead in responding to his or her needs, Lung said, to be sure that we don't retraumatize victims and survivors.

"Trauma is insanely complex," he said. "Be mindful of what you can and cannot do."

Despite experiencing connectivity problems — Lung's feed from his home in Colorado was disconnected once and froze temporarily at least twice — his personable, sometimes humorous style did much to help viewers endure and even enjoy what was obviously a disturbing yet important topic.

When he shifted to "a story about a boy," one could almost sense other viewers (more than 150 were registered) growing very quiet.

Lung said, for the purposes of this case study, he had permission to show his audience family photos of a boy who grew up with two married parents and an older brother. They lived in a five-bedroom home in a "nice" neighborhood, observed a faith and attended services.

The boy's father was a doctor, his mother, a nurse. The boy was doing relatively well in school, they took vacations and had relatives living nearby — all considered "protecting factors" for children.

"At age 3, his father started molesting him," Lung said.

The life this child was living looked normal on the outside, but became ever more horrible, Lung said as he described the father's escalating abuse and torture of his own son.

By the time the boy was 10, the father had begun trafficking his son by trading him for other child victims with other men. He threatened his own son with death should he ever "tell."

The boy also witnessed the severe domestic abuse of his mother and physical violence against his older brother.

Look at the photos of this boy, Lung instructed. There was almost never a smile, and in his eyes was what Lung described as "a thousand-yard stare."

"How does this case involve resiliency or evidence-based hope?" Lung asked.

"Because it was me," he said. "That was my experience."

Now, as a judge and expert in this field, which consists of pain, suffering and often long-term effects for victims and survivors, Lung has dedicated his life to helping those who have been so badly hurt.

They can teach us how to help them, he said, if we listen.

"You can survive," Lung said. "You can have some positive outcomes in your life."

He is proof.

Reporter Steven Mayer can be reached at 661-395-7353. Follow him on Facebook and on Twitter: @semayerTBC.