CHARLOTTE, N.C — “I’m not surprised. I could probably take you to most hotels in our area and show you trafficking. It is prolific. It is a big problem,” said Lanie George.
Lanie George is not only a survivor of sex trafficking, but now runs Redeeming Joy, a place for victims to recover. She says she’s glad to see CMPD make an arrest at the Quality Inn on Woodlawn Road Wednesday.
Police charged 24-year-old Terrell Nelson and a 23-year-old woman for coercing a 15-year-old into prostitution.
“It’s real common that you will have someone on your team, an older girl recruiting the younger ones to bring them into it,” said George.
George says sites like Backpage.com facilitate this problem. Statistics show within 48 hours, runaway children will be propositioned to work for a man.
“So you’ve got a 15-year-old who’s run away, doesn’t have a place to stay and she gets coerced into this circumstance, situation, and they’re coerced into it,” said George.
George says arrests are a big step, but giving the girls support will help them in the long run.
“What made a woman be willing to coerce a young girl into it? What was going on with that young girl she thought her value and worth was so little so thought it was okay to do this?” said George.
We reached out to management at Quality Inn, who didn’t give a statement, but victim advocates say hotels make an easy spot without notice. Many also need to be more aware and report when they know it’s happening at their hotel.
George says parents need to watch their kids’ phones, what apps they have, and what they post. Advocates say men prey on Facebook and other sites for teens who talk about being upset with parents, or wanting to run away and offer them something to come and meet them.
