Today on my local news, they discussed the codes that human traffickers use on backpage.com to advertise/sexually exploit children and women. I had never heard of this code before.
I tried but was unable to find a link to my local news story, but i did find this:
http://www.hope4justice.org/our-newsletter/2017/6/14/emojis-trafficking-those-cute-little-symbols-may-have-a-not-so-innocent-meaning-on-craigslist-or-backpage
Turns out this info was published back in June, but these codes are news to me, and we should all be aware of this coded language... Similar to "cheese pizza", etc. The local news story presented this yesterday as breaking news.
Hearts, Crowns, airplanes, cherries and other pictures are used to symbolize things like "underage", "victim being flown in" and "virgin." This shit makes me sick.
What i also found at the following link is that two days ago the woman who helped uncover these codes got an award, which means increased recognition of this sick code language.
https://www.bizjournals.com/prnewswire/press_releases/2018/01/30/DC00570
How and why the FUCK is backpage still getting away with this horror? Sickening.
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carmencita ago
According to the research, the most prominent emoji indicators of trafficking are the rose, rosette, cherry, cherry blossom, growing heart, airplane, and crown. The growing heart and cherry, for instance, highlight that the victim being trafficked is a minor, whereas an airplane relates that a person will be in town for a temporary amount of time. IT SAYS the Most Prominent. I wonder if there are others. I always thought the post popular were the pizza heart triangle, etc. Now these are considered most prominent. This is a Real Shocker to me. If I find out the Crown meaning I will post. Others please do same @Gothamgirl @think @pby1000 @SoldierofLight @Cc1914
3141592653 ago
I finally found the crown info. See my response to gothamgirl
Gothamgirl ago
You're amazing thank you. I think I figured out a whole ratline of child trafficking based on the information you gave me. The crowns are also being used in business logos as well.
3141592653 ago
YOU are amazing!