Many people have some idea or impression of human trafficking, but often, film and media can mislead audiences with inaccuracies. A study by Polaris reviewed several films that misrepresented human trafficking. The first, Taken (2008), follows a father’s action-packed quest to rescue his kidnapped daughter, who is sold to traffickers…. Read more.

Mercy is a 16-year-old girl who is six months pregnant currently living at Christine’s House in Gulu, Uganda. Mercy is the second of four children who were being raised by their mother who suffers with a disability. Mercy’s parents separated when she was young, leaving her mother to provide for the children on her own. Her mother struggled to pay the children’s school fees, buy sanitary pads, or even shoes. Her mother began farming on a small scale just to feed her family.

Both giving and receiving time together, compliments, and gifts are a normal part of most relationships, however, when these become extreme, it can be an early sign of manipulation or “love bombing,” a tactic that includes showering a future victim with affection, gifts, and building trust as a means of manipulation.