Psychology In Seattle Podcast Surviving Sex Trafficking (2019 Rerun)
Mar 19, 2026
John Moffitt, a survivor of childhood sex trafficking and former U.S. Navy victim advocate, shares hard-won perspective. He recounts grooming, recruitment networks, and how shame shaped survival. Conversations cover trafficking mechanics, why victims stay, advocacy in the Navy, prevention ideas, and paths toward recovery and accountability.
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Clear Boundaries Often Stop Grooming Tests
- Kids who assert clear boundaries (like John's neighborhood friend) are less likely to be targeted because predators test limits during grooming.
- John contrasts his own compliance with a friend's explicit 'don't touch me' stance that kept him safe.
Trafficking Intersected With Coming Of Age Confusion
- Sexual maturity added confusion about orientation while being trafficked, deepening trauma and identity uncertainty.
- John describes using the relationship with James to justify abuse because it provided skills, care, and belonging.
Listening To Buyers Bargain Felt Surreal And Dehumanizing
- John recalls buyers negotiating prices outside the door while he was trafficked, describing the surreal feeling of hearing adults bargain over raping him.
- He remembers about nine regular buyers and four sold children in his immediate circle.