Jose Alfaro was 17 when his trafficker first began grooming him online. As a sexual abuse survivor who had been thrown out of his house by his father for being gay, he was in an extremely vulnerable situation, and his trafficker took advantage of his desperation.
Targeting vulnerable youth
Jason Daniel Gandy connected with Alfaro on a social media platform. He introduced himself as a rich entrepreneur and offered to help Alfaro. He claimed to have a nine-bedroom house in Austin, Texas, and said Alfaro could stay there. Feeling like he had nowhere else to go, Alfaro accepted his offer.
Drawing on grooming techniques commonly used by traffickers, Gandy began to exert control over Alfaro. He gained his trust by presenting himself as a protector and confidant: he told the teen that he would help him finish school, find somewhere to live, and get a job.
Shari Botwin, the author of Thriving After Trauma: Stories of Living and Healing explains to Rolling Stone:
“Predators develop a bond with their victims by acting like good listeners who care deeply about the victim’s feelings or circumstances. Once they gain the trust of their victims, they fulfill their need. […] Victims of childhood abuse and abandonment are especially susceptible to trafficking due to feelings of unworthiness and shame.”
