What’s the deal with this story? (Missing UI student Mollie Tibbetts)

[Antihawk240]

I obviously didnt know the girl, I'm a father of all boys. To be honest, I'd have to mapquest my way to Brooklyn. Yet, this is all extremely sickening and completely crushes my heart to think of this happening. Simply put: I cant even imagine the thoughts, fears, and anxiety of family and friends of hers.

I went to a seminar put on by our town police department regarding the rise in human trafficking in small town Iowa. The numbers they presented are depressingly unreal. This is a very deep and dark crime and it is very much alive in Iowa. What dropped my jaw the most is, the largest customers of the traffickers are middle aged, married with children, middle to upper class males, are the ones fueling it.

This crime is growing and out of control. This might explain why DCI continues to be very quiet on it. The only glimpse of hope is maybe they potentially have a lead to a sting which would dent the crime significantly and they want to take 0 chance of the tip getting exposed. I pray this is the case, while I also pray for the victim and her loved ones.

 

[CapnCy]

I obviously didnt know the girl, I'm a father of all boys. To be honest, I'd have to mapquest my way to Brooklyn. Yet, this is all extremely sickening and completely crushes my heart to think of this happening. Simply put: I cant even imagine the thoughts, fears, and anxiety of family and friends of hers.

I went to a seminar put on by our town police department regarding the rise in human trafficking in small town Iowa. The numbers they presented are depressingly unreal. This is a very deep and dark crime and it is very much alive in Iowa. What dropped my jaw the most is, the largest customers of the traffickers are middle aged, married with children, middle to upper class males, are the ones fueling it.

This crime is growing and out of control. This might explain why DCI continues to be very quiet on it. The only glimpse of hope is maybe they potentially have a lead to a sting which would dent the crime significantly and they want to take 0 chance of the tip getting exposed. I pray this is the case, while I also pray for the victim and her loved ones.

First, I hope that nothing like this happened to her. I hope that in some weird misunderstanding and she is safe and sound, just out of reach.

My question is...I hear human trafficking A LOT....what does that mean for someone like her? Meaning, if that happened....where is she? Locked in a basement?

I say that as i hear the term a lot, but for someone her age and ability, it seems like she could escape while in a vehicle or at a location. And if it's a growing problem, where are all these people going? I've heard of vulnerable people (youth, homeless, runaways) being brought into this, but not so much the "normal/average" person that is abducted.

Makes me sick to think of what her family is going through and heaven forbid her if something bad happened.

 

[1UNI2ISU]

First, I hope that nothing like this happened to her. I hope that in some weird misunderstanding and she is safe and sound, just out of reach.

My question is...I hear human trafficking A LOT....what does that mean for someone like her? Meaning, if that happened....where is she? Locked in a basement?

I say that as i hear the term a lot, but for someone her age and ability, it seems like she could escape while in a vehicle or at a location. And if it's a growing problem, where are all these people going? I've heard of vulnerable people (youth, homeless, runaways) being brought into this, but not so much the "normal/average" person that is abducted.

Makes me sick to think of what her family is going through and heaven forbid her if something bad happened.

As horrible as it sounds, probably heavily drugged and being sold for sex.

 

[heitclone]

It's awful but after this many days, as crazy as it sounds, you almost have to hope she is dead. The only thing more disheartening than thinking she was raped, murdered and hidden somewhere is that she is alive and being sold in to prostitution. Prayers to friends and families during this unimaginable horror.

 

[Clonefan32]

It's horrible to say, but I just hope they find her in one form-or-fashion at this point. I have daughters, and I cannot even begin to fathom the thought of feeling like they are out there somewhere being exploited. Just makes you absolutely sick to think about it.

I was having this conversation with a friend the other day in connection with talking about younger kids being on electronics all the time. It really is too bad the amount of time they spend in front of a screen, but if you think about the things you filled your time with as a kid--those things just aren't feasible anymore. My friends and I would ride our bikes around town all day, checking in maybe once a day. You just can't do that anymore. You hardly feel comfortable letting your kids leave your sight. And stuff like this, if it was in fact trafficking, happening in small-town Iowa only makes that worse.

Ugh. Just keep hoping somehow she turns up.

 

[deadeyededric]

I'd be clearing all registered sex offenders in the area first.

 

[alarson]

but if you think about the things you filled your time with as a kid--those things just aren't feasible anymore.

Statistically things are safer now than ever. We just know about things more because the internet.

 

[Cyclonepride]

Statistically things are safer now than ever. We just know about things more because the internet.

Yep, everything is just way more publicized.

 

[Trice]

Statistically things are safer now than ever. We just know about things more because the internet.

I was just about to post this very thing. Cable news, Twitter, message boards...all return more news than we can handle instantly and serve to feed our anxiety. It isn't that things are worse now, it's that back then what we didn't know very rarely hurt us.

 

[jbindm]

It's horrible to say, but I just hope they find her in one form-or-fashion at this point. I have daughters, and I cannot even begin to fathom the thought of feeling like they are out there somewhere being exploited. Just makes you absolutely sick to think about it.

I was having this conversation with a friend the other day in connection with talking about younger kids being on electronics all the time. It really is too bad the amount of time they spend in front of a screen, but if you think about the things you filled your time with as a kid--those things just aren't feasible anymore. My friends and I would ride our bikes around town all day, checking in maybe once a day. You just can't do that anymore. You hardly feel comfortable letting your kids leave your sight. And stuff like this, if it was in fact trafficking, happening in small-town Iowa only makes that worse.

Ugh. Just keep hoping somehow she turns up.

I hear you. Off the cuff I don't know if stuff like this is actually occurring more or if we're just more aware of it because of media coverage and the internet. Most likely it's a little of both. But it does affect how you think as a parent. When I was a kid I lived way out in the country and I thought nothing of taking my bike and riding upwards of ten miles from my house by myself. I can't imagine allowing either of my kids that kind of freedom now. Whether my fears of what could happen are actually more legitimate than they would have been 25 years ago or if they're just a byproduct of having seen more coverage of what could happen doesn't matter. The fear and anxiety is still there either way. It's a dangerous world.

 

[tsirnickesqcy]

If you made me guess Im going to say boyfriend. Hopefully she turns up healthy.

FWIW, after watching the boyfriend do an interview, I did not think he appeared as concerned/sad/etc. as somebody in that situation probably should be.

 

[Cyclonepride]

Yep, everything is just way more publicized.

I should add, with that said, people go missing way, way more often than you would think, and the numbers are undoubtedly still scary.

 

[NorthCyd]

I was just about to post this very thing. Cable news, Twitter, message boards...all return more news than we can handle instantly and serve to feed our anxiety. It isn't that things are worse now, it's that back then what we didn't know very rarely hurt us.

Additionally if a parent hasn't taken every necessary precaution and let one little thing slip they are going to be villified.

 

[Clonefan32]

Maybe things are safer now, but the publicity of things like this are going to effect the way you parent your kids. Maybe it's unnecessary anxiety, but the thought of your child being snatched and trafficked is enough to make you think twice about the amount of freedom you give your kids.

 

[jbindm]

I should add, with that said, people go missing way, way more often than you would think, and the numbers are undoubtedly still scary.

Agreed. Experts are always quick to note that in just about any human traficking report - the problem is substantially bigger than the number of reported cases might indicate because of how many that go unreported.

 

[alarson]

FWIW, after watching the boyfriend do an interview, I did not think he appeared as concerned/sad/etc. as somebody in that situation probably should be.

People often think that someone should act a certain way after a tragic occurrence, but everyone reacts and processes differently. Id be really hesitant to use just that as evidence. Of course investigate him like anyone else close to the situation, but i think people jump to that conclusion too much.

 

[CychiatricWard]

FWIW, after watching the boyfriend do an interview, I did not think he appeared as concerned/sad/etc. as somebody in that situation probably should be.

Not everyone processes things the same. Just because he isn't responding "normally" or whatever that means, does not mean a damn thing.

 

[Trice]

FWIW, after watching the boyfriend do an interview, I did not think he appeared as concerned/sad/etc. as somebody in that situation probably should be.

I'd be really hesitant to make judgments based on superficial stuff like this. Isn't he about her age? He probably hasn't slept in days, been interrogated by the police, almost certainly hasn't been schooled in giving media interviews...not everybody presents as the concerned relative/friend/boyfriend straight out of Central Casting.

I'm not arguing he didn't/couldn't have done it. Just that "he looks guilty" has probably ruined a lot of people's lives, whether by being under police suspicion if not being wrongly arrested and convicted.

 

[cyclonedave25]

FWIW, after watching the boyfriend do an interview, I did not think he appeared as concerned/sad/etc. as somebody in that situation probably should be.

Eh, its hard to judge people based on a TV interview. I just watched an interview with the lady on the duck boat that had 9 family members die a day or two earlier and she definitely didn’t act as if she just lost 9 family members.

 

[cyfanatic13]

FWIW, after watching the boyfriend do an interview, I did not think he appeared as concerned/sad/etc. as somebody in that situation probably should be.

I'm not at all saying the dude is innocent, but this is how dumb **** gets started. People react to things in different ways.