Andrew Tate, a British American influencer, and his brother Tristan were detained by authorities in Romania on Dec. 30 as part of an investigation into alleged human trafficking, rape, and the formation of an organized criminal group.
Tate’s detainment comes after he went viral for engaging on Twitter with climate activist Greta Thunberg. Not long after the exchange, Tate and his brother were arrested by Romanian authorities in connection with appalling allegations of sex trafficking. Tate and others were held for 24 hours, which a Romanian court extended to 30 days— a decision their attorney appealed. Prosecutors said they had found six women who had been sexually exploited by the suspects.
What are the Allegations against Andrew Tate?
Romanian officials cited the “loverboy” method by name when laying out allegations against Tate. Tate explained a process that closely resembles this method on his archived website. Tate stated that he made the women “fall in love” to the point that the women would do anything for him. Allegedly, his “girlfriends” would eventually start working for him by being coerced into making pornographic content.
Tate stated on his website:
“I’ve been running a webcam studio for nearly a decade. I’ve had over 75 girls work for me, and my business model is different than 99% of webcam studio owners. Over 50% of my employees were actually my girlfriends at the time and, of all my girlfriends, NONE were in the adult entertainment industry before they met me.”
He described his “dating method” as: “I learned the most time efficient way to meet girls, get them through the dating process, get them to bed, test if they’re a good girl or not, and begin the process of them falling deeper and deeper into love. THAT IS MY SKILL. To extremely efficiently get women in love with me.”
Police alleged that the victims were “recruited” by British citizens. The victims were later forced to perform in pornographic content under the threat of violence, the statement alleged.
What is the “Loverboy” Method?
The loverboy method involves a pimp, sex trafficker, or abuser targeting vulnerable, poor, and often young women with the impression of creating a romantic relationship. The loverboy will seduce the girls with kind gestures, love bombing, attention, and gifts. Everything about the relationship seems too good to be true. These people will try to make their victims believe that they can offer them a better life. They are deceived, only to be sexually exploited and abused later on.
Bringing Awareness during Human Trafficking Awareness Month
January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month. It’s important to note that there is no “one size fits all” for what a victim of human trafficking looks like. Although victims may come from cities, suburbs, or rural areas, many are deliberately preyed upon based on their vulnerabilities and those who may be disadvantaged in our society are often the most common targets.
According to the Human Trafficking Hotline, runaway and homeless youth are vulnerable and at high risk of trafficking. Other individuals who are at high risk of being trafficked include those with disabilities, children in foster care or the child welfare system, victims of trauma or abuse, and immigrants, especially if undocumented.
Most Human Trafficking is nothing like “Taken” or other movies
It is worth noting that most sex trafficking victims are recruited through intimate partnerships or family members. As previously seen, many traffickers prey on people’s vulnerabilities by creating a false sense of security and love for their victims, making abuse hard to detect before it’s too late.
Some signs to look out for if you believe someone may be a victim of human trafficking include:
- Having someone speak for them/information being provided by someone accompanying them;
- Losing control of their own identification documents;
- Being unable to leave their home or workplace;
- Showing signs of being physically or emotionally controlled (as above);
- Having very few or no personal possessions;
- Not knowing the location of where they are or what date it is;
- Being isolated from friends and family members;
- Feeling helpless, guilty, shameless, or humiliated;
- Seeming emotionally numb or detached.
Get the Help You Deserve
If you are a victim of human trafficking or suspect that internet sex trafficking is occurring in your community, we suggest you call the Polaris Project, a nationwide non-profit. The organization employs experienced professionals to guide victims and survivors of human trafficking. Also, you may call the National Human Trafficking Hotline.
Don’t hesitate to contact a human trafficking lawyer from The Carlson Law Firm. If you or a loved one has been a victim of human trafficking or you suspect human trafficking is occurring in your community give us a call.
We care, and we can help.
