Trafficking beyond the stereotypes: What the P. Diddy case reveals
When people hear “human trafficking,” they often imagine scenes of abduction, locked rooms, or smuggling across borders. But the reality is far more complex—and sometimes not evident to the victim. As disturbing allegations emerge in the P. Diddy trial, a recent USA Today opinion piece sheds light on what trafficking can actually look like—and how victims can use this case to recognize they’re being trafficked.
The disconnect between movies and reality
Hollywood loves a dramatic rescue story: a young woman kidnapped by a monstrous trafficker and saved just in time. Other portrayals romanticize the commercial sex trade. But these images create a distorted picture of exploitation—one that can prevent real survivors from seeking help. Lenore Schaffer, chief program officer at Restore, an organization supporting trafficking survivors, said:
“I’ve worked with victims that initially didn’t understand they were being trafficked—they just thought this is what they had to do to hustle and get ahead,”
Trafficking isn’t always loud or violent. It often unfolds slowly, through manipulation and coercion. Survivors are groomed, emotionally controlled, and economically trapped. It happens in everyday places—in cities and neighborhoods just like ours. Men in positions of power often target vulnerable women, relying on emotional pressure rather than force. Schaffer continued:
“Victims will sometimes have an entire lifetime of being conditioned to normalize the objectification of their bodies. Traffickers know how to capitalize on this.”
Recent allegations against music mogul Sean “P. Diddy” Combs illustrate this reality. The BBC reports that Cassie Ventura, Combs’ former partner, testified in court that he sought to control every aspect of her life—rewarding her with expensive gifts only to take them away as punishment. She said he coerced her into participating in sexual encounters known as “freak-offs,” which she agreed to to make him “happy.” These alleged encounters, she testified, took place in cities around the world, including Los Angeles, New York, Las Vegas, and Ibiza, Spain.