In part 1 of an impromptu 2 parter, we discuss legends of women being abducted into sex trafficking. We look at older versions of the legends (who knew ice cream parlors were so dangerous?) as well as modern variants spreading on social media. 

Sources

Anne. 2020. “Stop the Spread of Fake News: No One Is Sex Trafficking You at Target.” Iowa City Moms (blog). February 8, 2020. https://iowacity.momcollective.com/2020/02/08/stop-the-spread-of-fake-news-no-one-is-sex-trafficking-you-at-target/.

Ellis, Bill. 2009. “Whispers in an Ice Cream Parlor: Culinary Tourism, Contemporary Legends, and the Urban Interzone.” Journal of American Folklore 122 (1): 53–74. https://doi.org/10.1353/jaf.0.0053.

LaCapria, Kim. n.d. “Department Store Sex Trafficking Rumor.” Snopes.Com. Accessed March 10, 2021. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/department-store-sex-trafficking/.

Roy, Anusha. 2017. “Read This before You Share That Viral Facebook Post about Ross.” KUSA.Com. July 11, 2017. https://www.9news.com/article/news/verify/read-this-before-you-share-that-viral-facebook-post-about-ross/73-455672734.

Staver, Anna. 2017. “VERIFY: Do Child Sex Traffickers Look for Victims at the Store?” KUSA.Com, July 11, 2017. https://www.9news.com/article/news/verify/verify-do-child-sex-traffickers-look-for-victims-at-the-store/73-455918970.