One of the problems encountered in the movement to end sexual exploitation is the fact that many people—most people, perhaps—aren’t aware of the problem, let alone the size of the problem. Even if and when they are aware of the problem, a common assumption is that sex trafficking is a problem “somewhere else.” Blind Eyes Opened, a new documentary film set to be in theaters for a one-night event on January 23, wants to help dispel that myth and move the American people to take action.
It’s a noble and worthy goal. And they certainly have their work cut out for them.
One of the crucial elements that makes Blind Eyes Opened a particularly important movie is the way it also undercuts misinformation about the way sex trafficking is perpetrated.
You may have seen one (or twenty) of the many urban legend-esque social media posts making the rounds and frightening parents with melodramatic accounts of children being ripped from their parents’ arms and bagged in broad daylight in the middle of a grocery store. But, as the movie explains, that’s not the way sex traffickers usually operate. Reality is actually much more sinister, as their methods for grooming victims tend to be ominously subtle.
Elsewhere, Blind Eyes Opened will explore other areas of concern that connect into and out of sex trafficking. All told, the film is a challenging look at a devastating crisis that America cannot afford to continue to ignore.
Blind Eyes Opened will be in theaters for one night only on January 23, 2020 and you can find tickets at a theater near you here.
