Ep. 18 - The Evolution of Exploitation: The cases of Marita Verón & Kristen Galvan

Ep. 18 - The Evolution of Exploitation: The cases of Marita Verón & Kristen Galvan

Human trafficking has a long history. It began with what we know as slavery, but as the world changed, the structure of exploitation evolved to fit that environment. When most people think of modern sex trafficking, they might pictture the movie Taken, where a victim is physically snatched off a public street by strangers...and in real life, it can look exactly like that. But thanks to the things like social media, it has also adapted. Decades ago, the internet existed, but it wasn't literally in our pockets, and the predatory behaviors of social media apps hadn't yet been born.               In this episode, we look at 2 distinct  eras and 2 cases from those eras to compare and contrast the traditional and modern faces of sex trafficking. First, we examine the traditional method, through the lens of adult sex trafficking in Argentina, where Marita Verón was kidnapped in broad daylight by a powerful, mafia-run syndicate. Then, we pivot to the adapted, digital version of child sex trafficking in Texas, exploring how fifteen-year-old Kristen Galvan was  targeted and coerced through her Instagram feed.      While the entry points are completely different - one a physical car on a street, the other a smartphone screen - the internal realities are terrifyingly identical. We discuss the techniques of sex-trafficking, from drugging and isolation to physical, psychological, and emotional abuse.   Show notes:   Resources & Global Directives: Safe, confidential support is available worldwide. Global Directory (190+ Countries): GlobalModernSlavery.org European Network & Safe Housing: La Strada International (lastradainternational.org [http://lastradainternational.org/]) US National Hotline: 1-888-373-7888 (Text "HELP" to 233733)   Sources:   https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdtx/pr/documented-gang-member-sent-prison-sex-trafficking [https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdtx/pr/documented-gang-member-sent-prison-sex-trafficking]  https://gahtmo.org/unseen-bonds-the-link-between-past-slavery-and-modern-human-trafficking/ [https://gahtmo.org/unseen-bonds-the-link-between-past-slavery-and-modern-human-trafficking/]  https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/mar/24/meta-new-mexico-jury [https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/mar/24/meta-new-mexico-jury]  https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/apr/06/investigation-exposed-child-sex-trafficking-on-facebook-and-instagram-meta [https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/apr/06/investigation-exposed-child-sex-trafficking-on-facebook-and-instagram-meta]  https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07sjgr1 [https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07sjgr1]  https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pablo-Escobar [https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pablo-Escobar] https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/argentina-jewish-white-slavery [https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/argentina-jewish-white-slavery]  https://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias/2012/04/120402_argentina_caso_marita_veron_una_decada_vh [https://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias/2012/04/120402_argentina_caso_marita_veron_una_decada_vh]  https://charleyproject.org/case/kristen-marie-galvan [https://charleyproject.org/case/kristen-marie-galvan]  https://www.unidiversidad.com.ar/la-periodista-sibila-camps-repasa-la-trama-oculta-del-caso-marita-veron [https://www.unidiversidad.com.ar/la-periodista-sibila-camps-repasa-la-trama-oculta-del-caso-marita-veron]  https://www.fiscales.gob.ar/criminalidad-economica/caso-marita-veron-declaro-la-chancha-ale-en-la-causa-por-lavado-y-asociacion-ilicita/#:~:text=Caso%20Marita%20Ver%C3%B3n%3A%20declar%C3%B3%20%E2%80%9Cla,por%20lavado%20y%20asociaci%C3%B3n%20il%C3%ADcita [https://www.fiscales.gob.ar/criminalidad-economica/caso-marita-veron-declaro-la-chancha-ale-en-la-causa-por-lavado-y-asociacion-ilicita/#:~:text=Caso%20Marita%20Ver%C3%B3n%3A%20declar%C3%B3%20%E2%80%9Cla,por%20lavado%20y%20asociaci%C3%B3n%20il%C3%ADcita]  https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/crime/article/houston-rapper-aryion-jackson-sex-trafficking-17786263.php [https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/crime/article/houston-rapper-aryion-jackson-sex-trafficking-17786263.php]

Ep. 17: Online "rape academies" & the digital age of misogyny

In this episode, we investigate the wild intersection of systemic  violence against women & girls, and modern technology. We begin with the landmark Gisele Pelicot case in France, breaking down the court proceedings involving the 50 co-defendants and analyzing the digital hunting ground & website used to facilitate mass abuse. From there, we make the connections of just how these patterns repeat across emerging tech frontiers. We examine the weaponization of everyday consumer tech like smart glasses, the alarming rise of AI-generated non-consensual deepfakes, and the targeted global mechanics of online grooming & sextortion. Finally, we zoom out to a sociological perspective to talk about how the pop culture of the last few generations primed society for this current digital age of misogyny.   Show notes: greatinthesackpod@protonmail.me [greatinthesackpod@protonmail.me] www.tiktok/@greatinthesackpodcast [http://www.tiktok/@greatinthesackpodcast]  www.instagram.com/g.i.t.s.podcast [http://www.instagram.com/g.i.t.spodcast]  https://bsky.app/profile/greatinthesackpod [https://bsky.app/profile/greatinthesackpod]    SOURCES: #341: Korea’s Nth Room: 260k Men Paying to Violate, R*pe, and Torture Middle School Girls On Telegram - Rotten Mango | Podcast on Spotify #342: Korean College Student Forces 100 Girls To Mutilate Themselves On Camera LIVE For His Chatrooms - Rotten Mango | Podcast on Spotify #386: New Nth Room: Middle Schoolers Deepfake Videos Of Mom, Sister, Classmates In "Humiliation Room" - Rotten Mango | Podcast on Spotify 'A rapist can be in the family': how Dominique Pelicot became one of the worst sexual predators in history | Gisèle Pelicot rape trial | The Guardian 'Girl on Girl' explores pop culture's impact on women | PBS News Weekend" (URL: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/girl-on-girl-explores-pop-cultures-impact-on-women [https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/girl-on-girl-explores-pop-cultures-impact-on-women]  'Meta glasses are being used to secretly film women and girls – my app is fighting back' | The Independent How's Life for Children in the Digital Age?, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/0854b900-en [https://doi.org/10.1787/0854b900-en]  "90s Bitch: The Paradox of Progress and Bitchification" (Book Excerpt: 90s Bitch: Media, Culture, and the Failed Promise of Gender Equality by Allison Yarrow, Harper Perennial, 2018) "A French woman whose husband is accused of inviting men to rape her testifies in court | KPBS Public Media" https://www.kpbs.org/news/international/2024/09/06/a-french-woman-whose-husband-is-accused-of-inviting-men-to-rape-her-testifies-in-court [https://www.kpbs.org/news/international/2024/09/06/a-french-woman-whose-husband-is-accused-of-inviting-men-to-rape-her-testifies-in-court]  "AI-GeneratedDeepfakesandGender-BasedViolenceExploringtheTechno-FeministChallenges.pdf" (Citation: Benjamin, Matthew. AI-Generated Deepfakes and Gender-Based Violence Exploring the Techno-Feminist Challenges, 2025) "Amouranth Goes After Companies Supporting Abusive Deepfake Sites"  https://www.thegamer.com/amouranth-calls-out-deepfake-abuse-sites/ [https://www.thegamer.com/amouranth-calls-out-deepfake-abuse-sites/]  "Cho Ju-bin: South Korea chatroom sex abuse suspect named after outcry" (BBC News) Deepfake Porn Empire | E1: The Dawn of Fake Porn - Understood: Artificial Intimacy | Podcast on Spotify Deepfake Porn Empire | E2: So You’ve Been Deepfaked - Understood: Artificial Intimacy | Podcast on Spotify Deepfake Porn Empire | E3: The Notorious D.P.F.K.S. - Understood: Artificial Intimacy | Podcast on Spotify Deepfake Porn Empire | E4: The Fake Porn Pharmacist - Understood: Artificial Intimacy | Podcast on Spotify Digital Misogyny: From Grok Producing CSAM to Meta Glasses as Spyware | Redbrick Slider (Life&Style) "Digital Rights as Human Rights: The Fight Against Cybersexism" (OHCHR) Dominique Pelicot tells French trial: 'I am a rapist,' as he returns to dock | France | The Guardian France launches probe into website that enabled mass rape of Gisèle Pelicot | Gisèle Pelicot | The Guardian "Gisèle Pelicot lifts her sunglasses and chooses to fight back" (BBC News) "How_do_we_study_misogyny_in_the_digital_age_A_syst.pdf" (Citation: Fontanella, L., Chulvi, B., Ignazzi, E. et al. How do we study misogyny in the digital age? A systematic literature review using a computational linguistic approach. Humanit Soc Sci Commun, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-02978-7) [https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-02978-7)]  "Jag blev groomad online som 13-åring" – Gäst: Myra Petersdotter - Spöktimmen | Podcast on Spotify" "Le Monde The Fall of Coco.fr: Justice for an Online Predator’s Den"  https://www.lemonde.fr/en/france/article/2025/01/10/france-charges-founder-of-adult-website-linked-to-mass-rape-trial_6736899_7.html [https://www.lemonde.fr/en/france/article/2025/01/10/france-charges-founder-of-adult-website-linked-to-mass-rape-trial_6736899_7.html])  "Meta's 'pervert glasses' fuel trend of creeps filming women, posting videos online" (New York Post) "Online misogyny and its impact on girls" | Plan International UK "STOPPING THE SURGE OF DIGITAL MISOGYNY" | EESC "Sleeping with the Enemy: A W5 investigation" [Youtube] "Smart glasses: 'I was secretly filmed and trolled online'" (BBC News) "Taking Down the Dark Web Killer | The Case of Amanda Todd | UNSEEN - Unseen | Podcast on Spotify Article Title: 4 Ways Men Are Taught to Objectify Women From Birth - Everyday Feminism Article Titles: Popular Female Twitch Streamers Targeted In Deepfake Pornography Scandal / Deepfake Porn Creator Deletes Internet Presence After Tearful ‘Atrioc’ Apology - Kotaku / Vice) "The Gisèle Pelicot rape trial shines a new spotlight on consent" | Courthouse News Service "The New Age of Sexism!, with Laura Bates - YouTube (The Conduit) "The Retro Backlash: 90s Nostalgia and the Anti-Feminist Resurgence"  https://theconversation.com/the-return-of-90s-culture-echoes-a-backlash-to-feminism-that-weve-seen-throughout-history-238162) [https://theconversation.com/the-return-of-90s-culture-echoes-a-backlash-to-feminism-that-weve-seen-throughout-history-238162)]  "UK schools blackmailed with sexualised AI deepfakes of pupils, experts warn" | The Independent "When Misogyny Goes Viral: The Digital Roots of Modern Sexism! – UAB Institute for Human Rights Blog "Women filmed in secret for social media content - then harassed online" (BBC News) En hyllning till livet : skammen måste byta sida av Gisèle Pelicot and Judith Perrignon, Albert Bonniers Förlag, 2026 https://etheses.bham.ac.uk/id/eprint/10412/7/Whiteman2020PhD.pdf [https://etheses.bham.ac.uk/id/eprint/10412/7/Whiteman2020PhD.pdf]  Whiteman, Julie. ENDURING NOTIONS OF HETEROSEXUALITY: A STUDY IN CONTEMPORARY SEX AND RELATIONSHIPS, University of Birmingham, 2020  "music-and-misogyny-a-content-analysis-of-misogynistic-antifeminist-forums.pdf" (Citation: de Boise, Sam. Music and misogyny: a content analysis of misogynistic, antifeminist forums, Cambridge University Press. 10.1017/S0261143020000410) "pelicot case" (Text excerpt: France charges founder of adult website linked to mass rape trial - Le Monde) "‘I’ll never call him dad again:’ Gisèle Pelicot’s daughter says she suspects her father also drugged her for sexual abuse" (CNN)

Ep. 16: The CIA's Iran-Contra Affair, the crack epidemic, & the women who paid the price

The War on Drugs didn’t start in the streets; it started in the shadows of the offices of the CIA. This episode traces the timeline from the late 70s up through the late 90s, connecting the dots between anti-communist funding in Central America, the Middle East, & the sudden influx of crack cocaine into black communities in America. We’re also peepin' the exact moment the Second Boland Amendment went into effect..and how, as the CIA searched for alternative funding for the Contras, the streets began to change. We are discussing the crimes of Oliver North, Gary Webb's brave af reporting, and the biological warfare of "pseudoscience". We also talk about the extremely damaging articles that manufactured the "bio-underclass" myth to justify the lack of resources and the systemic abandonment of the very communities the state helped destabilize. By the time we get to the late 90s, the trap was already set, and waiting to be triggered. When you look at the outcomes of the crack epidemic, it becomes clear who was at fault, who was targeted, and who won.   This is the final episode to the witch-hunt series...for now ; )   **SHOW NOTES**   Socials:  https://www.tiktok.com/@greatinthesackpodcast [https://www.tiktok.com/@greatinthesackpodcast]  https://www.instagram.com/g.i.t.s.podcast [https://www.instagram.com/g.i.t.s.podcast]  https://www.bsky.app/profile/greatinthesackpod.bsky.social [https://www.bsky.app/profile/greatinthesackpod.bsky.social]    Sources: Behind the Bastards Cracktoberfest episodes:  https://youtu.be/MT6lnjIVWOE?si=-psWolEJFyTZib2H [https://youtu.be/MT6lnjIVWOE?si=-psWolEJFyTZib2H]  https://youtu.be/UoqC9av2DcA?si=yN9uFQIDQuFm9pRo [https://youtu.be/UoqC9av2DcA?si=yN9uFQIDQuFm9pRo]  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DKko0WCOgI&t=18s [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DKko0WCOgI&t=18s]  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjOnWFLq_Os [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjOnWFLq_Os] https://youtu.be/4F3IwLDZ1ss?si=vI5T9UopMoCf41x8 [https://youtu.be/4F3IwLDZ1ss?si=vI5T9UopMoCf41x8]    https://webhelper.brown.edu/cheit/Understanding_the_Iran_Contra_Affair/ [https://webhelper.brown.edu/cheit/Understanding_the_Iran_Contra_Affair/]    https://allthatsinteresting.com/gary-webb [https://allthatsinteresting.com/gary-webb]    https://www.britannica.com/topic/intersectionality [https://www.britannica.com/topic/intersectionality]    https://www.britannica.com/event/Iran-Contra-Affair [https://www.britannica.com/event/Iran-Contra-Affair]    https://fair.org/extra/the-myth-of-the-crack-baby/ [https://fair.org/extra/the-myth-of-the-crack-baby/]    https://www.jstor.org/stable/48750576?seq=1 [https://www.jstor.org/stable/48750576?seq=1]    https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19920114/1470264/new-research-explodes-crack-babies-myth [https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19920114/1470264/new-research-explodes-crack-babies-myth]    https://embryo.asu.edu/pages/ferguson-v-city-charleston-2001 [https://embryo.asu.edu/pages/ferguson-v-city-charleston-2001]    https://www.splcenter.org/about/ [https://www.splcenter.org/about/]    https://www.aclu.org/news/reproductive-freedom/victory-regina-mcknight-case [https://www.aclu.org/news/reproductive-freedom/victory-regina-mcknight-case]    https://scienceinsights.org/what-is-a-crack-baby-the-term-the-myth-and-the-truth/ [https://scienceinsights.org/what-is-a-crack-baby-the-term-the-myth-and-the-truth/]    https://feminist.org/news/woman-convicted-of-stillbirth-remains-in-jail/#:~:text=On%20Monday%2C%20the%20United%20States,to%2020%20years%20in%20prison [https://feminist.org/news/woman-convicted-of-stillbirth-remains-in-jail/#:~:text=On%20Monday%2C%20the%20United%20States,to%2020%20years%20in%20prison].    https://www.britannica.com/topic/crack-epidemic [https://www.britannica.com/topic/crack-epidemic]  https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/Documents/Issues/Women/WG/DeprivedLiberty/Others/Human_Rights_and_Gender_Justice_Clinic_at_CUNY_School_of_Law_and_others-3.pdf [https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/Documents/Issues/Women/WG/DeprivedLiberty/Others/Human_Rights_and_Gender_Justice_Clinic_at_CUNY_School_of_Law_and_others-3.pdf]

Ep. 15: Witchhunts pt. 4c - FBI EXPOSED by leftists!

So, how did COINTELPRO finally come undone? In this episode, we trace the program’s collapse through the interconnected movements of the late 1960s and early 1970s...from the New Left and anti–Vietnam War protests, all the way to women’s liberation, the Catholic Left, and the American Indian Movement. By examining all that went into the FBI's cointelpro operations, such as surveillance, infiltration, and internal fractures, the episode shows how state appointed crimes created lasting harm both externally and within activist spaces themselves, culminating in the Media, Pennsylvania burglary and later, the Church Committee’s revelations.   Socials: www.instagram.com/@g.i.t.s.podcast.com [http://www.instagram.com/@g.i.t.s.podcast] https://bsky.app/profile/greatinthesackpod.bsky.social [http://www.bsky.app/profile/greatinthesackpod.bsky.social] www.tiktok/greatinthesackpodcast.com [http://www.tiktok/greatinthesackpodcast.com]    Sources:   Medsger, Betty. The Burglary: The Discovery of J. Edgar Hoover’s Secret F.B.I. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2014.    https://www.aclu.org/ [https://www.aclu.org/]    https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/democratic-national-convention-1968 [https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/democratic-national-convention-1968]    https://www.goethe.de/prj/geg/en/sni/27039550.html#:~:text=International%20Solidarity:%20Comparing%20Germany%20and,point%20for%20today's%20sociopolitical%20movements [https://www.goethe.de/prj/geg/en/sni/27039550.html#:~:text=International%20Solidarity:%20Comparing%20Germany%20and,point%20for%20today].    https://vault.fbi.gov/cointel-pro/hoodwink/COINTELPRO%20Hoodwink%20Part%2001%20%28Final%29/view [https://vault.fbi.gov/cointel-pro/hoodwink/COINTELPRO%20Hoodwink%20Part%2001%20%28Final%29/view]    https://archives.nd.edu/CPF/CPF_1967-12.pdf [https://archives.nd.edu/CPF/CPF_1967-12.pdf]    https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-cool-people-who-did-cool-96003360/episode/part-one-burglars-vs-the-fbi-112088184/ [https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-cool-people-who-did-cool-96003360/episode/part-one-burglars-vs-the-fbi-112088184/]    https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/part-two-burglars-vs-the-fbi-how-the-catholic-left/id1620562792?i=1000607460184 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/part-two-burglars-vs-the-fbi-how-the-catholic-left/id1620562792?i=1000607460184]    https://www.jstor.org/stable/20459215?read-now=1&seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents [https://www.jstor.org/stable/20459215?read-now=1&seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents]  https://tribalcollegejournal.org/survival-schools-the-american-indian-movement-and-community-education-in-the-twin-cities/ [https://tribalcollegejournal.org/survival-schools-the-american-indian-movement-and-community-education-in-the-twin-cities/]  [https://tribalcollegejournal.org/survival-schools-the-american-indian-movement-and-community-education-in-the-twin-cities/]

Ep. 14: Witch Hunts pt. 4b - COINTELPRO & its attack on the Black Panther Party

*Content warning** political violence, racism, and brief mention of suicide.   *A FEW VERBAL MISTAKES*: at 2 occasions I referred to the BPP's early name as the "Black Panther Party OF Self Defense" & "Black Panther Party of Defense" which is incorrect. It should have been said, "Black Panther Party for Self Defense"...sorry-sometimes my mouth has its own plan  -_-   Hi there,  listeners! This episode examines the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s campaign against the Black Panther Party under the secret so-called "counter-intelligence program" known as COINTELPRO. Through different people's accounts, we trace how a community-based organization that provided free breakfast for children, health clinics, and sickle-cell testing became one of the government’s most hated, highest-priority targets.      The discussion follows the founding of the Party, its social programs & the FBI’s tactics of infiltration, surveillance & what is referred to as “snitch-jacketing,” which culminated in the raid that killed Illinois chairman Fred Hampton in 1969. We weigh out why the Party’s vision of independence: feeding, educating, and protecting their communities, was perceived as a danger to the political establishment...spoiler: when marginalized groups begin to see the system as unnecessary, the patriarchy doubles down.      This installment also marks the near conclusion of the Witch Hunt series’ exploration of COINTELPRO. After the conclusion of COINTELPRO, there will be one last episode (i think!) of the witch hunt series regarding a few '90s tropes and demonizations. Then my usual case-per-episode will resume...cases that reveal how power-imbalances and patriarchy can have devestating consequences. MMByyyeeeeee!   Show notes: Feeding America's link for donating and seeking help: https://www.feedingamerica.org/ [https://www.feedingamerica.org/]    SOURCES:   https://blackpast.org/african-american-history/black-panther-partys-free-breakfast-program-1969-1980/ [https://blackpast.org/african-american-history/black-panther-partys-free-breakfast-program-1969-1980/]    https://www.britannica.com/topic/Black-Panther-Party [https://www.britannica.com/topic/Black-Panther-Party]    https://chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/2025/10/01/massive-immigration-raid-on-chicago-apartment-building-leaves-residents-reeling-i-feel-defeated?fbclid=IwY2xjawNLbpRleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFLZFZ5SG9TSEJLMDczWThlAR5Nw5TCvTppZeDbAkIWG6B5QZVk2AAblKWL5gB8etZPL-U-gKpxv0eX_S_40A_aem_cZbI2ZmbmOj0jtZit4-NAg [https://chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/2025/10/01/massive-immigration-raid-on-chicago-apartment-building-leaves-residents-reeling-i-feel-defeated?fbclid=IwY2xjawNLbpRleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFLZFZ5SG9TSEJLMDczWThlAR5Nw5TCvTppZeDbAkIWG6B5QZVk2AAblKWL5gB8etZPL-U-gKpxv0eX_S_40A_aem_cZbI2ZmbmOj0jtZit4-NAg]    https://digitalchicagohistory.org/exhibits/show/fred-hampton-50th/the-assassination?utm_source=chatgpt.com [https://digitalchicagohistory.org/exhibits/show/fred-hampton-50th/the-assassination?utm_source=chatgpt.com]    https://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtID=3&psid=3632 [https://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtID=3&psid=3632]    https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/law/mulford-act [https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/law/mulford-act]    https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/immigration-agents-become-increasingly-aggressive-in-chicago [https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/immigration-agents-become-increasingly-aggressive-in-chicago]    https://scholarsarchive.library.albany.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1017&context=lacs_fac_scholar [https://scholarsarchive.library.albany.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1017&context=lacs_fac_scholar]  https://eu.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/movies/2021/02/13/judas-and-black-messiah-fact-check-was-fred-hampton-drugged/4390689001/ [https://eu.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/movies/2021/02/13/judas-and-black-messiah-fact-check-was-fred-hampton-drugged/4390689001/]