The film “Not A Victim” sheds light on the sex trade and will premiere on Saturday
Actress, writer and film producer Jae Chanel hopes her feature film Not A Victim will shed light on the issue of human trafficking and sexual abuse.
Chanel’s film is slated to premiere at 14 AMC CLASSIC Apple Valley Theater on Bear Valley Road on Saturday.
The film, produced by Jae Chanel, is based on a true story and is rated PG-13 for adult themes, said Chanel, who stars in the film along with family, friends and a group of other actors.
Chanel’s 15-year-old son Malachi Ross, who plays troubled teenager “Prancer” in the film, helped co-produce the film with his mother, she said.
“I was motivated to produce the film because of my abuse background. Also from similar stories from friends who have also suffered,” Chanel told the Daily Press. “I want this film to show women who have felt dumb that no matter what they’ve been through, they’re not a victim.”
Sex trafficking is defined as the set of activities that occurs when a trafficker uses force, fraud or coercion to compel someone to engage in a commercial sex act or to induce a child to engage in a commercial sex act.
The film features the character May’gene, a woman almost trafficked by a ring of her father Jim’s ex-partners.
Returning home from rehab, May’gene is ready to begin the healing process when she is thrown into chaos while her father tries to keep the family from breaking up.
Chanel said the film reflected part of her life after she nearly escaped death in an abusive relationship.
“I decided to write and heal my pain,” said Chanel, who attended Mt. San Antonio College, where she earned an associate’s degree in television and film production. “I had an awakening moment and decided I was ready to share my story.”
At the time, Chanel said to herself, “I’m not a victim.”
Co-Producer, the late Joel Bender
The film was shot at various locations in the High Desert and San Bernardino with the help of co-producer Joel Bender and associate producer Charles Unge.
“Joe Bender was the heart of Hollywood and this film was his last credited work before he died,” said Chanel. “I will be eternally grateful for his work.”
Bender, 72, an editor, director, writer and producer who directed “Karla” and “Gas Pump Girls,” died of natural causes in his sleep in April 2021, according to Variety.
During his career, Bender has directed 11 independent feature films and numerous episodes of TV shows.
He has edited over 20 feature films including Karla, Italian Ties, Bad Guys, Vlad, The Runnin’ Kind and The Cursed, as well as TV shows such as The Great Race, Survivor ‘ and ‘Power Rangers’.
sex trafficking
Examples of where sex trafficking can take place include strip clubs, massage parlors, internet chat rooms, pornography, mail order brides, prostitution, escort agencies and sex tourism.
It is estimated that between 15,000 and 50,000 women and children are forced into sexual slavery in the United States each year.
A study by the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs assumes 240,000 to 325,000.
The Bureau of Justice reported human trafficking statistics for 2021 and 2022 because they provided details of ongoing and completed efforts to measure and analyze the nationwide incidence of human trafficking.
Highlights from the Bureau of Justice
- In fiscal 2020, a total of 2,198 individuals were referred to US attorneys for human trafficking offenses, a 62% increase over the 1,360 individuals referred in 2011.
- The number of people accused of human trafficking increased from 729 in 2011 to 1,343 in 2020, an increase of 84%.
- The number of people convicted of a federal human trafficking offense increased from 2011 (464 people) to 2019 (837 people) before declining in 2020 (658 people).
- Of the 1,169 defendants indicted in a U.S. district court for human trafficking offenses in fiscal 2020, 92% were male, 63% were white, 18% were black, 17% were Hispanic, 95% were U.S. citizens, and 66% had no criminal record.
- At the end of 2020, there were 1,564 people in state prisons serving sentences for human trafficking offenses in the 47 states that reported data.
Jae Chanel productions
Chanel’s production company provides resources dedicated to empowering people and producing creative theater and film projects.
Chanel’s production company has enabled her to sponsor community-based events, activities and art projects aimed at the future generation.
The organization has also provided and funded resources for needy families such as food, clothing and shelter.
In June 2022, Chanel co-hosted the 3rd Annual Multicultural Community Event “My Black is Everything” in Victorville for low-income families and foster children of all ethnicities.
Chanel has self-published books on Amazon and several other platforms.
Her book Goal Morning: Arise and Grind is a 31-day motivational book designed to help goal-oriented readers break through barriers like procrastination.
“Two urban books that I co-wrote and published for inmates to help them raise their voices and be heard,” said Chanel. “The voices within are important.”
“I intend to scale the highest peak in film and tell stories that are real, untold and relatable,” said Chanel. “I am here to build up, to plant and to empower the youth to walk shamelessly and with an open mind, for they hold the master key to the future.”
On Saturday, the meet-and-greet receptions for “Not A Victim” begin at 1:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., with screenings at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the AMC CLASSIC Apple Valley 14 Theater at 22311 Bear Valley Road.
Movie tickets are available at www.eventbrite.com/e/not-a-victim-movie-premiere-tickets-499786714517.
Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz can be reached at 760-951-6227 or [email protected] Follow him on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz.
