Men Leading the Charge: Justin Euteneier on Ending Sex Exploitation

The Masculine Wilderness Podcast

Creating the world we want to see for our sons demands active engagement in the fight against sex exploitation and trafficking. As men, we bring unique perspectives and strengths to this crucial work, including the ability to challenge and transform harmful gender norms that perpetuate exploitation. We can use our voices to advocate and support systems for victims, collaborate with organizations dedicated to eradicating trafficking, and educate other men and boys about consent, respect, and equality. By modeling healthy masculinity and showing empathy and commitment, we can contribute to a culture that values the dignity and rights of every individual, ensuring a safer, more just world for future generations.

In this episode with Justin Euteneier, we talk about how we came to this work at Epik, how it has impacted us as men, and the behind-the-scenes details of the work we do to stop men from purchasing sex at the point of sale. As the director of the programs and resident sage at Epik, Justin Equips male civilians across the US to speak directly to the sex buyers at the point of sale, disrupt the culture of acceptance of exploitation, and seek areas of our lives as men where we can work toward creating a more equitable and flourishing culture.

Justin holds a master's degree in social justice from Kiln College. He has presented at the MIT counter-human trafficking workshop and has more than 10 years of experience in the anti-human trafficking movement. At the Epik project, Justin has designed and built an innovative buyer engagement platform that has led to over 200,000 purchase attempts disrupted from more than 100,000 active sex buyers in the US. He has done this by leading in all-volunteer male teams across the country.

Note: This conversation touches on sexual violence, and while it’s never our goal to sensationalize the trauma of this topic, we strive to speak truthfully about the damage being done.

Tune in!

Resources Mentioned in the Episode

The Net Fort Worth: https://www.thenetfw.com/

Demand Abolition, ‘Who Buy Sex’: https://www.demandabolition.org/who-buys-sex/#

Mase program: https://www.thenetfw.com/mase

Key Highlights From The Show:

● [00:01] Intro and a quick bio of the guest, Justin Euteneier

● [03:52] Justin's backstory outside the work he does at Epik

● [06:28] Justin’s perception of sexual exploitation early on in his journey

● [11:18] About the cyber patrol program Justin has built at Epik

● [16:06] What Justin has learned being face-to-face with active sex buyers

● [17:51] Report from Demand Abolition, ‘Who Buy Sex’ research

● [21:27] The North Star of effectively changing sex buying culture

● [25:53] The nuances of the way men are in the world

● [28:30] Stories that prove to Justin they are making a difference

● [34:14] Why shaming the sex buyers does not work

● [41:29] How to show up as a collaborative and fighter

● [44:33] Justin’s partner and heroes in collaboration and why they’re awesome

● [49:55] What Justin does outside his work that is life-giving

● [51:35] The world Justin envisions for his son and his peers

● [55:41] Wrap up and end of the show

Standout Quotes:

● “It’s critical for any man who cares about sexual exploitation to understand that sex buyers are not some gone off the cliff men; they are just like us.” - [16:13]

● “More often than not, men that are calling looking to buy sex are not just looking for sexual transactions but human connection.”- [17:22]

● “We can’t arrest our way out of the problem of sex trafficking; it’s a cultural problem; it’s a problem of male entitlement to purchase consent.”- [22:35]

● “Driving sex buyers into shame is a short-term tool that’s going to cause more long-term harm in the end; it’s not effective in solving the real problem.”- [24:09]

● “You don’t have to be an action hero to make a difference.”- [40:44]

Let’s Connect

www.epikproject.org

@epikproject