Tied to a Lie

Synopsis

Tied to a Lie follows director Mia Golden as she talks to young survivors and others about the dangers that youth face from predators – both online and in their own communities. Mia is a member of a specialized program called MYST (Mobile Youth Services Team) that’s comprised of 2 counsellors and a police officer working in Greater Victoria. MYST’s mandate is the prevention of exploitation among youth. Their caseload has grown substantially over the past two years. Predators have quickly come to realize that being online allows for easy access to youth. Social media, pornography, and the normalization of highly sexualized and often violent content are issues that contribute to the targeting of young people. Even worse, addictive opioids have become just another tool that gangs use to exploit youth through human trafficking. Exploitation isn’t limited by class, region, identity or background. No one is immune, and everyone is a potential target. Mia and her peers are focused on solutions. Knowledge is power, and with each person that Mia connects with, we gain more resources to prevent gang violence, and hear new stories of strength, hope and resilience. Through interviews with parents, counselors, police officers, former gang members, cyber-security experts, advocates and youth themselves, Tied to a Lie provides insight into the realities of potential violence against youth, and what we can all do to keep ourselves safe. Tied to a Lie was developed for middle and high school students in BC, but adults across North America will also find it an eye-opening portrayal of growing, universal issues.

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