Love146 is working to end child trafficking and exploitation. Part of that is working with youth who are experiencing a lot of risk factors and vulnerabilities. Our team recently had a quick but entertaining conversation about how we might work with different Disney Princesses! Most good stories have some conflict or adversity — and here are some examples that connect back to vulnerabilities that youth we support also face sometimes. So, here are 5 Disney Princesses we’d be kinda worried about, and what we would do to support them if they were referred to Love146. (Ages are from the films or original stories).
Note: When working with young people, we focus first and foremost on their strengths, skills, and resilience (this is called a “strengths-based approach”), but for this piece, we’re gonna tell you quickly and in no uncertain terms the causes for our concerns.
5. Rapunzel (Tangled): Age 17-18
How is Rapunzel vulnerable? She doesn’t have real-world life skills. She’s isolated from others with her only friend being a chameleon. Her alleged mom exploits her for her powers. She’s manipulated to believe that no one else would ever care for her. When the chance presents itself, she takes the risk of running away with a stranger which she sees as a better option than staying any longer with her abuser.
If Love146 could work with Rapunzel, we might start by doing a lot of art! She’s such a talented painter, and has already been using art as a coping skill. This could be a way to connect with her and build trust while having conversations about ways to increase her support system and decrease her vulnerabilities. She’ll need safe housing, boundaries with Mother Gothel, and help navigating the outside world. As some jarring revelations come out about her birth family and Mother Gothel, we’ll support her in navigating those complexities which will inevitably be far more of a roller coaster than the snippet we get in the film. It may take her some time to learn how to trust again, but we’d be there to support her for the long haul. We’ll encourage her in making more (human) friends too!
4. Snow White: Age 14
How is Snow White vulnerable? She falls in love with a man she met once. This guy is saying all the right things to a 14-year-old child with a difficult family life. “One love only for you!” We find him questionable. She nearly experiences a deadly assault from the huntsman. Fleeing violence and familial rejection, Snow White has to find a place to stay. In seeking secure housing, she’s taken in by a group of older men. Fast forward to the end, the prince kisses her without her consent while she’s sleeping. Not cool.
If Love146 could work with Snow White, our first action would be to help her find a safe living placement. If she decided to press charges against her stepmother, we would support her in doing so. We’d work on building her self-esteem and look for creative ways to help her discover more about who she is. She liked horseback riding with the prince? Would she be open to engaging in equine therapy? We can help make that happen. She loves animals? Let’s take a trip to the zoo! Likes baking? We’ll make a baking class one of her incentives for when she reaches goals. If the dwarves really were supportive and safe adults in her life we’d encourage her to maintain a good relationship with them, as long as boundaries aren’t being crossed. We’d also work on re-engaging in school and building healthy friendships with (human) peers.
3. Ariel (The Little Mermaid): Age: 16
How is Ariel vulnerable? Her father has explosive anger. When she’s at a low place after a huge fight with him, she’s approached by Ursella who seems to want to help, but actually is seeking to take advantage of her. With Ursella’s aide, Arial runs away from home to find her crush whom she barely knows. She gives up some major aspects of who she is to be with him. She doesn’t have much knowledge of the outside world but she’s adventurous and willing to take risks. Thankfully, she does have two supportive friends who’ve got her back (even if they are a flounder and a crab.)
If Love146 could work with Ariel, we’d help her schedule some doctor’s appointments to get her vocal issues checked out. Once she’s able to speak (or with special assisted communication supports), we’d process with her about her family of origin, and her feelings for Prince Eric. We’d help her navigate the legal system in voiding the predatory agreement with Ursella and we’d talk about how to avoid exploitative situations like this in the future. We’d want her to realize that she is worthy of love and acceptance for exactly who she is.
2. Belle (Beauty & The Beast). Age 17
How is Belle vulnerable? She’s disconnected from her “little town full of little people.” She has a hard time maintaining relationships with others. She ends up in a really bad situation with an abusive guy (Beast). Dad is distraught and fighting to get her back but is having a hard time making progress. No one else notices she’s missing for months. Eventually, she falls in love with her captor in a textbook case of Stockholm Syndrome.
If Love146 could work with Belle… She feels a strong responsibility to take care of Dad. What are some healthy ways that she can do that without putting herself in danger? Who’s a safe adult she can call on if something goes wrong with Dad? Maybe the librarian? She’s a thrill-seeker. As we talk with her, we realize part of why she falls in love with the Beast is because of the adventure of the story she’s caught up in that’s so much more interesting than her mundane life back home. We brainstorm with Belle some safer ways that she can experience an adrenaline rush, like a zip line, trampoline park, or even musical theater at her school since she enjoys singing. We’d encourage her in her reading, courage, and the strong boundaries she has set with Gaston.
* Stockholm Syndrome: feelings of trust or affection felt in many cases of kidnapping or hostage-taking by a victim toward a captor.
1. Esmeralda (The Hunchback of Notre Dame): Age 16
How is Esmeralda vulnerable? Esmeralda faces ethnic discrimination which poses a vulnerability for many of the youth we’re working with as well. She’s dancing for money to get by. Though she’s part of a supportive community, her parents are not in the picture. Her closest friend is a goat. She gets into some trouble with the law. Frollo, a total creep, is obsessed with finding her.
If Love146 could work with Esmeralda First, we’d help to find secure housing. Then we’d roll up our sleeves for some fierce advocacy she would need in navigating the legal system. We’d have conversations about what she’d like to do for her career that would be safe and provide steady income. We’d encourage her for her intelligence, strength, resilience, and passion for social justice. If she wanted it, we would help her file for an order of protection against Frollo. We’ll highlight her strengths of resiliency, courage, intelligence, and kindness.
Also worth consideration:
- Jasmine (Aladdin): She’s got multiple adult men who are trying to marry her. She doesn’t have any (human) friends. She runs away from home. She’s a risk-taker, going off with a “bad boy” she just met.
- Cinderella: She has no emotional or social supports, wants love and connection, is used to being in a caretaker role and doing things for people to keep them happy/protect herself, AWOLs in the middle of the night and falls in love with a man she met once, possibly seeing him as her ticket out of her abusive home.
- Anna (Frozen): She’s Engaged to a man immediately after meeting him, isolated life, history of trauma (loss of parents), lack of healthy relationships, risk-taker.
- Lilo (Lilo & Stitch): She has no parents and is being raised by her older sister with very little supervision. She’s rejected by her peers and desperate for friends.
- Meg (Hercules): No support system. Hades meets her when she’s vulnerable and exploits her into indentured servitude where she’s tasked with making Hercules fall in love with her.
Image Sources
- Smith, John. “Why Disney Princesses’ Moment Matters.” USA Today, 19 Nov. 2018, Accessed 22 Apr. 2024.
- Giphy. “Disney Rapunzel GIF.” Accessed 22 Apr. 2024.
- Giphy. “Run Away Snow White GIF.” Accessed 22 Apr. 2024.
- Giphy. “Beauty And The Beast Spin GIF By Disney.” Accessed 22 Apr. 2024.
- Giphy. “The Little Mermaid Ariel GIF.” Accessed 22 Apr. 2024.
- Giphy. “Bow Down The Hunchback Of Notre Dame GIF.” Giphy, Accessed 22 Apr. 2024.
