Sex Trafficking: A Case Study

Sex trafficking, particularly that of children, has become a growing concern in the United States over the past several decades (Kotrla, 2010). By definition, child sex trafficking is “when a child (under 18 years of age) is induced to perform a commercial sex act” (U.S., 2013, para. 4), and includes forms such as prostitution and pornography (Kotrla, 2010). Researchers suggest that children are the most vulnerable to becoming victims of prostitution (Kotrla), and it is estimated that there are at least 100,000 victims in the United States (Estes & Weiner, 2001). Sex traffickers, otherwise known as “pimps,” often lure children with promises of food, clothing, love, and shelter, and then the pimps manipulate the children to keep them in prostitution (U.S. Department of Justice [DOJ], 2015). Awareness of the issue has led to the development of organizations, such as Children of the Night, that seek to help victims escape the sex trafficking industry (Children of the Night [COTN], 2016d).

Human trafficking affects our children and our schools more than most realize. It is estimated that more than 200,000 American children are trafficked each year in America. Victims of trafficking often come from vulnerable populations, including migrants, oppressed or marginalized groups, runaways or displaced persons, and the poor (Talati). The children most likely to be targeted by traffickers are those not living with their parents, who are vulnerable to coerced labor exploitation, domestic servitude, or prostitution. Sex traffickers target children because of their vulnerability and gullibility, as well as the market demand for young victims. Studies have shown that it is not just high school children at risk, demonstrating that pimps prey on victims as young as 12 years old. Victims

Human trafficking is one of the largest growing criminal activities. The commercial sexual exploitation of children, also known as CSEC, is often perceived as a hidden atrocity that occurs in an international setting. However, this manifestation of sexual abuse has increased and has become a recognized health issue in the United States. You may hear this problem to be known as domestic minor sex trafficking (DMST). Domestic minor sex trafficking is defined as the “recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for the purpose of a commercial sex act” where the person is a citizen younger than the age of 18 years by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000. This includes sexual acts like survival sex, prostitution, and stripping, where the child is the victim of criminal exploitation in exchange for remuneration in the form of money, food, shelter, or other valued entity. Approximately twenty-eight percent of US minors living on the streets are reported to exchanging sex for drugs or money. The estimation so far is that 150,000 to 300,000 children are falling at risk of being victimized each year, and the average age at which they are recruited is twelve to fourteen years of age. By raising awareness we are avoiding children suffering from long-term health consequences such as severe sexual, physical, and emotional abuse. By raising awareness a family may not lose their little boy or girl to human trafficking. Consider how many young women have been kidnapped, drugged, tricked or even sold by

“According to UNICEF, every two minutes a child is being prepped for sexual exploitation.” Studies have shown that 1.2 million children are being trafficked each year. “This number excluded the millions already being held hostage by trafficking.” (1).

Human trafficking doesn’t happen in third world countries only. It doesn’t just happen to poor people and it certainly doesn’t solely happen to women. It is present here in the USA but it is hidden, and even worse, so are their victims. They are everywhere yet invisible. They are silently crying for our help through their eyes and smiles. According to Polaris, “…the prevalence of sex trafficking in the United States is still unknown, we do know that women, children, and men are being sold for sex against their will in cities and towns in all 50 states”. Human trafficking can happen to anyone even to Theresa Flores, the author of “The slave across the street”(“Sex trafficking” 2015). An average 15 year old American girl, coming from a privileged background and a respected family became a victim of sex trafficking and through her book, she convinces us that human trafficking doesn’t have a specific demographic.

dreamed that they would be in love for the rest of their lives. She dreamed that her childhood dream of

Raising awareness of child sex trafficking is extremely important if a change is going to be made. Most think human trafficking is humans being brought in from other countries and forced to do labor, or sex trade against their will, but even on US soil adults and children can be targeted. One way to raise awareness is to understand signs and identify victims. In a recent article written by nurse practitioner Janet Selway said that “particularly those working with children in school, health, other settings, we may have encounter young victims yet be completely unaware of their situation”(258) The US Department of Education Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools(OFDFS), says trafficking can include school-age children, particularly those who are not living with their parents. The OFDFS has a list of signs that a victim may exhibit, while many of the signs of sex trafficking are similar to signs of abused children. Some additional signs can be that a child suddenly acquires expensive items, has an older boyfriend, and uses the terminology of the sex industry beyond age specific norms. It is extremely important that communities educate the public on this list of signs. If the public is more knowledgeable and aware of what to look for, then they can succeed in the prevention of child sex trafficking. Janet Selway emphasized that “All human trafficking is horrific, but the concept of defenseless children being sold

Society may call it prostitution but federal law calls it sex trafficking. Victims need help not judgement or punishment. Due to the social stigma or misinformation, victims go unidentified, silenced by fear and control of the trafficker. They may be misidentified, pigeonholed into treatment for only surface issues. As a result, sex trafficked kids are treated for drug abuse, alcohol abuse, domestic violence, delinquency, or STD’s. All of this hides the true need for freedom. With the horrors of trafficking coming to an all-time high, it is important to fight this modern day slavery quickly and effectively.

Theresa Flores, a girl from Detroit, was 15 years old when a boy she had a crush on from school offered her a ride home. Instead of taking her home he brought her back to his house where he insisted she come in. Red flags went off in Theresa’s head, but he told her he liked her, and that’s all it took to convince her to come inside. He offered her a soda laced with drugs that made her become dizzy, and then he raped her. The next day at school the boy and his friends informed her of the pictures they had taken of her, and threatened her to “earn the pictures back”, or they would share the pictures with everyone at school, her church, and to her family. From that day on, every night Theresa would receive a call around midnight and the boys would pick her up and bring her to random houses where often several men would be waiting for her. This continued for almost two years till her family relocated (Zukowski, 2015). This is one example of a girl being lured into sex trafficking as a teen and is one out of an estimated 800,000 women and children that are trafficked across international borders every year (Facts on human trafficking and sex slavery, 2012). Sex trafficking is a huge issue today and is only continuing to grow as an industry. In order to put an end to this horrifying issue more action must be taken in order for a difference of significance to be made. However, in order to take action people must understand the essence of what it is,

What comes to mind when hearing the word “child”? Maybe it is a simpler time, excitement, or innocence. What if the words “sex trafficking” were added after it, then what? Child sex trafficking is one of those taboo subjects that we hear of on the news, yet nobody feels comfortable discussing in public, especially because society has trained us as individuals to believe it will never happen to us. However, it is necessary in order to fight it and diminish its existence. This paper will reveal not only the definition of child sex trafficking and those most likely to become victims, but also how expansive it is locally as well as federally and internationally, legislation on the topic, survivor stories and their need for support, and

What was the reasoning behind having Wil get shot at the end of the story?

The trafficking of children and women for sexual purposes has become a key worry for nearly all governments throughout the world. Accounts in the United States regarding human trafficking for the purpose of sexually exploiting women and children have shown the matter is also a national problem and that it is on the rise. A projected 60,000 women and children are trafficked each year in the United States (Wheaton & Schauer, 2006). These victims generally come from the regions of Latin America, Southeast Asia, and countries of the former Soviet Union in eastern and central Europe (Shelley, 2011).

Sex trafficking of children is an appalling health and human rights violation that occurs everyday within the borders of the United States (U.S.) and possibly even hidden within your own community (McClain & Garrity, 2011). Specifically, domestic minor sex trafficking is defined as the commercial sexual exploitation of children that live in the United States. This type of crime involves the solicitation of a commercial sex act that is developed through the use of force, deceit or coercion by a trafficker, also known as a “pimp” (Ernwein & Nieves, 2015). Currently, customers’ demand for sex with children remains steady, while the profit to pimps continues to increase, fueling the industry and accruing several billion dollars annually, making

Whilst numerous reports suggest a decline in sex trafficking of women and children in Cambodia, Cambodia still remains one of the largest destinations of sex tourism. Many methods have been implemented on both a national and community level in order to combat this criminal activity across the country; however none have been sufficient enough to entirely eradicate sex trafficking of persons in Cambodia. Thus a number of recommendations to combat these human rights violations have been listed, as follows:

The United States seaports and waterways are very vulnerable to terrorist attacks and illegal criminal activities that may disrupt the economy and public safety (Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2006). An attack on one or several of these vital transportation hubs could cripple the U.S. economy and injury or kill hundreds, if not thousands of people.