The Super Bowl- Human Trafficking

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 is a prominent problem within the United States that is often overlooked. The definition of human trafficking is, “Human trafficking - the illegal practice of procuring or trading in human beings for the purpose of prostitution, forced labor, or other forms of exploitation” (“Human trafficking”). People in the United States believe that human trafficking is a problem that occurs in other less developed countries compared to the United States. What these individuals do not realize is that human trafficking occurs on American soil contrary to popular belief. The United States is one of the top three destination countries of human trafficking and human trafficking is a top criminal enterprise across the world (“WEAVE, Inc.”).

Today there are more slaves in the world than in any recorded time in history. Human trafficking is the largest growing criminal enterprise in the world happening in almost every country. It is ranked as second highest revenue tied with weapons just behind narcotics, bringing in an estimate of thirty-two billion annually. Human trafficking is the trade of humans for sex or labor in return for a profit. In the Public Service Announcement (PSA), “The Reality of Human Trafficking”, produced by Global Nomads Group (GNG), the organization’s presentation of logos overshadows their representations of pathos and ethos.

Every year thousands of people of all genders, race, and age become victimized in sex trafficking. These people who become victims are usually vulnerable and are living in poverty structured areas. Many countries around the world are dealing with this serious issue, even in the United States. The United States federal law has defined sex trafficking as an act, “in which the commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such an act has not attained 18 years of age” (Polaris Project). Sex trafficking is not only seen as a crime but is also seen as a business of supply and demand to many people. This business makes a profit of about 9.8 billion dollars a year. In recent events it has been shown that sex trafficking increases during big sporting events. As a result, some actions have been taken to combat the issue, but not enough. Therefore, due to the fact that sex trafficking is a worldwide issue and it is increasing over time; I will argue how there needs to be changes to the approach we have on the issue of sex trafficking.

Many organizations have formed to establish several resolutions for combating the issue of human trafficking , both locally and nationally. I chose to investigate two existing social awareness campaigns located in Ohio. The reasons I decided to explore these two organizations is because of the obvious, that my classmates and I are in the state of Ohio but overall, it is due to the fact that this state rank's number five in the nation for human trafficking. There are explanations behind the ranking of Ohio for this issue. The first explanation is due to the inner city centers and country counties, which included a big immigrant population. The second explanation is due to five main highways located throughout Ohio. These highways make it convenient for human traffickers (Ohio State Bar Association, 2014).

Even with accounts such as the one above (about the unimaginable horrors that victims of have had to face) and the testimony of how much worse it gets during big events such as the Super Bowl there are still those who believe that human trafficking is a myth. One writer named Anna Merlan (2014) writes very sarcastically, “it’s almost Super Bowl time and you know what that means: sex slaves, thousands of them, flooding into the area around New Jersey’s MetLife stadium to be raped by morally

Calling it the “Reduce the Demand Campaign,” the non-profit believes it is the primary solution in ending human trafficking. “To make an impact on domestic sex trafficking you have to go after the buyers,” said a representative from Free the Captives, whose identity is protected due to recent threats made by traffickers. “It does not matter how many pimps and landlords there are if the buyers are still willing to pay and there is money to be made,” said the anonymous source, “other pimps and landlords will pop up. You can’t stem the tide without going after the source.” For their part, the Mayor’s Office and the Houston Police Department believe that human trafficking is a major problem and are sincere in enforcing existing laws.

This NGO report conducted by Hope For Justice investigates the UK and global markets for the exploitation of human beings, outlines the methods of exploitation and informs us of the ways in which Hope For Justice, a non-Government organisation, is contesting and fighting against the issue at hand. Sex trafficking is a sensitive and complex issue which consists of 3 primary elements: what criminals do (act), how criminals do it (means), and why criminals do it (purpose). By understanding these three elements, one is able to delve into the mind of a criminal.

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.

Many people are trying to make everyone be aware of human trafficking and what they can do to prevent it.

Human trafficking is a serious problem in modern society. In fact, the United Nations has referred to it as “one of the gravest human rights violations of our times” (“Secretary - General Calls Human Trafficking”). It is a fast growing industry that affects millions. No gender, age, or status is spared from the cruelty that is trafficking. To stress this point again, human trafficking is not just a problem of the “world” or “United States”, in general. As previously seen, it strikes very close to home, affecting hundreds of men, women, and children of our own community. In fact, “North Carolina ranked as a top-10 state for human trafficking with Charlotte being the top destination. It is estimated that more than 1,700 girls are trafficked

Sex trafficking in Houston is a big issue because the Super Bowl was just held in the city. Houston Chronicle author Emily Foxhall reports, “Houston is considered a hub for human trafficking because of its location along major highways by which victims can be transported, its international port and two major airports, and a diverse population and economy” (Foxhall A003). Foxhall also shares the importance of using the Super Bowl as a way to inform Houstonians of the major issue in their city. According to the U.S. Trafficking in Person Report 2016, the United States is categorized as a Tier 1 country, “The United States is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, transgender individuals, and children—

When some people hear the expression “child sex trafficking” inevitably unspeakable thoughts come to mind, others are unaware this is even happening. Sex trafficking is a serious criminal issue taking place within the borders of the United States, but on the outside of these boarders this crime stands as a reliable source of income for those who participate. Although child sex trafficking is a local crime it is obvious that multiple nations have different viewpoints on the topic. The problem at hand is meeting in the middle where this situation can exist without creating a riot with residents and eliminating the destruction of young children’s lives. Though this topic is a sensitive one, there are ways to allow it to coexist in everyday

To connect to the economic power that generates through the Super Bowl one must understand the historical pattern of revenue, ticket cost, and attendance the game exhibits in the week leading up to the actual showdown. The ticket prices of the Super Bowl are the main catalyst into understanding what every consumer is willing to spend and how much revenue the game brings to that city. In 1967, the first Super Bowl tickets were no higher than 12 dollars and the average price of a home was less than 25,000 dollars (Smith, 2012). In 2016, the average ticket price was 1,325 dollars making a big ascendance from 1967 (Depietro, 2017). Therefore, this also shows how the game has become more popular since it has come into existence and ticket prices

many academics, public officials, law enforcement authorities, and the news media believe human trafficking to be among the most tragic and horrendous transnational criminal activities facing us today. Victims are typically transported from