The Victims of Sex Trafficking

Human trafficking is one of the many faces of organized crime. Human trafficking is a broad term which contains trafficking for the purpose of sex along with the exploitation of labor. Currently, there are 20.9 million victims of sex slavery (Stacy.j.cecchet 2014 482) whom have or are suffering suffer inhumane circumstances and consequences. Sex trafficking is one of the largest criminal activities in the world (Stacy 249). Vulnerable women and children are taken advantage of and thrown into sex slavery, yet there is no explanation available as to how women and children are taken and thrown into the industry within countries such as Canada and the United States of America (482 Stacy j Cecchet 2014), which have human rights protection. Sex slavery leaves everlasting mental and physical effects on the abused women and children being trafficked. Even though sex trafficking is a crime it is also, for a lack of better words, an industry which would cease to exist if it was not for the supply and demand for women and children.

Sex trafficking is essentially systemic rape for profit. Force, fraud and coercion are used to control the victim’s behavior which may secure the appearance of consent to please the buyer (or john). Behind every transaction is violence or the threat of violence (Axtell par. 4). Just a decade ago, only a third of the countries studied by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime had legislation against human trafficking. (Darker Side, par.1) Women, children, and even men are taken from their homes, and off of the streets and are brought into a life that is almost impossible to get out of. This life is not one of choice, it is in most times by force. UNODC estimates that the total international human trafficking is a

Human trafficking exists in several nations all around us. No nation, including the United States is exempt from human trafficking. There may be factors that create unique anti-trafficking issues and obstacles for each nation, but the characteristics are all the same or very similar worldwide. These characteristics are how the trafficking is conducted, how the victims are kidnapped, the percentage of victims, the gender of the victims, and the percentage of each gender in different trafficking situations. The situations include children, adults, male, and female victims. The situations the victims fall into are pornography, forced labor, sex slaves, prostitution, child sex tourism, and many more. These are the issues and key points made by the authors to persuade the reader to agree with their position.

Human trafficking is in every state of this nation and in every country across the world. It’s in cities, suburbs, and rural areas; being hidden in plain view; unseen by so many. In 2015, 17,500 cases of sex trafficking were reported in the United States (Chawla). This is only the cases that were reported. It is estimated that there were about 20.9 million cases across the world that never got reported in 2015 (Lize). There are more human slaves in the world today than ever before in history (Straker). The purpose of this paper is to educate the reader on human trafficking in the United States and in the World, and prove how bad it has become.

This article provided an overview of relevant issues surrounding contemporary sex trafficking, including risk factors. The article estimates that 600,000 to 800,000 men, women, and child are sex trafficked every year. It also explains three main factors that play into sex trafficking: human rights, migration, and security. This article exemplifies women’s lack of agency in relation to their bodies. Although there are male sex workers, there are many more female workers, further exploiting women’s sexuality. This aids in the fear women grow up and live with; the fear of being sold.

Human trafficking is a dangerous, demeaning trade. It is highly visible to the public. However, people turn a blind eye, despite all of its repercussions. Saving the victims, and punishing the traffickers, pimps, and johns takes time and can be a complicated process, but it is immensely worthwhile. Prevention through education is a key component in order to put a stop to human trafficking once and for all. The many laws and organizations are also essential in protecting victims and bringing justice. Human trafficking can happen to anyone, anywhere, anytime. However, right now, right here, it needs to be

citizens, foreign nationals, women, men, children, and LGBTQ individuals. Vulnerable populations are frequently targeted by traffickers, including runaway and homeless youth, as well as victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, war, or social discrimination. The United States is notorious for focusing the spotlight of human trafficking exclusively on international countries and their victims rather than victims within borders (Laczko & Gozdziak, 2005). However, research is beginning to show that the United States is also a mega hub for human sex trafficking. It has only been recently that an actual estimate of youth at risk for sexual exploitation has come close to estimating U.S. domestic trafficking. Within the United States alone, between 244,000 and 325,000 American youth are considered at vulnerable for sexual exploitation. Since the first study in the United States in 2001, there have been an estimated 199,000 recorded incidents occur of sexual exploitation of minors following each concurrent year in the United States (Estes & Weiner, 2001). These figures, however, are severely limited by their scope. Only youth who have been recorded within the United States, specifically for sex trafficking are estimated. This does not account for the adults who have been trafficked, the individuals who have been trafficked outside of the United States, or individuals who have been trafficked in the United States for labor.

Oftentimes when people hear the term human sex trafficking, they think of heinous acts that take place in other countries where adults, children, girls and boys are exploited to perform sexual acts in exchange for money or goods against their will. They think it typically occurs in places that are less developed than the United States. However, the reality of this horrific crime is that it is taking place in the United States, and it occurs more and more each and every day. Young girls are not solely the victim of human sex trafficking, young boys are victims of this monstrous act as well. Individuals residing in the United States need to be made more aware of this issue as it has started to rise through social media, large events, and by those in other countries being promised work here. After researching, it is apparent that there is a great deal of information that is lacking, on sex trafficking in the United States. Not only is sex trafficking an issue, but the lack of awareness about sex trafficking is also an issue. This thesis proposes that human sex trafficking is an unacknowledged epidemic within the United States, and it seeks to discover why it has become so prevalent.

Sex trafficking is a hidden issue in every country of the world; the overview of this ongoing and increasing problem includes, the meaning, the victims and the locations. Human trafficking has a central definition of modern day slavery which, in some fields, represents slavery from the past using forced labor. However, sex trafficking is the most common type of trafficking in North America (Hotline Statistics). Human trafficking is a 32 billion dollar organization which involves around 2.5 million people worldwide and has been increasing since 2015 (Facts on Human Trafficking and Sex Slavery). From the year 2007 to 2016, a total of 31,659 cases were reported in the United States alone and many of the cases were women induced into the sex trade (Hotline Statistics). Traffickers do not have standards for their victims, “Victims can be men or women, adults or children, foreign nationals or U.S. Citizens” (The Victims and Traffickers). Most victims are from similar backgrounds including runaway or homeless youth, victims of domestic violence, sexual assault cases, war or conflicted disputes, and social discrimination (The Victims and Traffickers). Drug addiction, school

In the area of human trafficking, many falsely believe this includes only victims brought to the US from other countries. Another common misconception is that children are not often victims of sex trafficking. Creating a broader understanding of what human trafficking is and how sex trafficking affects every region of the United States is instrumental in bringing about awareness, and most importantly change.

Sex trafficking is a problem that nations across the globe have come together to try and combat, however, efforts amount to little avail. It is a difficult task to take on because

Every year in the United States, up to 300,00 children, aged 18 and younger, are forced into the commercial sex trade. Sex trafficking not only occurs in the United States but throughout the world. Not only are young girls trafficked but also young boys. Child sex trafficking is highly a major issue because of how victims are targeted, how it effects a child and their life and there are certain signs to look for to notice if a child is being trafficked.

Sex traffickers use violence, threats, lies, debt bondage, and other forms of coercion to compel adults and children to engage in commercial sex acts against their will. Under U.S. federal law, any minor under the age of eighteen years induced into commercial sex is a victim of sex trafficking—regardless of whether or not the trafficker used force, fraud, or coercion (polarisproject). That being said many of these women and children are either threaten or given a false promise or a good job, some fall in love with the person forcing them to prostitute themselves or some of these women and children are sold by their families to pay off debt. Sex trafficking is global issue but to attack the problem we need to start within our borders and try to minimize the situation at home. Human trafficking is widely known and practice, but we fail to protect the victims. Our failure to stop this allows the traffickers to continue abusing their victims, which sadly ae the most vulnerable out there, children and

In the United States, estimates suggest that over 300,000 women and children become victims of commercial sexual exploitation in relation to human trafficking. Sexual exploitation plays a huge part on individual victims, who often suffer physical and emotional abuse, rape, threats against self and family, passport theft, and even death. The impact of human trafficking on victims can take many forms and can have a lasting effect on the victim’s quality of life. Women and children are smuggled across national borders and forced in factories and brothels and made to perform sex acts against their will. One

In 2007, the U.S. state Department reported, “600,000 to 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders every year,” “1 million is the number of children exploited by the global commercial sex trade every year,” and “161 countries identified as affected by human trafficking” (Polaris Project, DoSomething.org).