The purpose of this paper is to address the high rate of sex trafficking in the US and possible policies that control the act. Sex trafficking has become the modern-day slavery, and it still is a crime that goes against the rights of those individuals involved in it. The vulnerable women and children that become victims of well-organized crime hardly find the kind of help that can protect their rights. The inhumane practice of purchasing women and young girls to be used as the personal property has forced the victims to indulge in sexual activities that financially benefit the trafficker unwillingly. The individuals who get involved in buying and selling women mostly use a unique tactic where they select vulnerable women and girls who come from low-income families and those who could be homeless to promise to help them lead a healthier lifestyle. Almost all sex trafficking victims undergo physical and mental abuse, which they have no means to prevent and escape from. There is a need for authorities to examine the root cause of sex trafficking, the causes behind it, and the reasons why it continues to be viewed as a normal lifestyle even though it leaves the victims with negative impacts.
Scope of the Problem
The United States continues to be among the leading countries that indulge in sex trafficking (Braimah, 2013). Roughly 50,000 women and minors are trafficked in the USA annually. Most of the women that become victims of sex trafficking, on most occasions, go unnoticed as they are assumed to be prostitutes. The high rate of sex trafficking that is the current norm in the United States has been attributed to technological advancement. Sex traffickers continue to use technology as the quickest way to advertise the trafficked minors for sale. Most sex trafficking victims find themselves in the United States as it is the main destination country for the victims. Most women and underage girls are forced into sex trafficking through violence, threats, and false promises as they are assured of a better life.
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Past Policy
The trafficking Violence Protection Act is the current legislation that has been put in place to control the high rates of sex trafficking in the United States. The Act has largely helped in the prosecution of the traffickers and attaining immigrant status for the international sex trafficking victims (Riegler, 2007). Most of the sex traffickers use their victim’s weakness to their advantage. Sex trafficking victims are deemed prostitutes by society and; this prevents them from getting assistance from the surrounding communities. The nature of the illegal Act has made it impossible for the victims’ voices and concerns to be heard.
Sex trafficking and the exploitation of women have become a common trend within the United States regardless of the victims’ age or racial background. The country has become the central park for conducting the business as the victims are made to believe that the only choice they have for survival is to undergo abuse that damages their physical and mental health. Most of the victims experience violence, and the practice continues to be a big industry that generates revenue for the country. There are still no specific laws in place to combat sex trafficking, just like there are no effective ways to enforce the existing laws as it is considered to play an essential role in generating revenue for the country. Sex trafficking has been considered a better option than drug trafficking as it is faced with minor charges and penalties.
Current Policy
The policies that have been put in place concerning human trafficking are an essential part of the whole aspect. The newest policy that governs sex trafficking is the Traffic Victim Protection Act that was amended in 2003, which came after the white slave traffic act that had been put in place in 1910. The Act prohibited any kind of transportation of women and girls for illegal deals, but it became ineffective. The Traffic Victim Protection Act views sex trafficking as a forced act, especially because it involves minors and vulnerable children. The Act has ever since addressed the severe forms of sex trafficking within the country and used to help in the prosecution of the offenders to protect the victims. Under the Act, victims who found themselves in trafficking are granted access to essential services, assistance, and safety, among other psychological care forms.
Various policies enacted through the Traffic Victim Protection Act have yielded positive outcomes, but it has well faced a variety of challenges, just like any other policy (Chapkis, 2003) . As much it is a great policy that seems to prohibit sex trafficking, the reality is that it is faced with massive challenges that have rendered it quite ineffective. The policy aims at protecting the victims by ensuring that they gain US citizenship as this prevents them from getting shipped back to their countries of origin, where they may face challenges making a living. The policy advocates for the victims to be granted visas that can enable them to apply for permanent citizenship in the future. Even with such policies in place, the number of visas issued to the victims is far much less than the aspired number as a much larger number of women continue to be trafficked. The department in charge of issuing visas has as well set strict requirements that must be met by the victims before they are granted citizenship. The government continues to face a challenge in combating sex trafficking, as most victims cannot escape. The few who manage to escape lack knowledge of the available resources to utilize to access help. The available resources are too limited to cater to many sex traffickers; for instance, the US has only four shelters that cater to the victims.
Financial control is a major issue that prevents most women from escaping the sex trafficking business. Most victims claim that the traffickers control all the amount of money they earn from selling their bodies, and the traffickers could purchase what they needed but hardly gave them any money. The victims who received any incentives were given rewards for a job well done or for the risen status they had with the traffickers. The fact sex traffickers are mostly in charge of their victims’ finances. This prevents the victims from running away to safety as they depend on the traffickers for their basic needs. Some traffickers select women who become their sexual partners, and such women are the only ones in the group who can freely access their finances. Such women get the opportunity to spend and buy whatever they like with their own cash without any kind of restrictions.
Proposed Solutions
The government needs to adjust the available policies to make it easier for sex trafficking victims to get help from their oppressors’ hands. Most of the victims face challenges when it comes to education, housing, healthcare, and general housing standards. Most of the victims face challenges leaving the trade to high housing costs and there is inadequate housing. There is a need for the government to provide different housing types that are suitable for different needs of the oppressors. Additionally, there should be a policy that requires for provision of housing for specific individuals who need treatment from substance abuse and those that face mental health issues (DeStefano, 2007). Additionally, mentors should teach the victims how to be independent and other professionals who can address their mental health issues. Sex trafficking victims should as well be provided with quality healthcare because of the exposure to diseases that they may have during the period that they were under the oppressors. Another essential policy that should be put in place is for the victims to access education and occupational services so that they can be easily integrated into society. Such programs could help women and young girls access education services, which puts them in a better position to access employment opportunities. There should be programs that provide educational opportunities and provide the victims with the required skills that can help them make a living even without necessarily having to seek employment. However, such programs can only be effective after the victims undergo both physical and psychological treatment so that they return in their normal state before they are introduced to such programs.
Advocacy Letter
Dear sir/madam,
Being a social work student, I write this letter to inquire about the high levels of sex trafficking in the country and the steps that the government has taken to address the issue. Several policies have been put in place to address the issue, but most of them seem to be ineffective. Is there a way that such policies can be made effective to help in curbing the problems faced by young women through sex trafficking? The sex traffickers hardly face any charges. Can the government come up with severe punishments for the offenders to discourage other people from engaging in sex trafficking? The issue has raised concerns among citizens as there are inadequate policies that address the issue.
Various proposed policies such as providing counseling sessions and education opportunities for the victims can help such people in their journey to reform and adjust to a better lifestyle. The community at large should be advised not to discriminate against the victims but to embrace them instead back to society. I hope that you can put the raised concerns into consideration to curb sex trafficking in the US.
Kind Regards,
Name.
References
Braimah, T. (2013). Sex trafficking in Edo state: causes and solutions. Global Journal of Human Social Science , 13 (3), 17-29.
Chapkis, W. (2003). Trafficking, migration, and the law: Protecting innocents, punishing immigrants. Gender & Society , 17 (6), 923-937.
DeStefano, A. (2007). The war on human trafficking: US policy assessed . Rutgers University Press.
Riegler, A. (2007). Missing the mark: Why the Trafficking Victims Protection Act fails to protect sex trafficking victims in the United States. Harv. JL & Gender , 30 , 231.
Schauer, E. J., & Wheaton, E. M. (2006). Sex trafficking into the United States: A literature review. Criminal Justice Review , 31 (2), 146-169.
