Sex trafficking is a form of human trafficking in which an individual performs commercial sex under duress. Individuals under the age of 18 years old who engage in commercialized sex are viewed as victims of sex trafficking despite whether force, fraud, or coercion is used (Choi, 2015). Sex traffickers constantly target victims and then utilize violence, threats, lies, and false promises to keep their victims within the industry for their profit. This form of trafficking exists within diverse and unique sets of locations and businesses with the inclusion of fake massage companies, escort companies, hotels, motels, and other locations.
Sex trafficking in the U.S
In the United States, the crime of sex trafficking can be understood through the processes involved and channels through which it is carried out. According to the U.S. Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act, describes the crime as the process in which individuals are recruited, harbored, transported, or obtained through the use of force and then influenced to engage in commercial sex (Choi, 2015). Trafficked men, women, and children act as the main victims of this form of trafficking. They are usually taken to different locations or businesses where they are then forced to participate in pornography or engage in street prostitution.
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Traffickers typically use different social media platforms as a way of marketing the victims that have been trafficked. Adverts, which seem to be posted by individuals willingly involved in the commercial sex business, are usually structured and monitored by sex traffickers (Musto, 2016). Traffickers lie about factors such as the ages of the victims and may pretend to be individual engaged in the sex trade when talking on the phone with the intended customers. The perpetrators of sex trafficking include a wide range of criminals and criminal enterprises that are involved in the organization's implementation and profit from the sex trafficking of certain individuals. About 15,000 to 50,000 women and children are victims of sex trafficking each year in the country (Choi, 2015).
There are several factors that contribute to the prevalence of sex trafficking in the U.S. first. There are several state and local legal firms that do not possess sufficient training regarding the trafficking of minors and the identification of these cases. This means that a large number of law enforcement agencies in the country are slow to make a recognition of sex-trafficked teenagers as victims of a serious crime (Musto, 2016). This absence of training means that a large number of trafficking cases are not recognized or reported. Second, even when the local authorities that have the training and actively investigate these cases, the hidden and underground nature of this crime means that these cases cannot typically be identified by members of law enforcement.
Lastly, most victims of sex-trafficking in the country have no perception of themselves as actual victims. Most victims usually report that at the time they were being trafficked, they did not make consideration of themselves as victims. Instead, they viewed this exploitation by traffickers as an extension of the abuse that they had to endure in the foster care system or as a way of surviving in the absence of support from their surrounding community. Moreover, the hesitation of many young individuals to view themselves as victims may be as a result of their response to the trauma of their experience or as a way to empower themselves.
Measures against Sex Trafficking
The measures against sex trafficking in the country are mainly focused on strict legal policies and consequences while also increase the level of cooperation between several agencies. In the U.S, every state has its own laws for handling trafficking within its state boundaries. In 31 states, the victims of sex trafficking face the potential culpability of the crimes they were forced to commit. The main legislative policy against sex trafficking in the country is the Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 (Choi, 2015). This act prioritized the fight against sex trafficking with the funding of an average of 100 million dollars each (Musto, 2016). Within this legislation, there is also a mandate for the collection of funds to treat those who are affected by this form of human trafficking.
There are several organizations whose main agenda is anti-sex trafficking. An example of these organizations is Shared Hope International (SHI), a non-profit organization (NPO) focused on the prevention of sex trafficking and restoring justice to the individuals that have undergone victimization through sex trafficking. Not for Sale (NFS) is an international NPO with its base in San Francisco. This organization is focused on the protection of individuals and communities across the world from all forms of human trafficking. The Sacramento against Sex Slavery in Massage Parlors is a Sacramento-based organization that has its focus on mitigating the prevalence of sex-trafficking incidences in massage businesses (Musto, 2016).
Recommendations
The main recommendation to mitigate the sex trafficking issue in the United States is to increase the focus on the social welfare of children. One of the main identified sex trafficking vulnerabilities is the absence of support for the economic and social needs of children. This means that the government should focus on strategies to prevent the maltreatment of children and the creation of programs to teach the youth how to recognize and respond to signs of potential exploitations (Musto, 2016). The increased support for children's welfare and their education of sexual exploitation is a key factor for decreasing their vulnerability to sex trafficking within the U.S.
References
Choi, K. R. (2015). Risk factors for domestic minor sex trafficking in the United States: A literature review. Journal of forensic nursing , 11 (2), 66-76.
Musto, J. (2016). Control and protect: Collaboration, carceral protection, and domestic sex trafficking in the United States . Univ of California Press.
