sex trafficking

sex trafficking, form of human trafficking that involves the use of fraud, force, or coercion to persuade or compel victims to engage in commercial sex for the profit of the trafficker. Although victims are often transported across national borders, sex trafficking, under U.S. and international criminal law, need not involve cross-border movement. Sex trafficking is the among the most common forms of human trafficking.

How sex trafficking works

Sex trafficking originates in many countries. Notable regions where sex and other forms of human trafficking are prevalent include Southeast Asia, eastern Europe, and sub-Saharan Africa. Local places associated with commercial sex, including strip clubs and massage parlors, can be popular spots for sex trafficking, owing to the marginal or illegal status of these venues. Additionally, places centered on transportation, including airports and truck stops, are common sites for sex trafficking and other forms of human trafficking.

Although some trafficking victims are kidnapped, many are lured by a recruiter’s false promises of job opportunities or other benefits in other countries or regions and thus leave their communities voluntarily. (Moreover, many victims are marginalized in their communities and may view the recruiter’s offer as an opportunity to escape their current conditions and enjoy a fresh start in their lives.) Sex traffickers often supply victims with identifying documents, including fake passports and visas, to facilitate their travel to other countries. However, once the victims arrive at their destination, their documents are seized and they are forced into the sex trade. The most common form of forced sex work, or sex slavery, is prostitution, but sex trafficking victims can also be forced to produce pornography or to work as nude models or dancers.

It is important to note that, although the migration of victims from one country or region to another is a common means of sex trafficking, it is not the only one. Victims can be trafficked by their romantic partners, their friends, their families, or others who have a previously established relationship with the victim. For example, a boyfriend could persuade his girlfriend to engage in paid sexual acts with his friends to earn money for his rent. In such cases, traffickers may have groomed the victims into believing that they are willingly participating in commercial sex. Because sex trafficking may occur even if the victim consents or has consented previously, charges of sex trafficking under U.S. law focus on the conduct of the trafficker, not of the victim.

Types of sex trafficking

Sex trafficking can affect people of all ages, races, and genders, but women and children are disproportionately affected. LGBTQ people, particularly young boys, are also disproportionately at risk.

Child sex trafficking refers to the recruitment, harboring, or transportation of minors for the purposes of commercial sex. Under U.S. law, charges of adult sex trafficking require evidence of fraud, force, or coercion of the victim, but charges of child sex trafficking do not: all acts of commercial sex involving a minor are classified as sex trafficking. Child victims may have family members who are abusive or suffering from addiction or mental illness. Children are often offered for sex acts or pornography in exchange for money, drugs, or services.

Criminal status and community response

The United States and many other countries recognize sex trafficking (and human trafficking more broadly) as a form of modern-day slavery and human rights abuse. When sex trafficking is committed systematically by government or military forces against a civilian population during a war or other conflict, it can also be classified as a war crime.

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The occurrence of sex trafficking can be difficult to detect, in part because the sex acts involved are usually performed in private and the victims are normally prevented from seeking help. Nevertheless, there are red flags, such as a visibly abusive relationship in which one person exerts excessive control over another. People who notice such signs can attempt to talk to the apparent victim or notify authorities of their suspicions.