Trafficking 101
The Fight Against Sex Trafficking
World-wide, this is happening on an alarming scale, enslaving roughly 50 million people, and generating over $150 billion in profits. Sex trafficking is the second largest criminal enterprise in the world
Summary:
Sexual exploitation can come in many forms, such as participating in pornography, dancing in strip clubs, prostitution, being forced or coerced to perform sex acts against your will or better judgment where there was an exchange of money or anything of value, or being used or sold for sex as a minor by parents, guardians, or anyone else, (we call this Sex Trafficking). These experiences can be extremely damaging to a person on many levels.
The Numbers:
In the U.S. the commercial sex industry exploits hundreds of thousands of people, mostly women and girls, and about 30% of them are minors. The trauma they endure, and the post-traumatic stress they continue to live with, is described by clinical psychologists as even greater than tortured prisoners of war.
(Judith Herman, M.D.; “Trauma and Recovery”)
Stats on prostituted or sexually trafficked people in the U.S.:
The average age on entry into prostitution is 13.
Roughly 60% are runaways and have been registered in the Foster Care System.
Under- age girls and boys are sold for sex 10 – 15 times per day.
The average price tag to sexually assault an under-age girl is $400 per hour.
73% physically assaulted by customers
59% physically abused by trafficker
64% assaulted with a weapon
53% have been raped (often multiple times)
68% have severe PTSD (twice the rate of war veterans)
75% have no safe place to go away from their trafficker
89% admit that they want out of prostitution
