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Sex Trafficking: Modern Slavery

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Sex trafficking is a form of modern slavery that exists throughout the United States and globally. 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 18 years induced into commercial sex is a victim of sex trafficking.The situations that sex trafficking victims face vary. Many victims become romantically involved with someone who then forces or manipulates them into prostitution. Others are taken in with false promises of a job, such as modeling or dancing. Some are forced to sell sex by their parents or other family members. They may be involved in a trafficking situation …show more content…

From the ancient Greek and Romans to the medieval times, and up until today, humans have been subject to various forms of physical and sexual slavery (Rutgers University Campus Coalition Against Trafficking). Victims are often beaten, raped, limited in movement, denied food or water, tortured or drugged, in order to provide absolute obedience. These methods may be a form of punishment for disobedience, but may also serve as prevention to warn the victims of the potential consequences in case of breaching the established rules (Banović and Bjelajac). These inhuman treatments cause mental and physical scarring that is almost always permanent to a severe level. The majority of genders taken into sex trafficking are women. Out of 3,646 cases reported to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center in 2016 so far, 2,678 of those cases are sex trafficking and 3,058 of the victims are female (Trafficking Resource Center). The victims that are able to leave the industry require special extensive after care. Victims are people who have been traumatized from the experience. Survivors are those who have overcome the horrors. Can all the victims be survivors? The purpose of aftercare is to bring practical help, hope, and healing, to those devastated by trauma …show more content…

Not all of them can return to a satisfactory level of health and the ones that do still have scars. The diversified needs of human trafficking victims may be satisfied only through coordinated actions of state institutions, non-governmental organization (NGOs) and international organizations. For victims to even have a possibility of normalcy, society and the law must take actions. Society had classified victims of human trafficking to be damaged and unworthy. The victims are afraid to go for help so most can't return to normal. Also laws that are in place at this time restrict victims from getting help out of fear of being prosecuted. Most people categorize victims of sex trafficking as prostitutes which causes them to be prosecuted for breaking federal laws that prohibit prostitution. Prostitution is illegal across the United States with exception of Nevada (US Federal and State Prostitution and Related Punishments). Prostitution is the practice or occupation of engaging in sexial activity with someone for payement. Human sex trafficking is NOT prostitution.There are many laws however that do help victims for example The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000. This law establishes human trafficking and related offenses as federal crimes (Polaris Project). If society and the government actually took action to help instead of hinder

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