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Shay Vaughn
English 4 Honors
Mrs. DeBock
March 4, 2015
Sex Trafficking Awareness
In todays society we face the serious problem of sex trafficking. Sex trafficking is the
selling of human bodies for commercial sexual acts. This industry has been around since the
transatlantic slave trade of the sixteenth century. Victims of the industry are mostly women and
children. Sex trafficking is the fastest growing criminal industry. This horrendous act is
happening around the world and anyone can fall victim to it. Society is not aware of the danger,
nor the severity, of sex trafficking.
There is a wide range of victims in the sex trafficking industry. According to Vejars
article, Human Trafficking, one million women fall prey to trafficking on an annual basis. Not
only women are trafficked, but also small children. Most of those trafficked are between the ages
of eighteen and twenty-four, but the average age is fourteen. In Kohs article, Human
Trafficking Debate, Victims are sometimes never identified because the crime is immensely
hidden. Proving that this crime is everywhere, Koh showed that the United States is one of the
smallest trafficking areas, but it is a destination country; There are victims in every county,
including the United States. The United States is a source, transit and destinations for trafficked
persons. An estimated one hundred thousand to three thousand trafficked persons in the United
States (Koh 3). According to Vejars article, a majority of victims are from Southeast Asia, the
Soviet Republics, South Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, and Africa. These
victims are first approached for positions abroad as nannies, dancers, or waitresses. The women

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and children approached are not aware what is about to happen to them, if they did, they would
not fall for the tricks of a manipulating man.
In the industry of sex trafficking, the ones making the business are the Pimps. Pimps are
those who sell, manipulate, and abuse the victims. They do not look for a specific type of women
or children, they will take anyone. Most victims are from poverty stricken areas and younger
women or children looking for companionship. According to Cynthia Vejars article, Human
trafficking predators, of affluent nations, target females from financially unstable countries and
young girls who are looking for a hero in their life. These men come along and use them, without
their knowing, and force them into the horrific scenes of what is now known as modern day
slavery. The aggressors (Pimps) threaten the victims families if the girls were to try to contact
authorities. After they obtain a victim, they are in full control of them. Victims are to call their
Pimp Daddy and if they do not obey him they are beaten, or worse. Pimps are the some of the
most dangerous criminals in the world. The exploitation that the females face, according to
Vejar, are the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation,
forced labor, slavery, servitude, as well as removal of organs. They are known to kidnap children
and roam the streets looking for their next victim. When these girls fall victim to a pimp, they
become reliable on them for the necessities to life. Because these young girls are dependent
upon their captors to provide them with basic forms of sustenance (food, clothing, shelter), it
behooves their longevity not to ruffle too many feathers. The girls are constantly reminded that
their identification papers can easily be destroyed and that their presence will not be missed
(Vejar 3). These women are in danger, diseases are being spread around the world, women and
children are being killed, hurt, and abused. This crime needs to come out of the shadows and be
addressed at a further extent.

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Sex trafficking is slowly becoming an issue that is being globally addressed, but not
everyone is aware of the situation, so there are not many solutions toward the crime. Countries
are beginning to put laws in place to put a halt to the industry. In the United States, many
systems are being put into action. According to Cynthia Vejar, the United States is now granting
a T Visa. Persons awarded such a Visa are able to live and work in the U.S. for three years,
after which they can renew their status or apply for a permanent citizenship. Unfortunately, only
a few hundred human trafficking victims have proactively pursued such an option, possibly
because they are unfamiliar with this alternative (Vejar 6). The victims of the industry are not
being provided this information because they are so isolated. There are many signs of victims;
bruising, dark eyes, street walking late at night with an older man, women coming out of cars
with large amounts of money, as well as the way they dress. If anyone is to witness these signs,
they are to contact a hotline, or to reach out to the victim with things that may assist them to heal.
There are many resources out there for victims. Google has taken an initiative to help human
trafficking victims. According to Liat Clarks article, Google Launches Global Trafficking
Helpline and Data Network, Over eleven million dollars have been contributed to google for
their data network. This network has been partnered with Polaris Project, Liberty Asia, as well as
La Struda; all being trafficking help hotlines. There is untapped data that google is trying to get a
hold of to stop human trafficking globally. Victims of trafficking in the United States can access
these hotlines easier than those in foreign countries. People are not openly ready to trust these
hotlines because they are scared something will happen to them or their Pimp will be informed.
Clark states in his article that if the National Governments can group together to make some
kind of actionable difference, perhaps trust will follow (Clark 2). Hopefully as more victims are
able to reach outside assistance, this crime will increasingly slow as more people are arrested.

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Society is not aware of the danger, nor the severity, of sex trafficking. Sex trafficking can
happen anywhere at any time. It is becoming an even larger threat as the crime increases. People
are slowly becoming aware about it through Hollywood movies and large attempt of trafficking,
but there is no reason society should be shut off to the information. There are Victims all around,
therefore society should be aware of their surrounding and the danger that they are in. It is an
incredibly hidden crime and victims are sometime never returned to the safety and comfort of
their own home. Sex trafficking is a harsh reality of what people in our society are suffering of.
This crime needs to be addressed and put to an end.

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Works Cited
Clark, Liat. Google Launches Global Human Trafficking Helpline and Data Network (Wired
UK)." Wired UK. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Feb. 2015.
Tsin Yen, Koh. "Human Trafficking Debate." Salem Press Encyclopedia (2015): Research
Starters. Web. 18 Feb. 2015.
Vejar, Cynthia. "Human Trafficking." Research Starters Sociology (Online Edition) (2009):
Research Starters. Web. 18 Feb. 2015.