Jong Saunders

RWS 1302
Sex-trafficking
Literature Analysis

Abstract
Despite international and domestic laws against it, sex-trafficking affects every country in the
world, including the United States. As global awareness of sex-trafficking continuously to grow,
efforts to combat it have also increased. Review of the literature on this subject demonstrates a
direct link between the trafficking of children and women for sexual exploitation and issues
followed by, such as HIV/AIDS, other transsexual diseases, mental health, and social issues. This
review supports that the concept of human trafficking is a serious public health issue and the
need for better education to prevent the matter and improve resources for victims of trafficking.

Introduction
This study is primarily focuses on the scientific literature on the subject of public health
issues linked to trafficking of children and women for sexual exploitation. Interview of a local
middle school student was included to highlight the important and significant contribution of
education in preventing sex-trafficking. It is estimated that 600,000-800,000 people are
trafficked across international borders annually with 80% of those being women and girls
(Silverman, 2006). The CIA estimates that over 50,000 children and women are trafficked into
the United States annually primary for sexual exploitation (Pan American Health Organization,
2002). Despite international and domestic laws against it, sex-trafficking affects every country in
the world, including the United States. As global awareness of sex-trafficking continuously to
grow, efforts to combat it have also increased. However, the practice continues to increases due
to demand and vulnerability. The UN office on Drugs and Crime defines vulnerability as a
condition resulting from how individuals negatively experience the complex interaction of social,
cultural, economic, political and environmental factors that create the context for their

communities (The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime: Background Paper, 2008). The
people who have desired to purchase sexual services are the primary drivers of demand. The
people who provides and profits from the services are secondary source of demand.
The UN has listed several conditions that affect vulnerability
1. Children: Physically unable to protect themselves; vulnerable to
demands; unware of laws
2. Gender: Women are vulnerable due to fact that they are frequently
excluded from economical and social systems and relatedly stand in
unequal status in the family and society.
3. Poverty: This is term covers broad filed. Generally, lack of resources or
food; hunger and malnutrition; limited access to education; homeless
and inadequate housing or surrounded in unsafe environments.
4. Social and Cultural Exclusion: Certain ethnical group, linguistic or
religious differences prevent receiving benefits and protections that are
intended for all citizens.
5. Limited Access to Education: Those that are limited to education or
illiteracy have fewer opportunities to find job and limited.
6. Political Instability, War & Conduct
More often than other, men are the primary source of demand of sex acts.

Purpose
This paper review the scientific literature on trafficking in children and women for the
purpose of sexual exploitation with the intention of reviewing the public health implications
related to this matter. This paper intended to inform audience the devastating effects derived sextrafficking and suggest a alternative method of eradicating and minimizing demand of sextrafficking.
Throughout this paper, author is intending to answer following questions:
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What is sex-trafficking?
What are the consequences that derived from sex-trafficking?
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How what are the available to minimize and eradicate demand of

sex-trafficking?

Sex-trafficking
Sex trafficking occurs when someone utilizes force, coercion or fraud to cause a
commercial sex act with an adult or causes to minor to commit a commercial sex act.
Commercial sex act includes prostitution, sexual performance, pornography in exchange for any
items of value, such as money, drugs, shelter or food. Sex-trafficking thrives due to serious
demand. Social scientists estimated that 600,000-800,000 people are trafficked across
international borders annually, with 80% of those being women and girls (Silverman, Decker,
Gupta, Mheshwari, Patel, & Raj, 2007). The market of sex-trafficking has three main
components:
1. Buyer: Fuels the market with the money.
2. Trafficker: Exploits victims to earn profit from buyers and supplies
services.
3. Victim: Includes both men and women young and old who are bought
and sold for profit.
Trafficker commonly find their supplies (victims) through social network, neighborhood,
internet, school, bars or clubs. Traffickers lure the victims through promises of certain good, such
as money, opportunity, hospitality, love and more. The common age a child enters sex trafficking
is 14-16. To ensure compliance and meet the demand of market, traffickers utilizes fear,
violence, threats. Society defines it as prostitution but the federal law defines it as sextrafficking. Sex-trafficking derives undesirable sexual health consequences, including AIDS/HIV,
STI, Gynecological Health issues and more.

AIDS/HIV
AIDS/HIV is a main concern for victims of sex-trafficking. Most of available data related to
AIDS/HIV comes from African and Asia region. According to UNAIDS report Significantly
higher rates of HIV infection have been documented among sex workers and their clients as
compared to most other population groups within a country (UNAIDS, 2002). Countries with
large commercial sex industries and facing high sex-trafficking problems have high rates of
AIDS/HIV infection rates. The victims of sex-trafficking often forced to have intercourse
without having protection with multiple partners. Physicians for Human Rights reported that In
India thirty to sixty percent of prostitutes and up to fifteen percent of all truck drivers are
infected with HIV/AIDS. Research into HIV/AIDS and the sex industry in Munbai, India
indicated that 70% of the sex workers in Mumbai are HIV-positive (Physicians for Human
Rights, 2004). According to Beyrer & Stacowiak, HIV rates are approximately two to three
times higher among trafficked Burnese sex workers in Thailand, than among Thai women
voluntarily working in the industry. It is estimated that 30-40% of Burnese trafficked women
became infected with HIV through their sex work (Beyrer & Stachowiak, 2003).

STI/Gynecological Health issues

Several studies claim that STI and other health issues are prevalence among women in
prostitution than those women in general public. For example, The Pan-American Health
Organization stated that 60.0% of 997 female prostitutes in Mexico City were seropositive for
Herpes simplex virus 2, where, 29.3% women in a sample are not involved in prostitution
(Phinney, 2002). Willis & Levy stated that In Japan, 55% of men with Chlamydia urethritis and
65% of men with gonorrhea presenting at an STD clinic had been infected by sex workers.

(Willis & Levy, 2002). Prostituted children and women are potentially at high risk of acquiring
STDs including Chlamydia, Syphilis, Gonorrhea, Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and Hepatitis
(Willis & Levy, 2002). Children who are infected with an STD are risk at experience more
complicated health problem down the road. According wo Willis & Levy Maternal morbidity in
girls younger than 18 years is two to five times greater than in women aged 18-25 years, and
pregnancy-related deaths resulting from obstructed labor, infections, hemorrhage, abortion, and
anemia, are the leading cause of death for girls aged 15-19 years worldwide (Willis & Levy,
2002).

Table 1: Estimated yearly occurrence of adverse health effects of child prostitution

Table 1 illustrates the health consequences of child prostitution. Among many consequences,
child that were victimized in prostitution mainly suffers from mental illness and other sexual
transmitted diseases.
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Up to date, most of the studies, legislative, and law enforcement focused on the supply side
of the sex-trafficking, mainly the traffickers and the victims. However, based it is crucial to
revalidate our focus towards to demand side of the problem. Based on Yens study, it is important
to eradicate sex-trafficking by reducing male (main drive) demand through educational programs
and legislation.
In one survey conducted in city of San Francisco, initially decided to educate sex offender
disturbing truth of commercial sex industry, risk and consequences of hazards of prostitution.
Studies showed that among 747 participants, 100% replied they have learned something new
about the sex-trafficking and 97% said it is unlikely that they would solicit a prostitute again
(Yen, 2008). More surprising about this study is that out of 2200 men, only eighteen were
rearrested for soliciting prostitutes (Yen, 2008). In sum, a comprehensive educational program
targeted appropriate audience plays viral roles on reducing the demand.
In other study in Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW) initiated an educational
program which targets male between the ages of seventeen and eighteen in twelve different
communities with high levels of prostitution (Yen. 2009). This program was to aimed to prevent
sex-trafficking by changing sexual behaviors and attitudes of boys and men to discourage the
demand in prostitution and trafficking. Initially, mens attitude towards prostitution were cavalier
and nonchalant (Yen, 2009). However, these attitudes started to change as the men were more
educated about prostitution and their roles in perpetuating the practice. During the discussion
section, some men were even making suggestions about how to change attitudes, behaviors and
patterns in the male-dominated trucking environment (Yen, 2009). Upon this program,
educational programs that raise mens awareness of sex-trafficking and educate mens role in

perpetuating human rights abuses can be effective way to differentiate men from patronizing the
commercial sex industry (Yen, 2009).
Children and teenagers are one of the common target of sex-trafficking. It is crucial for
school system to provide educational tools for our vulnerable children to be educated in sextrafficking to prevent from happening. The author decided to interview a local middle school
student here in El Paso, TX. The name of the student will be remaining anonymous as students
request. The conversation during the interview is followed:

Author: Does your school ever thought you about sex education?
Student: Yes, I remember taking it before.
Author: What did you learned from that class?
Student: I learned about the risk of unprotected sex, health risks and more.
Author: Did your teacher ever covered sex-trafficking?
Student: Yes, my teacher covered that before.
Author: So what did your teacher said? What did you learn from the class?
Student: I learned that it is bad and I can get diseases like STDs and AIDS.
Author: So, if somebody offers you to have an intercourse in exchange of money,
would you do it?
Student: No, I dont want to get sick.

This students knowledge in the risk and consequences of sex-trafficking was not in depth.
However, education from the school has able student to know be aware of about the matter.
Thus, student has better chance of detecting the problem and response better to the situation.

Conclusion
Sex-trafficking is a serious and complex human right issue. Sex trafficking mainly targets
vulnerable children and women for purposes of sexual exploitation. In this review, three
questions were asked then answered by utilizing scientific literatures. The health and other
consequences related to this practice was addressed in this review and possible solution to
eradicate the demand in sex-trafficking was addressed.

Reference
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Beyer, C. & Stachowiak, J. (2003). Health consequences of trafficking of

women and girls in southeast Asia. Brown Journal of World Affairs,
10(1), 105-117.

Iris Yen, Of Vice and Men: A New Approach to Eradicating Sex

Trafficking by Reducing Male Demand through Educational Programs
and Abolitionist Legislation, 98 J. Crim. L, & Criminology 653 (2007
2008)

Pan American Health Organization The UNGASS gender and womens

vulnerability to HIV/AIDS in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Washington, DC; Pan-American Health Organization.

Phinney, A. (2002). Trafficking ofwomen and children for sexual
exploitation in the americas Pan-American Health Organization:

Women, Health and Development Program

Physicians for Human Rights. (2004). No Status: Migration, trafficking &
exploitation of women in Thailand; health and HIV/AIDS risks for
burnese and hill tribe women and girls; A report by Physicians for

human rights. Boston, MA: Physicians for Human Rights.

Silverman, J. G., Decker, M.R., Gupta, J., Maheshwari, A., Willis, B.M., &
Raj, A. (2007). HIV prevalence and predictors of infection in sextrafficked Nepalese girls and women. JAMA: Journal of American
Medical Association, 298(5), 536-542.

Social scientists estimated that 600,000-800,000 people are trafficked

across international borders annually, with 80% of those being women

and girls (Silverman, Decker, Gupta, Mheshwari, Patel, & Raj, 2007).
The United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (2008). UN. GIFT Human

Trafficking: An Overview. New York, New York.

UNAIDS (2002). Sex work and HIV/AIDS: UNAIDS Technical Update;

Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS. Geneva, Switzerland.

Willis, B.M. & Levy, B.S. (2002). Child prostitution: global health
burden, research needs and interventions. The Lancet, V359(9315). P.
1417-1422.

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