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UWRT 1104
Let’s get right to it, I’m scared to go to Walmart by myself at night. I am scared to go
most places at night by myself. The fear put into our heads about sex trafficking is real. Sex
trafficking, according to Shared Hope International, occurs when someone uses force, fraud, or
coercion to cause a commercial sex act with an adult or causes a minor to commit a commercial
sex act. There is a very strong demand for sex with minors and that is the reason the industry
thrives so much today. It is a form of modern-day slavery that is stripping people of their
freedom as we speak. It has becoming a booming industry in the US, especially in Atlanta, GA,
where it’s worth $290 million. I’m here to research how the United states is trying to prevent
such a large, growing industry and how people can become aware that it is happening and stop
it.
There are hundreds of thousands of victims in the United States. It is happening all
around us and people have to be aware of that before it can be stopped. The victims are
waiting for you to notice it. It can start with an innocent relationship that turns violent and the
girl becomes afraid, scared to stand up for herself and hopes others will notice her struggle.
According to Charlotte Stories, there is an average of 78 sex trafficking cases every year in
North Carolina and Charlotte is the #1 city. It is happening closer than we think it is. It is a very
secrete industry and for many, it goes unnoticed, but there is many people trying to prevent it,
A popular organization fighting to prevent sex trafficking is called Polaris Project that
was founded in 2002. They are attempting to help victims who are afraid to come forward,
build the largest public data sets in the US, and enlist law enforcement to prevent and disrupt
it. They have a National Human Trafficking Hotline that people can call if they need help, or if
they see something they think they should report. This is a very efficient way of preventing sex
trafficking because bystanders and/or victims can easily and anonymously report it and get help
for the victims. Another popular organization is Shared Hope International. An organization
much like Polaris Project, they are fighting to prevent sex trafficking, restore the victim’s lives,
and bring justice. Organizations like this are what help the victims stand up against their
traffickers. These can bring the victims closure after their experience and possibly even a job
There are many myths about sex trafficking that people have to be aware of. People
often think that sex trafficking is something that happens across international borders, never
right in America. Although it happens worldwide, people have to realize that is a local issue and
if they aren’t aware they could potentially be the next victim. Another myth is that there must
be evidence of a physical force or bondage to consider it sex trafficking. Even if the victims are
physically tied up doesn’t mean they can escape. Many victims are threatened that if they leave
they will be found and killed, therefore the victims are verbally restrained and are too scared to
try to leave or run away. Lastly, a very popular false accusation is that if they are a victim they
will immediately come forward to the police and ask for help. There are multiple reasons that
this is myth. The victims are traumatized after the unimaginable situation they have been put
through and some don’t have the courage to come forward immediately, or ever and face what
has happened to them. Another reason is that they are afraid of being accused of a crime
rather than be treated as a victim and have a significant amount of trust issues. Lastly, these
victims often blame themselves for the situation and don’t want to come forward thinking it
was something they did wrong and shouldn’t have gotten themselves into. Therefore, when it
comes to recognizing victims of sex trafficking, you need to be aware of the signs and possible
experiences the victim is going through in order to help them. You can’t always believe what
you hear, myths like these come up a lot in sex trafficking. You need to educate yourself about
One major problem with sex trafficking is mistaking it for kidnapping, prostitution, or
rape. People have to understand the issue before a real change is made. Sex trafficking is not
simply kidnapping, or a rape investigation. Many victims are afraid to come forward because of
the fear of getting accused of prostitution. In a recent case, a 24-year old woman was
persuaded to get in a vehicle with a strange man on her way home from a friend’ house. He
gave her ecstasy tablets and told her that she was his property. 4 years later she got arrested
and accused of prostitution. Once she bravely told her story she got help and the charges
dropped because it was proved against her will. Sadly, in some states, laws against sex
trafficking aren’t put into place and the victims only hope is a good lawyer. These states need
laws against it in order to allow for the victim to have future jobs, housing, and a social life.
Yet another large issue when it comes to portraying sex trafficking is the media. Many
movies assume the trafficker is a strong gangster who takes innocent girls. The traffickers aren’t
always powerful pimps, they could be clean cut, nice men or in some cases, normal women.
The victims aren’t always innocent women, sometimes it can be children sold to the traffickers
by their parents, or women getting tricked and lured into the industry. It is even common for
women to make the choice to be trafficked because they can’t get a job, but soon regretting it
after realizing there It is extremely difficulty to escape and heal from. Therefore, watching a
movie about sex trafficking does bring fear, but doesn’t supply you with all the things you
should look for when trying to prevent sex trafficking from happening.
A big question for most people who aren’t educated about sex trafficking is what makes
you susceptible to sex trafficking. There is nothing that makes you specifically susceptible. It
could happen to the girl that you see in class every day, that is dreaming of becoming a nurse,
who listens to Ariana Grande, and gushes about her boyfriend. Girls, just every day girls/women
who are like everyone else. To give a good example, Equality Now, who helps advance women’s
and girl’s rights – explains a story about a girl named Ruth who was just 12 years old when her
mother’s boyfriend raped her. She then ran away and was picked up by a pimp and forced to
have sex for money. She escaped and became a poet where she wrote the poem Finish Line.
“See, none of this would have happened if I had help from the start – see, for me, it started in
this place that sometimes felt like hell, - But I still had to call it home” In this excerpt of her
poem she tells how it happened right in her own home. A 12-year old girl, susceptible to sex
trafficking, in a place where she should feel safe? What made her so susceptible to sex
trafficking? That is a perfect example of how it can happen anywhere and to anyone. If there
are signs that it could happen you should immediately ask for help to get yourself out of the
situation. It can happen to anyone, so be aware of your surrounds for your own safety as well
In October 2000, the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 was enacted. And in the
following years up until 2013, 9 more acts were put into place to prevent sex trafficking.
Although these were enacted, the trafficking still hasn’t stopped. It is now more popular than
ever and people will always refuse to follow these laws. These laws could be more effective if
enacted in all states. In some states, sex trafficking isn’t a conviction in the court, so like in the
paragraph earlier, the victim had to get the prostitution charges she was accused of dropped in
order to continue with a normal life. Worrying about a criminal record should not be a victims’
problem because they should be getting help and the trafficker should be found and charged.
The steps to start preventing sex trafficking is to be aware of it happening around you,
investigating the cases more in depth to find and stop the trafficker instead of just help the one
single victim, and not mistake it as rape, kidnapping, or prostitution. It is a big industry that may
never be completely stopped but it can be reduced by a significant amount if those few steps
Sex trafficking is a devastating thing and a very difficult topic to comprehend. Many
women are scared to be alone because of the stories they have heard, and the fear that is
imposed on them about being taken and forced into sex trafficking. No matter where you live in
the United States, there is a strong chance that it is happening nearby. Whether it be at the
Walmart where you shop, or the next-door neighbor. Sex trafficking strips people of their
freedom and scars them for life. If every person was aware of it and tried avoiding it or help
victims it would a world of difference, literally. It is a depressing thing and once you know the
realities of it, you will want to take-action and do these things to help prevent it.
Works Cited:
Robinson, Adrianna. “The Charlotte Region Is Now #1 In North Carolina For Human
Trafficking.” Charlotte Stories, 23 Jan. 2018, www.charlottestories.com/charlotte-region-
now-1-north-carolina-human-trafficking/.
Jesionka, Natalie. “Human Trafficking: The Myths and the Realities.” Free Career Advice, The
Muse, 17 Jan. 2012, www.themuse.com/advice/human-trafficking-the-myths-and-the-realities.