Discussion
Significance
The results provided by the present research study supported the hypothesis that there is a need of safe housing for sexually exploited and sex trafficked youth in Rochester, Minnesota. With a growing population and an expanding community, Rochester is seeing an increase in the demand for sex trafficking. Although this issue is present, it can be difficult to identify the victims. More specifically, victims often fall through the cracks and since a lot of agencies or programs tend to be female-orientated, male victims will often go unnoticed more than female victims.
Due to this, accessibility is a key issue regarding working with the youth. Being able to meet them where they are at is important and understanding that
As well as accepting the fact that victims might come and go, but an agency or professional should be willing to welcome them back when they do come. Being aware that anyone can be a victim of sexual exploitation or sex trafficking is also important. Realizing that it is not always the stereotypical blonde hair, blue eyed girl cowering in a corner with duct tape on her mouth that says “help”. Sexual exploitation and sex trafficking does not discriminate. Meaning that a victim can be anyone regardless of their gender identity, sexual orientation, race, or socioeconomic
Teaching youth at an early age what a healthy and unhealthy relationship looks like and how to be safe on the Internet is key in combating the issue of exploitation and trafficking. As well as training professionals and individuals who may come across victims in any setting to be able to recognize the signs of sexual exploitation and sex trafficking. By an increase in training and awareness, the world may be able to gain a more realistic calculation of how many individuals are affected by either sexual exploitation or sex trafficking. By investing in this population, we can realize the potential that we possess to help these individuals. Whether that would be more funding or more staff and programs designated to address this issue. Having shelters or programs that were designed to meet the needs of the population, with the help of suggestions from survivors. As well as having staff who understand the effects of this type of trauma. Overall, it is important to not just invest in the short-term care, but instead invest in the longevity of the
In 2000, the United States Congress came together in Washington D.C, to take a stand against sex trafficking. Laws and programs that protected women from violence were implemented, and they...
As the system came in contact with younger and younger individuals in the sex trade, it was merely a matter of discussion, not action. It was through advocacy efforts, lobbying, and educational propagation that the message was reaching law enforcement officers, juvenile probation officers, and judges entrusted with upholding justice (Musto, 2013). Various community partners have been sought after to be trained and educated on minor sex trafficking that there was never a choice to enter the sex trade, rather an involuntary act of coercion by a traffickers (Musto, 2013). When the shift occurred from punitive to rehabilitative hope was planted for all those children still out in the sex trade fighting for their lives would not have to fear a juvenile
This journal article examines the issue of minor sex trafficking in the U.S and provides the reader with the results of the research that was conducted on the matter at hand. A data analysis consisting of 115 minor sex trafficking was thoroughly examined and studied. The information surrounding these cases was collected using two specific methods. One method included the reviewing of press releases of human trafficking cases issued by the Department of Justice. The second method was to obtain information via online searches of media reports.
Domestic sex trafficking is the vile new innovative business model used in the sex industry to promote prostitution. The myth about sex trafficking is that it is a foreign not a domestic problem. Sex trafficking is a very lucrative business. The “John’s” create a demand and the “pimps” provide the supply. Child abuse, child neglect, pornography, pedophilia and prostitution are all links in the chains that enslaves America’s children for the pleasure of adults.
Trauma-informed care could be described as a framework for human service delivery that is based on knowledge and understanding of how trauma affects people's lives and their service needs.This requires consideration of a person's environment beyond
The trafficking of young women and children for prostitution and other forms of sexual exploitation is one of the most significant human rights abuses in contemporary society. A common misconception about human trafficking is that it only happens abroad, in reality it is happening here, in the United States and in states such as New York, Florida and California. The United States plays a major role in the human trafficking crisis, which offers those who wish to eliminate the occurrence of sexual trafficking with an opportunity to consider solutions that can decrease the appalling rates of victimization that happen right here in America. It is proposed that in cities such as Miami, New York City, and Los Angeles there is a relationship between prostitution, sex trafficking, and drug use.
Most American citizens, if asked, would say that sex trafficking is an issue that happens on foreign land, not here in America. Many American’s believe that slavery was abolished years ago, but modern day slavery is happening in this country and internationally every day right under our noses. The startling fact, is that sex trafficking happens within our borders, and in our very own towns at a much higher rate than anyone would imagine. Sex trafficking occurs when people, usually women and children, are coerced into the sex trade against their will (TVPA, 2013). Many traffickers target weak, vulnerable people who come from low socioeconomic backgrounds and have a history of abuse; however anyone can potentially be trafficked (The Polaris Project, 2014). Many traffickers lure their prey in with false promises of love, money, or security, and then the victims are instead faced with lies, debt bondage, violence, physical and mental manipulation, and abuse (The Polaris Project, 2014). In today’s world many of our social issues, such as human trafficking, are made worse by the general lack of education, resources, and information available to the public and to victims. I propose a policy that will help 180 Turning Lives Around provide comprehensive and much needed services to victims of sex trafficking, as well as educate the community and law enforcement officials in order to help end modern day slavery in America.
“First, the research reveals that prosecution and sentencing of sex trafficking offenses relied predominately on pre-TVPA statutes even after passage of TVPA and subsequent reauthorizations acts.” (Albonetti,201) It is hard to establish whether this law is actually working as it is hard to establish the victims of sex trafficking. If the penalties for sex traffickers/solicitors are not followed to the harshest extent, then the supply/demand will not decrease. There are however, programs out there to help the victims of sex trafficking. Programs such as Creating hope through Outreach, Options, Services, and Education for Children and Youth Grant Program; (SNAP) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and others. “Nonetheless, little is known about the extent to which these services and benefits are accessed by child victims/survivors of sex trafficking, and whether victims and service providers are aware of such programs.” (Finklea et al., 24) Making people more aware of what is going on around them, sufficient training for social workers and police officers would make a big difference in how these cases are handled and also in the lives of these children. Funding in order to help victims of trafficking and provide services to them is out there. “DOJ funds have been used by the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) to provide services to noncitizens and, beginning in FY2009, to
Sex trafficking is the second largest and fastest growing illegal trafficking activity worldwide; America being one of the top trafficking destinations. Making known and bringing awareness the seriousness of sex trafficking reveals the disturbing truth that there is sadly, but clearly a demand for such barbaric criminality. This raises one of many questions as to what has created this culture in which so many men are willingly eager to buy women and children (both, girls and boys) for sex. Furthermore contributing to a $32 billion annual human trafficking industry worldwide with $9.5 billion annually in the United States. The majority of U.S. revenue is accumulated during machismo-driven events like the Super Bowl; which in its self is said to be the nation’s single-largest human trafficking event. In the last few years technology has made major advancements allowing us to now effortlessly access a variety of information from the palm of our hand. Social media, the internet, and other networking technology make available traffickers the capability to more easily exploit, target, and connect with potential victims; as well as having a role in said pornography and sex
In order to understand how sex trafficking affects its victims, one must first know the severity of sex trafficking and what it is. The issue of sex trafficking affects 2.5 million people at any given time (Abas et al., 2013). The form of sex slavery affects many women and children across the world. Even though both males and females are sexually trafficked and exploited, there is a deep emphasis on the sexual exploitation of women and children. This is due to gender discrimination (Miller, 2006). This is because women and children are more vulnerable and appeal to the larger populations of brothels and the so-called “clients” since the majority are men. Ecclestone (2013) stated that children as young as age three are trafficked. Sex trafficking has changed over time; “Today, the business of human sex trafficking is much more organized and violent. These women and young girls are sold to traffickers, locked up in rooms or brothels for weeks or months, drugged, terrorized, and raped repeatedly” (Walker-Rodriguez & Hill, 2011). It is found that many of the victims of sex trafficking are abducted, recruited, transported and forced into involuntary “sex work”. These sexual acts include prostitution, exotic dancing, pornography, and sexual escort services (McClain & Garrity, 2011). What happens to these sex trafficking victims is extremely traumatizing.
There are so many programs and helping hands that exist here, and we as a community must look out for each other when trouble strikes. Resilience is an essential factor for all of the residents of this planet. Why? Everyone must learn to recover from extreme or prolonged stress to continue on with their lives. Not one person deserves to be treated as they are nothing in this world.
One of the largest targets for sex traffickers is a child. Since children are considered vulnerable they are easily coerced or kidnapped and made to perform sexual acts for others and live in debt to their owner or pimp. “Sex traffickers frequently target vulnerable people with histories of abuse and then use violence, threats, lies, false promises, debt bondage,
One reason why human trafficking is a serious crime that many people are unaware of is because it secretly takes place in the United States. Between 2007 and 2012, there were reports of 9,298 different cases of human trafficking (Polaris Project). An example of how unknown this topic is is that 41% of sex trafficking cases and 20% of labor trafficking cases were proven to have United States citizens as victims (Polaris Project). And this is only what we know so far. There are thousands of cases that we don’t know about. Many people also don’t know that men, women, and even children are also taken hostage by human traffickers. An example of this would be that out of those 9,298 cases that were reported, women were victims of sex trafficking in 85% of those cases. Men were victims of labor trafficking in 40% of those cases (Polaris Project). Approximately 300,000 children are at risk of being prostituted in the United States (U.S. Department of Justice). Children are even more under the radar than we know about. On average, one in three teenagers on the street will be lured toward prostitution within 48 hours of leaving their home (National Runaway Hotline). For example, two female friends who were minors ran away from home and were prom...
Sex trafficking is the biggest thing going on in society today. Sex traffickers are after all ages now days including toddlers on the internet and they are posing as somebody else or an unknown person. They are pulling up in stolen vehicles asking little kids to come with them or just taking them to who knows where. There are people on social media everyday asking has anyone seen their child. Sex traffickers are so good that sometimes police can never find who they are. I wish there was a better way for the police to stop sex trafficking. If social media sites make these persons have known (real
Preventing sex trafficking can save a person from becoming a victim and by understanding in depth the hardships and circumstances these people experience, can help us provide incentives to put a halt to this issue.