“Sex trafficking and mass rape should no more be seen as women’s issues than slavery was a black issue or the Holocaust was a Jewish issue. These are all humanitarian concerns, transcending any one race, gender, or creed” (Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn). Every year, according to the U.S. State Department, 600,000 to 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders every year, of which 80% are female and 50% are children. Karla Jacinto was twelve years old when she first got picked up by her trafficker. She was at a vulnerable stage of her life and needed someone to listen to her. Earlier in her life, she was sexually abused by a relative. The first time she met the guy who said he was going to be there for her, she didn’t think twice about saying yes to him. Karla wants the number of 43,200 to stick in your head. That was the number of times she was raped that she estimated as the total after falling into the hands of her sex trafficker and his clients (Rafael Romo). In order to understand the sex trafficking happening in the world today, it is essential to know what sex trafficking is, the cause of the issue, the effects on the victims, and how it can be prevented and treated. Furthermore, every part of the world needs to realize what sex trafficking is and what happens with the victims and the traffickers.

In the first place, people need to realize what sex trafficking is. Goodson says, “”Trafficking in persons” is primarily understood as the movement of persons across international boundaries for a variety of forms of exploitation. The crime of trafficking, of course, is not essentially about the movement of the person but about the exploitation. Trafficking is the denial of freedom.” Prostitutes are like victims of sex trafficking. Except during sex trafficking, the minors are having it forced on them whereas prostitutes do it for money, and most likely chose on their own to do it. People who think of sex trafficking as minors being prostitutes need to rethink the whole idea behind it. They need to understand that these vulnerable children do not chose to be prostitutes under the traffickers, they are lured into it by the fake love and affection given by the traffickers. These victims are money makers to the Johns. Karla says, “These minors are being abducted, lured, and yanked away from their families. Don’t just listen to me. You need to learn about what happened to me and take the blindfold off your eyes.” Karla, sex trafficked for four years, tells her story and is trying to stop it; Making people aware of how it happens. This examples a part of sex trafficking that happens in the beginning. Told from a person that was/is a victim and uses her words to tell her story. Karla says, “she was abused for as long as she can remember and felt rejected by her mother… targeted by a trafficker who lured her away using kind words and a fast car… The initial awkwardness disappeared as soon as the man started telling her that he was also abused as a boy…” Making the connections as a trafficker with the victim is a big part of the whole plan. The traffickers are the people who are there for the victims to listen to them, and then make a story to relate. By doing this, it shows the victim the TLC that they have been seeking, and they think nothing of it. Being aware of what sex trafficking is is very important because then people will realize what to look out for.

In addition to knowing what it is, people need to realize what causes this issue. According to Soroptimist, “Some are lured with offers of legitimate and legal work as shop assistants or waitresses.” The infographic to the right conveys the widespread information on what a sex trafficking victim all involve. Vulnerable teens are being picked up by traffickers who will listen to their obstacles of life. This shows how some people are brought into this modern day slavery. They are lured into by gifts given to them possibly, or shown a reward that they may later receive if they do the duties of the john. A john is a buyer of victims to use them. Soroptimist also says, “Others are promised marriage, educational opportunities and a better life.”  Crazy to think people would actually agree to something this horrible for a promise of marriage, education or even just a better life. People need to realize that they can receive one of those or even all without getting trafficked. The horrible behavior done with trafficking shouldn’t be done to receive a promise. Soroptimist stated, “Still others are sold into trafficking by boyfriends, friends, neighbors or even parents.”  This shows that the victims are being put into this difficult situations by many different people. People think that their loved ones are the ones there for them the most. But when they look at this article stating that their significant other, friends, parents, or neighbors are the ones giving them away, it really makes them think about who they consider close. Knowing what causes the issue will also hopefully prevent it from continuing.

As well as knowing the causes, victims need to realize how to help it, and how to treat the problem. Ruth, CEO of Stop the Traffik states that, “The first step to preventing human trafficking and prosecuting the traffickers is therefore to recognize the complexity of the crime which cannot be tackled in a vacuum.” This shows that people do not realize what really happens when people are trafficked, and if people ever want to help stop it from continuing, they need to observe what actually goes down throughout the process. Later in the article she states, “From improving female education in source countries so that girls are less vulnerable to trafficking, to increasing police pay in destination countries so that officers are less susceptible to bribery.” When people hear that cops are getting caught for bribery, they think, are we really safe in our society? This shows that some cops are caring more about money than the quality and safety of some humans lives. By improving education, the girls will learn other ways to possibly say no, with the result of not getting trafficked. Finally, Ruth explained a group that has been started, “The fact that over half of all victims of human trafficking are under 18 empowers young people to realize the importance of their potential to prevent this illicit trade.” They then talk about this group that has been made called Start Freedom. Start Freedom is a group that was started in the UN, and its a group that engages and raise awareness amongst the most vulnerable group that is targeted. They explain what the issues are that are being brought to the table. Treating the victims of sex trafficking will hopefully in the long run help others and show that it is escapable, and there is hope.

Not to mention the most important thing, minors getting prosecuted for prostitution.  Juan David Romero states in his article, “At 13, she became friends with a man who convinced her to run away with him from Chicago to Ohio. He then trafficked her all over the U.S. in states such as Iowa, Arkansas, and Atlanta, according to Frundt. At 15, she was back in Chicago when police arrested her on the street, charged her with prostitution, and sent her to a juvenile detention center in Cook County, Illinois.” Imagine first being sold off by your parents, used for sex, and then later being picked up by the cops for doing something you were forced into.  Juan David Romero stated, “Twenty-two states have attempted to address the problem of trafficked minors by enacting safe harbor laws like the one that just passed D.C. today. Fifteen states provide full legal protections, immunity from prosecution, and rehabilitation services, while seven provide only one of these, according to Polaris, a non-profit anti-trafficking organization. In the other 28 states, minors are prosecuted for prostitution just like adults are.” This shows that some states are trying to fix the issue at hand of victims getting prosecuted for things that they were forced into, and then the other 28 states are treating the minors just like adults in those particular situations. Many of the states are trying to follow through with the safe harbor laws, and other states are just providing full legal protection, immunity, and rehab centers. Prostitution: the act or practice of engaging in promiscuous sexual relations especially for money (merriam webster). It is important to realize that children shouldn’t be getting charged for prostitution when they are being forced into something very similar.

To distinguish sex trafficking from prostitution, everyone needs to learn all aspects behind it, all the necessities that go along with it, and what happens to the exploited victims and the traffickers. To understand this social issue, people need to know what sex trafficking is, the effects of the victim, the cause of the issue, and how it can be prevented.  As Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn said earlier, sex trafficking is associated to women; The Holocaust is associated with jews; Slavery is associated with blacks. (parallelism) That shows that people think of sex trafficking as just women slavery, but don’t really realize that other kind of people are involved with it. If victims or loved ones have further questions on sex trafficking visit survivorsink.com and read some stories, find a local shelter and go in and ask for help. There are also 24 hour help lines people can call, (920) 235-5998 – 24-Hour Helpline.

Works Cited

Cotton, Terrell. “The 3 Dangerous Effects of Pornography Addiction.” Terrellcotton.com, Terrell Cotton Blog, www.terrellcotton.com/the-3-dangerous-effects-of-pornography-addiction/.

Dearnley, Ruth. “Prevention, Prosection and Protection – Human Trafficking | UN Chronicle.” United Nations, United Nations, Feb. 2010, unchronicle.un.org/article/prevention-prosection-and-protection-human-trafficking.

“Facts on Human Trafficking and Sex Slavery | Soroptimist.” Soroptimist – Women’s Organization – Volunteer Organizations, www.soroptimist.org/trafficking/faq.html.

Kelly, Annie. “’I Carried His Name on My Body for Nine Years’: Tattooed Trafficking Survivors Reclaim Their Past.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 15 Nov. 2014, www.theguardian.com/global-development/2014/nov/16/sp-the-tattooed-trafficking-survivors-reclaiming-their-past.

“Prostitution.” Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prostitution.

Romero, Juan David. “Why Do We Treat Child Sex-Trafficking Victims Like Criminals?” New Republic, 4 Dec. 2014, newrepublic.com/article/120418/underage-sex-trafficking-victims-are-treated-criminals-us.

Romo, Rafael. “Human Trafficking Survivor: I Was Raped 43,200 Times.” CNN, Cable News Network, 20 Sept. 2017, www.cnn.com/2015/11/10/americas/freedom-project-mexico-trafficking-survivor/index.html.

Goodson, Jennifer. “Sex Trafficking Threatens the United States.” Prostitution and Sex Trafficking, edited by Louise Gerdes, Greenhaven Press, 2006. Opposing Viewpoints. Opposing Viewpoints in Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010435206/OVIC?u=neen99729&xid=c916f622. Accessed 12 Oct. 2017. Originally published as “Exploiting Body and Soul: Sex Trafficking Is Big Business Around the World—and the Root of That Business Is Closer to Home than You Might Think,” Sojourners, vol. 34, Sept.-Oct. 2005, p. 20.