Sex Trafficking Victims

Student

Academic Institution

Paper on Sex Trafficking Victims

05 April 2016

Sex Trafficking, the identification of its victims, and effects of trafficking on victims

        It can be said of our society that we have come a long way in style and sophistication, and even further in the world of technology.  In this mist of this great technical generation there is the unspoken stain on the soul of America and the world, and it is sex trafficking. In all of our sophistication and advancement we still deal with the heinous crime of sex trafficking. It afflicts people of all races, economical background, and gender. 

        It is a commodity for which there is unfortunately a high demand. The definition of commodity is a service or good used in commerce. Sex trafficking encompasses a good which is the victim providing a service which is that of sex acts in commerce through trafficking.  In an article by Walker-Rodriguez et al., it is noted that sex trafficking is the “third-largest criminal enterprise in the world” (1), a strong indication of how high the demand is for such commodity. 

Who is at risk?

        It is a fact that sex trafficking can make a victim out of anyone, but there is one group of individuals that has been identified as more vulnerable than all the rest and that is our precious children, between the ages of 12 to 14, usually run-aways (Development Services Group, 3).  Our youth are one of the most vulnerable populations in society. Their vulnerability and youth make them prime targets. Coupled with being a run-away, our youth don’t stand a chance. 

        While runaways are the most preyed upon group the article by Development Services Group shows that trend towards a preference for younger kids for the purpose of avoiding the contraction of AIDS (3). 

        These runaway children are often seeking to escape destitute situations such as neglect, abuse, and dysfunction (Walker-Rodriguez et al., 2).  As such, these youths are unprotected on the streets and highly susceptible to exploitation. Children need to be cared for and protected; pimps recognize this and capitalize on this need in a treacherous way. Children on the street are forced to figure out how to survive which means they need to eat, sleep, and be clothed at the bare minimum. Modern day Pimps are waiting and ready to meet those needs in the most deranged manner. 

        In addition to these teenagers and young children who run away from home the youngest of our children are also increasingly victimized often from within the home. One of the main reasons children are so easily exploited is that they rarely tell what’s happening to them when there is someone they can tell. Sometimes these very victims are unaware that they are being exploited. Children are not always versed on the topic of sex. They don’t understand what is happening to them or that it is wrong.