How to Stop Sex Trafficking

Sex trafficking is a broad term that encompasses a wide range of dehumanizing activities. By definition, sex trafficking involves the forced transportation and subsequent exploitation of human beings, especially women. Sex trafficking is a subset of a more general problem known as human trafficking, which can involve any type of slavery-like forced labor scenarios often but not necessarily involved in sex (The Project to End Human Trafficking). As the organization Soroptimist puts it, "all forms of modern day slavery share some common characteristics: slaves are forced to work; are owned or controlled by another person; are dehumanized and treated as commodities; and are physically or psychologically constrained and unable to escape." Commonly referred as a form of "modern slavery" by media outlets like CNN, sex trafficking has reached epic proportions in a global underground marketplace (Kara). Although the methods of sex trafficking differ per operation, there are patterns that have evolved worldwide that make it possible to define the problem in a consistent manner. In the 21st century, sex trafficking is a highly sophisticated enterprise that is unfortunately linked to other black market activities plaguing the planet. Sex trafficking is a global problem requiring a set of diverse and comprehensive solutions including legislation, NGOs, grassroots campaigns, and especially public awareness and public relations.

Legislation is a necessary component of any plan to stop sex trafficking. As Soderlund notes, "combating the traffic in women has become a common denominator political issue, uniting people across the political and religious spectrum against a seemingly indisputable act of oppression and exploitation," (64). However, legislation has serious drawbacks. One drawback is that legislation must be careful to avoid gender bias and misogyny, which are ironic side-effects of anti-sex trafficking legislation that confuses legitimate sex industry personnel with coerced parties (Soderlund). Weizer points out that governments must be careful to avoid moralizing about sex and women's roles in the sex industry. It is important to realize that not all sex trades are exploitative in nature, and to target sex trafficking and not legitimate forms of sex trade. More importantly, legislation is a limited approach because sex trafficking is a global problem. With few exceptions, legislation usually only has a local jurisdiction. A law that applies in the United States cannot be enforced in Russia, for example. It is therefore important that legislation be supplemented by other methods of stopping sex trafficking around the world.

One method of combatting the problem of sex trafficking is to rely on organizations that are beyond governments including grassroots groups, non-governmental and trans-governmental organizations. These political action groups target the root causes of the problem in specific regions around the world. These large organizations work independently and globally to promote awareness and intervene, when possible. Some of the organizations currently engaged in ceasing the sex trafficking industry include the Project to End Human Trafficking, which is a global non-profit group that focuses not just on sex trafficking but on all human trafficking. Soroptomist is a non-profit organization that is more clearly focused on sex trafficking in particular. These organizations raise money and funds to end human trafficking, in part by targeting the root cause, which is gender inequity. As Sorpotomist's website points out, "Sex slavery is caused by gender inequality that allows the demand for sex slaves to flourish -- the belief that there is no harm to purchasing the bodies of women and girls."

In many cases, the organizations dedicated to stopping sex trafficking work with the corporate or private sector in order to better raise funds and awareness. The Not for Sale Campaign is one example of how the corporate world is making a difference by helping companies brand their products or promote their products by raising awareness about the harms associated with sex trafficking. Companies like the Body Shop have had public awareness campaigns, which are promoted in stores and on the company websites. The large news organization CNN, which is a Time-Warner company, has a large-scale public awareness campaign to end human slavery in general and sex slavery in particular. A recent CNN article lauds a Nepali woman for her heroic efforts to stop sex trafficking in Nepal and the Indian subcontinent ("CNN Hero Working Harder than Ever to Stop Sex Trafficking"). Celebrities like Demi Moore are helping the media organizations and the corporate world to extend their reach, increasing funding available and helping to raise awareness around the world.

The best way to eliminate sex trafficking is to examine the underlying cause of the practice: gender inequality. Gender inequality is a primary reason for sex trafficking around the world. According to the United Nations Population Fund, the subordinate position of women in most cultures fuels the sex trafficking business. Women are "still considered property" in some places and are often "sold" into marriages (United Nations Population Fund). In countries with rampant poverty, female children may likewise be considered commodities that can help a struggling family to survive. Selling a female child to a sex trafficker could be viewed as a viable means to acquire needed financial resources. In fact, sex traffickers consciously "target poor communities, and may show up during a drought or before the harvest, when food is scarce, to persuade poor families to sell their daughters for small amounts of money," (United Nationsl Population Fund). Therefore, eliminating sex trafficking requires a global and broad perspective that takes into account gender and economic issues. It is not enough to have laws banning the sex trade, because such laws are only effective in local jurisdictions. If anti-sex trafficking organizations and campaigns are to be successful, the root causes of the problem must be addressed. Sex trafficking will continue as long as women are viewed as second-class citizens. Unfortunately, the status of women in societies around the world seems unlikely to change any time soon. Women in the most socially progressive and egalitarian nations of the world such as Canada, Denmark, and Norway have only had voting rights for a hundred years. It could take another hundred years before females are treated on par with men in traditional societies and developing nations. Ironically, the consumers of the sex trade are as likely to reside in the United States as in Thailand. The problem involves a radical shift in worldview.