Sex Trafficking Into The United States: A Literature Review (Criminal Justice Review)

(This article is an excellent primer and introduction to the issue of the domestic sex trade)

Edward J. Schauer and

1. Elizabeth M. Wheaton

1. ¹Prairie View A&M University
2. ²Temple University

Abstract

This study is an investigation of the literature relating to the trafficking of women and children into the United States for sexual exploitation. The intent is to discover the extent and complexity of the problem, the cost in both human and economic terms, and research directions toward the development of probable political, legal, economic, and social solutions. A subject rife with research possibilities and probable solutions, trafficking is poorly defined, differentially and intermittently quantified, and handicapped by obsolete legal codes and a sexist prostitution enforcement paradigm. Recommended are state statute creation, police training and paradigm change, and increased/broadened victims’ services.

• sex trafficking
 
• economics
 
• sex work
 
• feminism
 
• United States

• To purchase full article, go to:

• http://cjr.sagepub.com/content/31/2/146.abstract

Girl, woman, lover, mother: towards a new understanding of child prostitution among young Devadasis in rural Karnataka, India (Social Science & Medicine)

Summary/Commentary of article: While I cannot say that I agree with the author's assertions, they certainly place the sexual exploitation of children into a completely new framework that is interesting to consider. The author argues that in some parts of India, prostitution can give girls from certain castes more social weight and provide them with a vocation and identity they would not otherwise have been able to achieve. I parallel this to the contemporary argument for legalization of adult prostitution in westernized countries. Through my research, I have come to believe that, while it can be done in a way where no adults are marginalized, it has been proven time after time that child prostitutes are easier to find in places that have legal adult prostitution. The black market thrives where laws are lenient (http://www.notforsalecampaign.org/about/slavery/). 

Girl, woman, lover, mother: towards a new understanding of child prostitution among young Devadasis in rural Karnataka, India (Social Science & Medicine)


Treena Rae Orchard

Abstract:

The emotive issue of child prostitution is at the heart of international debates over ‘trafficking’ in women and girls, the “new slave trade”, and how these phenomena are linked with globalization, sex tourism, and expanding transnational economies. However, young sex workers, particularly those in the ‘third world’, are often represented through tropes of victimization, poverty, and “backwards” cultural traditions, constructions that rarely capture the complexity of the girls’ experiences and the role that prostitution plays in their lives. Based on ethnographic fieldwork with girls and young women who are part of the Devadasi (servant/slave of the God) system of sex work in India, this paper introduces an alternative example of child prostitution. Demonstrating the ways in which this practice is socially, economically, and culturally embedded in certain regions of rural south India underlies this new perspective. I argue that this embeddedness works to create, inform, and give meaning to these girls as they grow up in this particular context, not to isolate and produce totally different experiences of family, gender identity, and moral character as popular accounts of child prostitution contend. Data pertaining to socialization, ‘positive’ aspects of being a young sex worker in this context, political economy, HIV/AIDS, and changes in the Devadasi tradition are used to support my position. Taken together, this alternative example presents a more complex understanding of the micro- and macro-forces that impact child prostitution as well as the many factors that affect the girls’ ideas of what they do and who they are as people, not just sex workers.

Keywords: Child prostitution; Sex work; Devadasis; India; Social construction of adolescence; Gender; HIV/AIDS

To purchase full article, go to:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6VBF-4NF2HPJ-2&_user=10&_coverDate=06%2F30%2F2007&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=gateway&_origin=gateway&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=1666525231&_rerunOrigin=google&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=733fcbf22d756a1fae32dad7aa11b41c&searchtype=a

PBS Program Entitled "Fighting Child Prostitution"

Child prostitution is on the rise not just in other countries around the world, but right here in America. The Department of Justice says, on any given day, tens of thousands of children across America are involved in prostitution. But what's being done to stop it?

This week NOW on PBS visits Atlanta, Georgia to see how one American city is handling the tragic phenomenon of child prostitution. It is one of 27 American cities where the problem seems to be spinning out of control.

"It's one of those issues that doesn't get discussed and therefore there's an assumption that perhaps either it doesn't exist at all or the young women and girls who are prostitutes are there by their own free will," Atlanta's Mayor Shirley Franklin tells NOW.

About two years ago Mayor Franklin launched an aggressive campaign in her city—where the adult entertainment industry is booming—to crackdown on pay-for-sex customers, or "Johns."

She's also launched an ad campaign to raise awareness of the problem of child prostitution and ordered her police department to develop better ways to protect children caught up in the trade.

"[The child prostitutes are] ten or 11 years old, and the age is getting lower. We're not talking about 17 and 18 and 19 year olds, although we could," Franklin says.

One would think fighting child prostitution is a cause everyone could get behind. But the battle against this epidemic in Atlanta has been difficult, and the more NOW on PBS dug into the story, the more challenges we discovered.

This show was originally broadcast on May 30, 2008.

A Vocabulary Lesson

A program on KUOW's Weekday back in January discussed the ways in which modern vernacular has neutralized terms such as pimp and john. They made suggestions for substitutions so that it is clear that these are not glamorous or desirable things to be. Not only did it make me want to share this new, more appropriate vocabulary, I thought it a good opportunity to clarify other terms as well.

Pimp = Exploiter

John = Predator

Child Prostitute = Victim (children have not reached the age of consent, therefore cannot sell their bodies)

Commercial Sex Act = any sexual act for which something of value is given or received; this includes, but is not limited to, prostitution, stripping, survival sex (sex in exchange for a play to stay, food, etc.), and pornography

Human Trafficking = This term often refers specifically to individuals being coerced, kidnapped, or mislead into crossing state, national, and international borders (where they are difficult to track). But this term is a blanket term for any time an individual is bought and sold as property

The Problem with Prosecution

In the United States of America The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, enhances pre-existing criminal penalties in other related laws, affords new protections to trafficking victims and makes available certain benefits and services to victims of severe forms of trafficking. Under this law, one option that has become available to for some victims who assist in the prosecution of their traffickers is the "T-Visa" that allows the victim to remain in the United States of America.

Due to the highly clandestine nature of the crime of human trafficking, the great majority of human trafficking cases go unreported and culprits remain at large. There are reports that many human traffickers are associated with international criminal organizations and are, therefore, highly mobile and difficult to prosecute. Sometimes members of the local law enforcement agencies are involved in the lucrative business of illegal exportation or importation of human beings. Prosecution is further complicated by victims of trafficking being afraid to testify against traffickers out of fear for their and their family members' lives.

In order to combat the globalization of this criminal behavior, international policies and practices that encourage civil participation and cooperation with trafficking victims in the prosecution of traffickers have to be developed. Human trafficking laws must provide serious penalties against traffickers, including provisions for the confiscation of property and compensation for victims. At the same time, training is needed to ensure that an insensitive investigation and prosecution process does not further traumatize trafficking victims.

Technical cooperation among countries and international law enforcement agencies is essential for investigating the extent and forms of trafficking and documenting activities of international criminal organizations. Special training is needed to develop the skills of local law enforcement agencies in the area of investigation and prosecution.

Source, transit, and destination countries should provide support mechanisms for trafficking victims involved in judicial activities. These would include extended witness protection services and opportunities to institute criminal and civil proceedings against traffickers. Destination countries should have a system of social support for victims and consider residency permission on humanitarian grounds for trafficking victims who cannot return home and/or cooperate with prosecutors.

It is also important that the police, prosecutors, and courts ensure that their efforts to punish traffickers are implemented within a system that is quick and respects and safeguards the rights of the victims to privacy, dignity, and safety.

(Courtesy of: Advocates for Abandoned Adolescents (http://advocatesforabandonedadolescents.com) Human Trafficking Organization (http.//www.humantrafficking.org), United States Victims Protection Act (www.state.gov/documents/organization/10492.pdf))

Underage Prostitution and the Sexual Exploitation of Young Girls in Seattle: A Presentation at SU Law School

This week, February 21-25, is Diversity Week at Seattle University's Law School.

I attended a lecture this afternoon entitled "Underage Prostitution and the Sexual Exploitation of Young Girls in Seattle." I was lucky enough to experience Leslie Briner from YouthCare as the speaker (I was very impressed with her at the Town Hall meeting on child sex trafficking last month). It was to address the following: The Women’s Law Caucus and SYLAW-SU present a discussion about a largely impoverished and marginalized population and the legal responses or approaches that can be taken.

Leslie Briner shared the same video that was shown at the Town Hall meeting, called "The Making of a Girl." She believes it to be a story representative of many girls who become involved in the sex trade. The video is posted below, as well as the fact sheet provided by YouthCare.

Prostitution and Trafficking Fact Sheet

·         The average age for a youth entering prostitution in the United States in 12-13 years old

·         90% of youth who have been commercially sexually exploited (CSE) have some history of abuse, neglect, or sexual trauma

·         The issue of commercial sexual exploitation is estimated to effect 150,000 to 350,000 youth annually in the United States and up to a million worldwide (however, it should be noted that no empirical measure has been devised that can validate that statistic with accuracy)

·         A 2007 King County needs assessment identified 238 youth being commercially sexually exploited. From that study a prevalence number was determined that 300-500 youth are commercially sexually exploited in Seattle/King County each year

·         Youth are recruited from: transit areas such as bus stops and train stations, any place homeless youth congregate, group homes, shelters, youth drop-in centers, middle and high schools, malls and shopping centers, places that employ teens and, with increasing frequency, youth are recruited through the internet.

·         It is believed that 1/3 of chronic runaway/homeless youth will have some brush with survival sex or prostitution. In urban centers runaway/homeless youth who have just arrived are approached by pimps and exploiters, often within 48 hours

·         In the United States there are less than 75 dedicated beds serving CSE youth (including the new YouthCare programs). Those cities with specialized services are: Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, San Francisco, Boston, and Seattle.

·         Youth who are clearly under the age of consent (to have sex with an adult) are arrested for prostitution every day. In effect, criminalizing the youth for their own abuse and exploitation. This is referred to as the offender/victim status

·         The programs at YouthCare, in Seattle, will be the first of its kind to also serve boys and trans-gendered youth. All other existing programs are (female) gender specific

This article is a fantastic introduction to child sexual exploitation in the U.S.

It Can't Happen in My Backyard: The Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Girls in the United States 

Author: April Rand

Abstract This article describes the issue of commercial sexual exploitation in the United States and details the risk factors associated with young girls entering the life. The consequences of commercial sexual exploitation are detailed and the barriers to effectively combat this growing phenomenon are investigated. Service providers who work with this population are highlighted, promising practices are discussed, current research is critiqued, and recommendations for developing a comprehensive response to the issue of commercial sexual exploitation are outlined.

Keywords: commercial sexual exploitation; domestic minor sex trafficking; human trafficking; sex trafficking To purchase the full article, go to: http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~content=a929885032~db=all~jumptype=rss

NPR Series on Sex Trafficking

Seattle’s local NPR station, KUOW, has been focusing on sex trafficking and child prostitution in the area over the past few years. This is in response to the revelation that Seattle is part of a major trafficking ring and is a hub for sex trafficking. I think the programs produced by Weekday are particularly valuable. Below are descriptions and links to some of the many programs on this topic.

• Sex Trafficking: Inside and Outside the Life of Pimps (Weekday, 2/17/11) "Weekday's" series on sex trafficking in the Puget Sound region continues today with a look at the pimps. Who are they? What is their background? What conditions exist that encourage young people to start pimping other young people? What can be done to stop new pimps from coming up? Once you are a pimp, can you change your life? How? Today, we hear the firsthand stories of two former pimps, and talk to the people who encounter them on the streets. http://www.kuow.org/program.php?id=22642
• Sex Trafficking Children: What Happens On and Off the Streets (Weekday, 1/19/11)The sex trafficking of young girls continues to be a prolific local and national problem. Every night underage girls walk Seattle streets without much hope of freedom or even a good meal. What can be done? In Seattle, a new transitional housing program recently opened, providing shelter and support to underage children involved in prostitution. Is the project succeeding? What does it take to rehabilitate these young women? http://www.kuow.org/program.php?id=22372
• Health Layoffs, PAC Crackdown, Teen Prostitution, and Environmental Priorities (The Conversation, 1/14/11) Many consider Portland, Oregon, one of the nation's hubs for child sex trafficking. But Carol Smith from InvestigateWest reports child prostitution appears to be on the rise in Seattle as well. She joins us.http://www.kuow.org/program.php?id=22362
• Being an Underage Prostitute (Weekday, 8/4/10)Have you heard of a "choosey Suzie" or a "wife in law?" Do you know what being "in pocket" is? Thousands of underage kids trapped in prostitution know all too well. What is the day–to–day reality for an underage prostitute? How do they get forced into "the life?" How can they successfully leave the industry? Today, stories of underage sex trafficking from girls who've been there. We'll also learn what intervention helps.http://www.kuow.org/program.php?id=20961
• Can Prostitution Of Underage Kids In Puget Sound Be Stopped? (Weekday, 2/8/10) Seattle will launch a two–year pilot program this spring that will provide housing and support to underage children involved in prostitution. Meanwhile, tougher laws are going after pimp rings. There are hundreds of underage kids involved in the sex trade in Seattle. Can it be stopped? How, and at what expense? Can the public's perception of prostitutes change the fight?http://www.kuow.org/program.php?id=19362
• Alleged Pimp Found Guilty in First State Human Trafficking Charge (KUOW News, 11/25/09) A dramatic and historic trial came to an end at the King County courthouse yesterday. KUOW's Sara Lerner has the story. And just a warning, the details of this case may be disturbing to some listeners. This is a transcript of the verdict in the trial. http://www.kuow.org/program.php?id=18878
• Siddharth Kara on Sex Trafficking (Weekday, 1/29/09) Sex trafficking is an epidemic. Millions of women and children are forced or sold into prostitution each year where they live a life of hopelessness and brutality. What can be done? If trafficking remains profitable, how can it be stopped? Former investment banker Siddharth Kara has a proposal. Today he presents a business analysis of the industry and suggests sectors that could affected by outside interventions.http://www.kuow.org/program.php?id=16812
• Child Prostitution in Seattle (KUOW News, 8/6/08) A recent report addresses the reality of child prostitution in Seattle. The study says the average age of entry into prostitution is 14. It estimates upwards of 500 Seattle children are victims of sexual trafficking. KUOW's John O'Brien has more.http://www.kuow.org/program.php?id=15522
• Child Prostitution in Seattle, National Night Out and Self Defense (KUOW Presents, 8/5/08)1. Teenage prostitution in Seattle: A look at the problem of child prostitution in Seattle, how kids get there, and what can be done about it. 2. National Night Out: A discussion of what makes a good neighborhood and what makes a bad neighborhood, on the occasion of tonight's National Night Out, where streets around the country are closed off for a chance for neighbors to meet one another. 3. Defending Oneself: A Seattle–based novelist tells of the personal experiences that led her to adopt the philosophy of self–defense, both for herself and for her fictional characters. http://www.kuow.org/program.php?id=15511
• Child Prostitution in Seattle (Weekday, 8/5/08)A report assessing child prostitution in Seattle will be presented to the City Council's Public Safety, Human Services and Education committee later today. The report found that approximately 300–500 kids under 18 are currently involved in prostitution. And that is a conservative estimate. They are also starting younger; at 12–13 years old. The hotbed of activity is Aurora Avenue, where many prostitutes are barely 18 years old. How do kids fall into prostitution? What can be done about it? http://www.kuow.org/program.php?id=15499

Local News | Seattle-area leads nation in child prostitution | Seattle Times Newspaper

(the bust heard around the world - and the beginning of the end for child prostitution in Seattle)


Seattle-area leads nation in child prostitution

Originally published Monday, November 8, 2010 at 10:59 AM

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Two dozen of the 69 child prostitutes recovered in a national crackdown on sexual exploitation were in the Seattle area.

The Associated Press

SEATTLE —

Two dozen of the 69 child prostitutes recovered in a national crackdown on sexual exploitation were in the Seattle area.

An FBI spokesman in Seattle, Steven Dean, told KOMO News this is the third year in a row the area has led the nation. He says it's a bad thing the problem is serious but good that police in the Seattle area are addressing it.

Nine of the 99 suspected pimps arrested in the three-day enforcement called Operation Cross Country were caught in King, Pierce or Snohomish counties.

The FBI is working with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to identify the children. All have been placed into protective custody or returned to their families.

Local News | Seattle-area leads nation in child prostitution | Seattle Times Newspaper

Seattle Worst City in U.S. for Child Prostitution. Again.

Crime & Punishment

Seattle Ranked Worst City in U.S. for Child Prostitution for Third Year in a Row

By Curtis Cartier, Mon., Nov. 8 2010 @ 3:14PM

Categories: Crime & Punishment

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​It's one thing to be known for things like incessant rain, suicide and atheism. It's quite another to be known as the No. 1 city in the country for child prostitution. Regardless, that's what the FBI is calling the Seattle area yet again after a nationwide child prostitution crime sweep that netted 885 arrests and freed 69 kids between 12 and 17-years-old--23 of them from the Seattle, Everett and Tacoma areas.

Dubbed "Operation Cross Country V," the effort involved 34 FBI agencies in 40 different cities. It was aided by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Innocence Lost National Initiative.

The sweep hit child prostitution hotspots like truck stops, street "tracks" and casinos.

Of the 885 arrests, 99 were suspected pimps. And of those alleged pimps, nine were from the Seattle area.

The effort comes less than two weeks after Sterling Terrance Hospedales, a former sergeant with the 4th Stryker Brigade at the Ft. Lewis Army Base, was sentenced to 11 years in prison for pimping two young runaway girls.

Steven Dean, an agent with the Seattle FBI office, says that even before the latest sweep, authorities had taken 50 child prostitutes off the streets in King County alone. It's the third year in row that he says Seattle has been at the top of the list of worst cities for child prostitution.

In an interview with KING 5 News, he described how some children are abducted and forced into sexual slavery.

"They would see a young lady at the mall, maybe see her a couple of times, talks to her, gets her phone number, maybe finds out where she goes to school, says she's very pretty, maybe interested in modeling. Next thing you know he's picked her up and hits her on the head. Next thing she knows she's in Portland. A couple of days later, she's on the 'track.'"

As for why western Washington is such a magnet for child pimps and their prostitutes, Dean could only guess.

"Maybe because it's this West Coast circuit that these pimps take our young kids from Seattle to Portland to Vegas to California."

http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/dailyweekly/2010/11/seattle_ranked_worst_city_in_u.php

Tags:

child endangerment, child prostitution, FBI