The $9.5 billion a year sex trafficking industry has overtaken the illegal drug industry as the second most lucrative in terms of profit (the first is gun-running) – you may have seen a depiction of this trade in the 2008 hits, Taken and Slumdog Millionaire. Pledge For Moms is looking at two sides of a growing issue in today’s post.



An op-ed contributor for the New York Times, Nick Gillespie, wrote in May that legalization of the “world’s oldest profession” is a good way for the current administration to be able to afford its ambitious plans (in addition to legalizing marijuana and wide-spread gambling). He argues that Las Vegas alone can bring in as much as $200 million annually if prostitution were taxed; he further states that legalization of prostitution would effectively eliminate black markets that “generate huge amounts of what economists call ‘deadweight losses,’ or activity that doesn’t contribute to increased productivity.”



According to Benjamin & Masters (1964) research, 80% of interviewed men have engaged with a prostitute, which would mean sizable tax revenues for the government if similar statistics were true today. Further, Statistics by the U.S. Department of Justice show that between January 1, 2007 and September 30, 2008, there were over 1,200 alleged incidents of human trafficking in the United States, and 83% of those cases were sex trafficking incidents. Of the 1,018 alleged sex trafficking incidents reported, 391 involved allegations of child sex trafficking and the other 627 incidents involved allegations of forced prostitution or other sex trafficking crimes. In a San Antonio case this June, a 16-year old girl told law enforcement officers:

“He kidnapped me from the only place I knew, from my family and hometown – he used me for his own satisfaction, knowing my age. I was 15 years old and he was 36.” – Angela

Could it be that legalizing prostitution would end trafficking of not only women, but also children? It seems almost un-American to disagree with Mr. Gillespie.

On the other side of the debate stands Norma Ramos, the executive director of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women, who replied to the piece by Mr. Gillespie:

“It is the world’s oldest oppression that stems from the world’s oldest inequality — that of women. By all accounts, the countries that have legalized prostitution have become magnets for human trafficking and other crimes.”

Opponents of legalizing and taxing prostitution say the social cost of the profession is too high. Not only do women (and men) involved in the business suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, but many do not enter it voluntarily (nor are they allowed to leave).



What’s worse is that prostitution perpetuates objectification of women, and enslavement of children. Sadly, the economic downturn is forcing more and more children across the globe into prostitution, while depriving charities of the funding they need to help. According to the United Nations, 1.2 million children are trafficked annually – others put this figure as high as four million. In Cambodia, where a Swiss NGO First Hand is finding more and more families turning to prostitution to make ends meet, with young victims sold for as little as $10. Contrary to popular belief, the main clients are nationals: many Cambodians are said to consider it acceptable and many believe HIV can be prevented or cured through sex with a virgin.

“The sex trade is rife in Poi Pet. The situation for children is horrendous – I heard last week of a four-year-old girl rescued from a brothel there.” – Mrs. Bevan, First Hand Founder

My personal feelings on the issue, especially after reading Melissa Farley’s Renting An Organ for Ten Minutes, are that prostitution is wrong and unnatural – it broke my heart to see how prostitution effected its victims. I urge my readers to read Ms. Farley’s report on prostitution from the the perspectives of both customers and ‘tricks’…



Read More Articles on Sex Trafficking:
Indonesia – Easy Pray for Traffickers
Spain – Taking Down a Sex Trafficking Ring
Britain – Busting Sex Traffickers
Philippines – Child Pornography and Sex Trafficking in Asia



Resources
National Human Trafficking Resource Center – 1.888.3737.888
Sex Trafficking Fact Sheet
Renting An Organ for Ten Minutes – Melissa Farley

Help Today:

Polaris Project – Polaris Project’s comprehensive approach to combating human trafficking includes  conducting direct outreach and victim identification, providing social services and transitional housing to victims, operating the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) serving as the central national hotline on human trafficking, advocating for stronger state and Federal anti-trafficking legislation, and engaging community members in local and national grassroots efforts. Help the Polaris Project through their Action Center!



Captive Daughters – Captive Daughters is the first anti-trafficking group established in California. We focus solely on ending the sexual bondage of women and children. The organization was inspired by the founding director’s stay in Nepal, where she learned firsthand about sex trafficking. Help Captive Daughters by Taking Action!



Protection Project – the Protection Project is a human rights research institute based at the Foreign Policy Institute at The Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, DC. Founded by Laura Lederer in 1994 to address the issue of trafficking in persons as a human rights violation, The Protection Project focuses on the promotion of human rights values throughout the world.  Of particular importance to The Protection Project is the protection of human security, especially women’s and children’s rights. Help the Protection Project by Getting Involved!



CATW International – the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW) is creating real and lasting changes in countries around the world by launching and supporting anti-trafficking projects in areas that few programs address: the links between prostitution and trafficking; challenging the demand for prostitution that promotes sex trafficking; and protecting the women and children who are its victims by working to curb legal acceptance and tolerance of the sex industry. Help CATW with your generous Donation!