Sex trafficking is a horrifying crime often portrayed dramatically in movies and television. For example, in the Liam Neeson film Taken, a young girl is dragged screaming from her Paris vacation rental and delivered to a ring of sophisticated criminals, who keep her drugged in dark rooms until she is ready to be sold at an auction for millions of dollars. The reality of the sex trafficking industry is much quieter and more difficult to spot.
Sex trafficking is defined as forcing, coercing, or manipulating someone into providing sex for payment. Anyone can be a victim, but traffickers generally look for those in the most vulnerable situations, such as poverty, homelessness, drug addiction, or abusive homes. Victims are evaluated, groomed, and recruited for their services, then forced to rely on their traffickers for food, shelter, and money. Sex trafficking victims suffer significant impacts such as physical injuries, anxiety, depression, PTSD, substance addiction, and more.
Human trafficking statistics are vastly underreported, as most perpetrators don’t get caught. Experts estimate that 27 million people worldwide are being trafficked; in Louisiana alone, there were more than 1,700 suspected, confirmed and unknown victims in 2023.
Sex trafficking is just one category of human trafficking. Others include forced labor, domestic servitude, forced marriage, and child trafficking.
There are gross misconceptions about sex trafficking that, when repeated, make it harder to help victims. After all, you can’t report suspected trafficking if you don’t know the signs.
Here are five of the biggest myths about human trafficking—and the truths that debunk them.
Myth: Sex trafficking always involves kidnapping and/or physical violence.
Truth: Most traffickers choose manipulation, coercion, and threats over physical dominance to control their victims. They isolate them from and threaten their families, take control of their money and economic independence or even get them addicted to drugs.
Myth: Only women and girls are victims of sex trafficking.
Truth: Boys and men can be trafficked as well, generally for forced labor but also sex work. Male LGBTQ+ individuals are especially vulnerable due to their negative social stigma. In fact, one study found that as many as 50 percent of sex trafficking victims and survivors are male. Male victims are also less likely to be identified and rescued than females.
Myth: Sex traffickers are strangers to their victims.
Truth: One of the most frightening aspects of sex trafficking is that many perpetrators are people the victim knows. Friends, coworkers, spouses, and even parents exploit their victim’s trust to immerse them into an inescapable trafficking situation slowly.
Myth: Sex trafficking involves smuggling across borders and underground or illegal places.
Truth: Many sex trafficking victims stay within their own cities, neighborhoods, or even homes. Trafficking – unlike smuggling – is about exploitation, not transportation. While you may think of sex trafficking as only happening in seedy massage parlors or brothels, it also occurs in restaurants, workplaces, homes, and high-end hotels. Traffickers also use social media, particularly dating apps, to lure in victims.
Myth: Sex trafficking victims are locked away and physically unable to leave.
Truth: While this is sometimes true, most victims can go out in public but have no transportation, money, identification, or safe place to go. They may be afraid to ask for help. Some perpetrators are so skilled at the psychological tactics involved in trafficking that their victims don’t even realize they’re being trafficked.
Knowing the truth about sex trafficking can help you report suspected activity. If you are a victim of sex trafficking or suspect it’s happening, call 911 or contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline, available 24/7.
- Call 1-888-373-7888
- Chat online with an advocate
- Text “BEFREE” or “HELP” to 233733
Filing a Sex Trafficking Lawsuit
Sex trafficking victims endure unimaginable physical, mental, and emotional trauma, much of which will never heal. Moving on with their lives after surviving such a terrible ordeal can seem impossible.
The worst part is that traffickers rarely get caught or prosecuted. They’re very good at covering their tracks, and law enforcement often lacks the training, resources, and strong anti-trafficking laws to hold them accountable. However, victims can file civil sex trafficking lawsuits against businesses, organizations, or individuals who participated in or profited from sex trafficking – whether or not they knew it was happening.
While no amount of financial compensation can justify their suffering, taking legal action can help victims regain a sense of control and possibly result in wider public awareness and stronger anti-trafficking laws.
The Louisiana sex abuse attorneys at Herman, Katz, Gisleson & Cain have the experience and compassion to get your case the best outcome possible. If you or someone you love has been the victim of sex trafficking, we can handle every step of your case confidentially while you focus on moving forward. Whenever you’re ready, contact us for a free consultation online or by calling 1-844-943-7626.
Soren E. Gisleson, is a Partner at Herman, Herman & Katz, L.L.C. and attorney advocate for survivors of clergy sexual abuse.
