The Problem: Information About what research has been conducted and what still needs to be researched

Sex Trafficking Problem Report

Literature Review

Although modern-day sex slavery in the United States is an expanding and horrific issue, it holds little to no prominence in the realm of scholarly research or the media and to some, doesn’t seem to exist at all. We don’t see it, we don’t hear about it, and we don’t talk about it. A campaign for further research should be pushed and harnessed by the gatekeepers of the media as the problem continues to grow. Current research pertaining to modern-day slavery focuses on countries around the world, from Italy to Germany, Russia, Mexico, Albania, Romania, and Ukraine. With the release of the 2010 Trafficking in Persons Report, more information is now available. According o to the U.S. State Department, the report is, “The most comprehensive worldwide report on the efforts of governments to combat severe forms of trafficking in persons.” The hope is that it will spread global awareness and push governments around the world to take action to counter the industry of human trafficking. The annual report also, “…Serves as the primary diplomatic tool through which the U.S. Government encourages partnership and increased determination in the fight against forced labor, sexual exploitation, and modern-day slavery.” Sherry Ricchiardi, author of An Underreported Horror Story, outlines the horrors of the sex-slave industry. She says that, “At the core is a medieval sex-slave trade masterminded by cutthroat crime cartels…Thousands of women, tortured, raped and imprisoned in seedy ‘night bars,’ are the mainstay of the multimillion-dollar industry” (2003). Furthermore, she states that, “In May 2000, an investigation by the U.S. Army concluded that up to five U.S. government workers were involved in “white slavery.” Sources stated that they purchased women from local Mafia to live in their homes for ‘sexual and domestic’ purposes.” All of these operations happen behind closed doors, and are protected by Mafia-like leaders. This reality creates obstacles that the media has not yet been able to overcome.

One leader in the sphere of human rights advocacy, specifically domestic slavery, is Kevin Bales. He is the President of Free The Slaves, an organization aimed at ending slavery worldwide. His website offers mission statements, videos, and an abundance of information on the issue of slavery and what we can do to help. Bales says that, “Free the Slaves believes that spreading the word about slavery is critical to ending slavery and human trafficking. We are committed to helping the media tell the story of slavery” (2010).

Kevin Bales has written numerous books on the subject, and are at the forefront of the campaign to fight against slavery. In his book, The Slave Next Door, Bales and Ron Soodalter offer an extensive amount of knowledge concerning modern day slavery while balancing stories of real-life slaves, taken into bondage by people you would never expect to commit such horrific crimes. In the first chapter we learn that approximately twenty-seven million people are enslaved at this time. The book begins with the story of a woman named Sandra Bearden, currently serving a life-sentence, convicted of several offenses including human trafficking. She uses both ‘violence’ and ‘terror’ against a twelve-year old girl from Mexico, Maria, whom she smuggles across the border into the United States. These stories are real, and give us insight into what actually happens in the homes of modern-day slaveholders (2009). Another one of Kevin Bales books, Ending Slavery, reveals his own struggles with his involvement in the antislavery movement and the ways in which he believes we can help end modern day slavery. He gives opinions and ideas about how the government can create solutions to this horrific epidemic, and also ideas on how citizens of the country can contribute to building a world free of human trafficking and human slavery. The title of the book reveals a kind of “How-To” feeling, “How We Free Today’s Slaves.” This gives the reader a sense of responsibility as well as obligation, as Kevin Bales and others work to expand the knowledge and fight against modern slavery (2007). One of Bales’s goals is for every person to feel like they have a role to play in ending slavery. His website, www.freetheslaves.com, is one of his tools to educate people, and motivate activism. His site gives specific strategies that people can use to combat modern-day slavery and in addition, has the world’s largest free video library on the issue. His goal is to ultimately end slavery, right now, spreading awareness and taking action are his biggest suggestions for success.

In order to gain success in ending slavery, we need research. Along with leaders like Kevin Bales, researchers acknowledge that there are holes in both the research and the campaigns concerning human trafficking and slavery due to the fact that the sex industry isn’t fully recognized in the government or the media, however, it is a powerful industry that exists around the world (Pyle, 2000). One writer for the International Journal of Politics, Culture, and Society, Jean L. Pyle, studied the causal factors of the increasing number of women and children working in, “…sectors characterized by considerable risk and lack of security—sex work, domestic service, and export processing networks” (2000). In her studies, she focuses mainly on the global economy, and it’s effect on these growing numbers over the past three decades. She presents the case that economic globalization has, “…involved a shift toward more market-oriented economies throughout the world…” (2000). These new markets include the sex-trade, and as it continues to expand and become more systematic, more women and children face this tragic reality. This idea is further supported by Vanessa E. Munro in her article, Of Rights and Rhetoric: Discourses of Degradation and Exploitation in the Context of Sex Trafficking, in her statement that, “Processes of globalization and the proliferation of socio-economic displacements across eastern Europe and the developing nations have promoted patters of widespread migration to the West.” This argument of globalization is spreading as the development of globalization theory is beginning to penetrate the realm of human rights.

Theoretical and Empirical Rationale

Human sex trafficking in the United States is a huge human rights issue that has become apart of our everyday lives and is something that needs to be addressed immediately. Throughout the United States, people every day are getting trapped into the sex trade industry. Many people don’t even know that sex trafficking is happening in today’s day and age or that it is even occurring in their own backyards. The reason this human rights issue needs to be addressed is because this issue stays so hidden from the media. News articles and television shows don’t choose to inform the public that these events are even occurring.

Looking at Sex, Maids, and Export Processing: Risks and Reasons for Gendered Global Production Networks, we know that,

“Increasing numbers of women have become sex workers, maids, or employees in export production networks-all largely female sectors-to earn incomes in the restructured global economy. Many must migrate domestically and internationally. Women encounter many risks and much insecurity in these sectors: low wages, no benefits, long hours, harassment, health hazards, and lack of rights or legal recourse. By examining work in these three sectors simultaneously, we find that, as a result of globalization, economic restructuring, and crises, 1) women have increasingly been forced into such income-earning activities and 2) many governments have been pushed into strategies that foster these occupations” (Pyle pg. 55).

There are many different reasons that sex trafficking is happening to women and children and this human rights issue needs to be addressed more so that we can get to the bottom of why this issue is really occurring.

As written in the scholarly article, An Underreported Horror Story, we can see that, “Some women tell of being hawked at auctions outside of Belgrade, ordered to dance naked for prospective buyers who pay thousands of Euros for lithe, full-bosomed blondes. Most are lured from dirt-poor countries like Moldova, Ukraine and Romania by the promise of jobs as waitresses, au pairs or dancers. The human slave trade operating here has been compared to African slave auctions in 18^th-century Europe” (Ricchiardi pg. 29). This problem isn’t just something from the past but is occurring in large numbers today.

There are no scholarly articles or information on sex trafficking which, is another red flag for why this issue needs to be addressed even more. If we could get more information on how sex trafficking is occurring and why it continues to happen, then we will be able to get to the bottom of this problem and hopefully find a solution for the future. The main issues that need to be addressed is figuring out how these women and children are being brought to the Unites States, figuring out who is involved in sex trafficking, and knowing the sex trafficking clients so that we will have a better understanding of why they have these bad habits.

The women and children working in the sex industry get trapped into working and doing things that they don’t want to do. By seeing all of the problems that they face each day, people will feel compelled to help solve this problem. “Sex workers encounter many types of problems. They are exposed to a variety of serious risks, have very little security, and often have few rights. Abuses are rampant in this industry [and the liberalization of the world economy has simply provided increased opportunities for exploitation]. Working conditions vary widely according to the form of the industry and whether sex workers are voluntary or involuntary (Lim, 1998). Abuse takes many forms: economic (i.e., exploitation in terms of wages and benefits), psychological, and physical (Human Rights, 1993; Lim, 1998). Most workers have little control over the terms under which they work (or the workplaces in which they provide their services)” (Pyle pg. 58). By looking at these types of work places and more of the details that these women and children face, we will be able to better figure out why this is continuing.

This issue will continue in larger amounts if nothing is done to solve the problem. The best thing we can do right now is give knowledge to the public so that this issue becomes known. That way everyone can look out for sex trafficking and will understand that this issue is so relevant in today’s society. Sex trafficking is occurring today and we all need to come together to stop it for the future.

References

Bales, K. (2007). Ending Slavery. California: University of California Press.

Bales, K. & Soodalter, R. (2009) The Slave Next Door. California: University of

California Press,

Feingold, D.A. (2005). Human Trafficking. Foreign Poloicy, 32. 26-30.

Ricchiardi, Sherry. (2003). An Underreported Horror Story. American Journalism Review, 25 (6), 29.

Munro, V.E. (2008). Of Rights and Rhetoric: Discourses of Degradation and Exploitation in the Context of Sex Trafficking. Journal of Law and Society, 35 (2), 240-269.

Pyle, J.L. (2000). Sex, Maids, and Export Processing: Risks and Reasons for Gendered Global Production Networks. International Journal of Politics, Culture, and Society, 15, 55-76.