IMPACTS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING
Statistics
The true prevalence of human trafficking in the United States is unknown because of the concealed nature of the crime. The unofficial estimate is hundreds of thousands when cases among adults, minors, sex, and labor trafficking are combined.
It is believed that more women and children are victims of sex trafficking and domestic servitude and that more boys and men are trafficked for other forms of labor, but it is not possible to present dependable statistics. Some researchers use reports of missing children to estimate statistics of trafficked children.
REPORTED CASES
Nationally, in fiscal year 2021, there was a 49% increase in the number of persons who were referred to U.S. attorneys for human trafficking. The number of referrals increased from 1,360 in 2011 to 2,027 in 2021, and the number of prosecutions more than doubled, rising from 729 to 1,672 over the same time period.
The National Human Trafficking Hotline gathers data from calls made to their hotline. Recent statistics for the state of Texas are described in the tables below.
| Type | Number |
|---|---|
| (NHTH, 2023b) | |
| Sex | 661 |
| Labor | 131 |
| Sex and labor | 51 |
| Not specified | 74 |
| Total cases | 917 |
| Gender | Number |
|---|---|
| (NHTH, 2023b) | |
| Female | 758 |
| Male | 137 |
| Gender minorities | 11 |
| Age | Number |
|---|---|
| (NHTH, 2023b) | |
| Adult | 616 |
| Minor | 240 |
BUYERS OF COMMERCIAL SEX
Buyers of commercial sex are what drive the crime of human sex trafficking, because if there were no demand from buyers, there would be no financial benefit for sex traffickers. Researchers have found that 21% of men in the United States reported paying for sex during their lifetimes, and 6% reported paying for sex over the past year.
Although buyers may belong to any socioeconomic group, men who buy sex frequently are more likely to have an annual income of $100,000 or more. Among men who had not bought sex for at least 6 years, 34.5% reported having first paid for sex while serving in the military. The group of active, high-frequency buyers reported that their first transaction was set up by someone that they knew, and 20% were minors at the time (Raphael & Feifer, 2020).
In 2021, Texas became the first state to pass a law to charge buyers of commercial sex as a felony crime. Lawmakers believe that HB 1540 will discourage buyers and, without the demand for commercial sex, will deter traffickers from exploiting vulnerable victims (Texas Legislature, 2021).
MINORS
It is difficult to quantify the number of minors who fall victim to human trafficking, and many youth who are victims of sex trafficking have been misidentified as criminals rather than victims, possibly contributing to inaccurately low statistical data. There is evidence that minors (defined as under 18 years of age) are frequently recruited when they have run away from home. In 2021, it is likely that an estimated 1 in 6 of the 25,000 U.S. children who were reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children as having run away from home were victims of sex trafficking (NCMEC, 2022).
MALE TRAFFICKING VICTIMS
Although most published statistics portray victims of trafficking as predominantly female, that information is misleading because labor trafficking of males occurs in almost every type of work, from mining and construction to fishing, hospitality, and healthcare. Sex trafficking of men and boys is underreported, and the sex trafficking industry may have nearly equal numbers of male and female victims. Boys who become sexually exploited often have certain vulnerabilities. These include substance dependency, child abuse, poor English-language skills, refugee status, homelessness, and identification as gay/bisexual/transgender.
Male survivors of trafficking face unique barriers. Initially, male survivors may not self-identify as victims. This is because society continues to view males as less vulnerable than females and offers a common portrayal of men as the perpetrators and females as the victims. Often males are fearful that they may be perceived as gay and then judged as “wanting it” because of societal stigma. Exiting a trafficking situation is likely to be more difficult for males than females because there are fewer resources for recovering male trafficking survivors, such as housing, therapy, legal aid, and medical care (Bykerk, 2022).
CASE
Male Sex Trafficking
One summer, Kevin, age 14, met a man called Ray, who took an interest in him. Ray soon asked Kevin if he would like to meet some young friends his own age. Ray gave him a ride and dropped him off to meet the boys in another part of town. Kevin sat outdoors with two new friends and watched a middle-aged man walk past them and into a public restroom. One of the boys followed the man into the restroom and motioned for Kevin to come, too. Kevin watched while his friend orally copulated the man and then was paid $25.00 cash. Eventually Kevin began to exchange sex acts for money, too.
Health Impacts
Human trafficking impacts the health of its victims. Most epidemiological studies on human trafficking have focused on women and children who have been sexually exploited. These studies have historically concentrated on HIV, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), chronic health problems, and mental health issues. It is known that victims of trafficking are abused physically, psychologically, and sexually.
In healthcare settings, individuals may present with chronic health conditions such as diabetes, chronic pain, chemical dependency, HIV, or depression that have gone untreated because they have been unable to access healthcare. Adolescents may not be up to date on their immunizations or experience from vitamin deficiency, developmental issues, or other malnutrition and toxic stress.
Physical symptoms that are commonly reported include:
- Fatigue
- Memory problems
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Stomach problems
- Cardiovascular issues
- Hearing problems
- Respiratory issues
- Infectious disease (tuberculosis, HIV)
- Undetected chronic disease (cancer or diabetes)
- Infections or mutilations
- Significant weight loss
- Back pain
- Chronic pain
- Chemical dependency
- Dental problems
Reproductive and sexual health concerns include:
- Sexually transmitted infections
- Abnormal PAP, cervical dysplasia
- Pregnancy
- Pelvic pain
SURVIVOR VOICE
“Some girls got STIs or got pregnant. When they couldn’t meet their quota, they would go without a condom because buyers would pay more for doing it that way. Some traffickers would get girls pregnant to trap them.”
Mental health issues have also been identified and found to persist longer than physical symptoms. These include:
- Depression
- Loss of self-esteem
- Shame
- Anxiety
- Addiction (especially opioid)
- Complex trauma resulting in psychosis
- Self-harm
- Suicide attempts
- Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
(Stop Violence Against Women, 2020)