Global Sex Trafficking:
Part V: North America
By Trevor K. McNeil
“Sex terrorism is the use of illicit sex, violence and threats to intimidate or coerce to the state of fear and submission. Sex trafficking includes the transportation of persons by means of coercion, deception and /or force into exploitative and slavery-like conditions, and is commonly associated with organized crime,”–Erika Klein, activist, writer.
Show Me The Money
Poverty and the desire to get out of it can be a very powerful motivator, although capitalism can also be a motivating factor. For everyone who “pulls themselves up by their boot-straps,” as per the American Delusion, there are more who pursue a darker journey. Taking advantage of the freest of markets in the world. The one that is completely free of any regulation, because it operates outside the law. An estimated two-thirds trafficking victims in the United States are U.S. citizens. With foreign-born women, government statistics estimate between 15,000 and 50,000 are trafficked into the country each year. Foreign born sex trafficking victims for the most part come to the United States legally on various types of visas.
The Need and the Damage Done
The most lucrative illegal market is narcotics. It is the only vice to have a democratic government declare “war” on it. Some of the richest people in North America are drug dealers. As evidence of that fact, Massachusetts has just brought suit against the billionaire Sackler family and their company, Purdue Pharma. Massachusetts claims Purdue Pharma and the Sacklers personally and actively pushed their highly addictive narcotic pain-killer, Oxycontin on an unsuspecting populace.
Gang Activities
Gangs are leaving the drug trade in favor of sex trafficking because it is deemed it is safer and more profitable. In gang trafficking a sex victim will be under the control of the whole gang. In such a situation, the gang members may sexually exploit the girl and also sell her outside the gang. Often MS13 gang members will tattoo a girl’s face to show ownership.
Pimping
In other situations there is a single pimp controlling a victim, or a group of victims. The pimp will exploit the victim for his own sexual needs and sell her body to multiple customers. The exact dynamics can be varied and complicated. The victim becomes dependent on the pimp physically, psychologically, and emotionally.
Home Grown
Sex trafficking and the accompanying sexual terrorism isn’t some far away problem. It is happening in our own back yard. The exploitation of children under 18 is a significant problem. Children are susceptible to the traffickers lies and manipulation. These criminals hang out where children can be found; school yards, malls, parks, shelters and group homes, where they recruit the unsuspecting teen. 1.68 million American kids run away from home each year according to government estimates. Kids separated from their social and security systems are vulnerable. Many of these children end up in the system; as wards of the State, or left on the street these vulnerable kids are easy targets for predators. The National Runaway Switchboard claims that “one-third of runaway youth will be lured into prostitution within 48 hours on the streets”.
Sex Sells
Sex trafficking is the second largest criminal activity in the United States, generating over $10 billion per year. Being a black market industry makes statistics difficult to collect. There are at least 50,000 U.S. citizens victimized annually. Seventy per cent of these victims are female. Children under the age of 18 make up 50%. That is roughly 25,000 teens and younger children being sexually violated and mentally and physically damaged as a matter of commerce.
Runaways
In the United States the average age a child enters the sex trade is 12-14 years. The majority of victims are runaways. New York City records show 85% of young people working in the sex trade had at some point been in contact with the Office of Children and Family Services, usually for parental (natural or step-parent) abuse or neglect. 75% were involved in the Foster Care system at some point. Many have suffered a tragic history of childhood sexual abuse. A trauma which can lead to a victim’s self-worth being predicated on the pleasure someone else can take from their body.
In Plain Sight
The problem of U.S. domestic sex trafficking is a dirty secret. This is the result of concerted effort. One of the main methods used up until recently is personal ads. in online advertising. Primary among these was Craigslist. Discovered to have had casual sex ads for girls as young as 14. Craigslist working with law enforcement has shut down several sex sections including its erotic section. But, like most other criminals sex traffickers just shift gears. Interactive computer services utilized to advertise girls. A single victim advertised across multiple media platforms, such as, social media, classified ads, chat rooms, message boards,text message and street walking.
Unhappy Endings
Another major hiding place for sex trafficking is businesses. Successful criminals are good at hiding their activity. Some massage parlors are fronts for sex trafficking. While semi-legal in some states, so-called ‘escort services’ are basically brothels with taxi service. There are many loop-holes and nuances of terms that make what qualifies as prostitution and sex trafficking legal as long as the women providing the services are over 18.
Horrible History
While not generally seen as sex trafficking pornography is an integral part of the sex slave market. In the mid twentieth century the porn industry relied on organized crime, particularly for distribution. This was especially true in the 1970s, when pornography was only semi-legal. Things did not improve much in the 1980s. The now-defunct adult video chain Red Hot video was firebombed by a feminist group. Acting in retaliation for the violent and under-aged pornography sold at Red Hot stores at the time.
Ordeal
Linda Lovelace, star of the notorious film “Deep Throat”, revealed her participation was not voluntary, being coerced by her physically abusive husband. He needed the money to pay debts. There were those that were skeptical of her story. Until closer examination of the video clearly showed bruises on her skin that were consistent having been hit.
Teen Sex
Traci Lords appeared in nearly 100 adult films between 1984 and 1986. Lords real name is Nora Kuzma. She was born in 1968 and was 16 years old when she made her pornographic film debut. All but one of her adult films are now banned as child pornography. It was the Lords case and the legal prosecutions that followed, that led to a major shakeup in the porn industry. New laws were passed. Strict protocols implemented for documentation and identification. The goal being to ensure all performers are of legal age.
Not Always A Choice
Despite this there are still issues. Not so much in terms of the self-produced videos or the larger, more established studios. The issue is in so-called “amateur” videos in the “teen” category. Many of the performers actually being between 18 and 20 years old, as opposed to the larger studios where the “teens” are really fully mature women in their early to mid 20’s.
More Than A Matter of Law
Neurologically, the process of maturation that begins in puberty does not end until a woman reaches her early 20’s. Teenagers are far more susceptible to emotional and social manipulation because of this. A fact that can make amateur teen porn a form of sex trafficking if participation is coerced or obtained under false pre-tenses. Particularly if the producer is the one performing the sex acts and pays the model’s way to the film shoot. Which legally counts as “transportation.”
Escalation
The treatment of the women in pornography has gotten steadily worse. It was once enough that it existed at all. The thrill coming from the secrecy. As pornography as gone further in to the mainstream producers have upped the ante. In addition to using much younger girls than ever before, the acts involved are far more unpleasant and dangerous. Are the girls there because they want to be? The assumption is that they are. However, there is no way to know that for sure, especially with financial incentives involved. When questioned the young porn performers from cam girls to amateur video stars say they need money for rent or school.
Rough Treatment
One of the most common acts in online pornography is what is known as “Painal.” Anal sex done most often with young, teenage girls who have never done it before in rough, aggressive way, usually without condoms or lubrication. Some producers go so far as to shoot in split screen. So the viewer can see the girl’s body as she is being brutally used, as well as her expressions as it happens. Many weeping, and even screaming in agony, begging for it to stop. Putting the act into the grey area of legal consent. Despite the fact she signed a contract. It is difficult to ignore the fact that many of the young performers are visibly shaking before the sex starts. A fact often brought up an laughed about by the producer filming the scene. As well as the number of newly exposed young bodies, especially when filmed in HD, that have ugly bruises and self-harm scars on them.
The Porn Problem
The issue of abusive porn is a complex one. Not least because of questions of personal autonomy and freedom of speech. A simple way to try and minimize harm while not compromising freedom would be to bring in specific reforms. Such as stricter rules as to where and how the jobs are advertised. As well as a tightening of informed consent protocols, contracts explicitly stating exactly what will happen in a scene. Any violation of which making the producer, and/or male performer preforming the act, liable for sexual assault charges, if not rape by deception. While likely controversial, it would also be a good idea to raise the minimum age of participation from 18 to 21. While usually fully mature physically and seen as adults under the law, 18 year olds can still be very child-like in terms of their neurology, physiology and psychology. By 21 physical and neurological maturity have synced in most cases.
On the Street
One also cannot over-look the issue of street-level prostitution. Common to nearly every urban center, prostitution has had a long history in the United States. Prostitutes are also the targets of violence. The pimp beats up the prostitute. The client beats up the prostitute. Current estimates have the murder rate for prostitutes in America alone at 204 in 100,000. On the positive side, while the government has proven useless as usual, the issues surrounding sex work is one of the main issues tackled by Bill and Melinda Gates through their multi-billion dollar Gates Foundation.
What To Do
Thankfully, the U.S. has laws and agencies to tackle most aspects of the sex trafficking problem. It still happens and is horrible whenever it does but it also happens much less, the numbers being in the thousands rather than the hundreds of thousands or even millions. There are international and national police units dedicated to investigating sex crimes and punishing perpetrators. If we are to end sex trafficking it will require strong laws, more diligent policing and aggressive prosecution of these monsters when apprehended.
A Little Education Goes A Long Way
Public education is essential to end sex slavery. An aware citizenry can change the future. If the public can recognize sex trafficking when it manifests itself, more pressure can be placed on the criminals. An informed public will lead to more arrests, more prosecutions, and more criminals doing jail time. We can bring this inhumane activity out of the shadows and teach the public what is really going on. Shedding the biases. Shedding the old mind-sets is essential. That comes with education. Learning that the prostitute on the street corner that so offends the righteous morality, is a victim in plain sight.
What If?
It is important in this battle that the average citizen recognize the woman as a victim, not a willing participant. Convincing a truck driver that the “lot lizard” knocking on his sleeper door at 3 am is likely a child trapped in sex trafficking would change the dynamics. The girl walking the strip could be a teenager beaten and compelled to sell her body to whatever man beckons her to his car. In an aware society, when the girl approaches a car, instead of being further exploited she will be taken to a safe place. But it doesn’t end with extraction from the situation. These victims will require social help and support. Help with food, housing, education, job training, medical and psychiatric treatment will be essential if the victim can be saved from re-immersion in the life.
Sources:
Digital
https://human sex trafficking, Canada’s hidden crime/The Mantle
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sex_trafficking_in_the_United States
https://gaatw.org/working_papers/N%20America/United%20States%20Report.pdf
https://www.twincities.com/2018/10/01/woodbury-massage-parlor-was-a-front-forprostitutioncharges-say/
https://verilymag.com/2015/08/porn-industry-playboy-mansion-sex-trafficking-belleknoxrashida-jones-holly-madison
https://thoughtcatalog.com/january-nelson/2018/03/heres-why-you-should-maybe- notagreeto-film-a-video-for-girls-do-porn-the-website-that-features-real-amateur- girlsdoing-it-oncamera-for-the-very-first-time/
http://time.com/3662361/women-american-west/ https://www.hg.org/legalarticles/prostitutionin-the-united-states-30997
Print
“Ordeal” Lovelace, L. & McGrady, M. 1980
“Traci Lords” Underneath It All”; Lords, T. HaperCollins 2003
