Healing the Hurt

Fighting for the Decriminalization

of Sex Trafficking Victims
by Erica Dinse
40000 times.
Front cover image sources:
http://umad.com/img/2015/6/c
ity-highway-wallpaper-4372-
4610-hd-wallpapers.jpg,
https://www.washingtonpost.c
om/posteverything/wp/2014/1
2/05/child-prostitutes-arent-
criminals-so-why-do-we-
keep-putting-them-in-
jail/?utm_term=.016e3e95cdfa
, week and saw up to 30
https://newrepublic.com/articl
e/120418/underage-sex-
trafficking-victims-are-
treated-criminals-us
http://www.morningledger.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/karla-620x400.png
Karla Jacinto grew up in
Mexico City, with a neglectful
mother and an abusive family.
At the age of twelve, she met a
man, ten years her senior, who
befriended her. He treated her
kindly, and when she was
locked out of the house by her
mother she decided to run
away with him.
For three months, they lived
together in his apartment, until
he revealed the business he
was in and started forcing her
to sleep with other men. They
moved from city to city, where
Karla worked seven days a
customers each day. She never
received days off and was
beaten by her trafficker.
When she was thirteen, police
raided a hotel in which she was
working. Instead of freeing her
and the other girls, they took
inappropriate videos of the
minors, and used them as
leverage to keep the girls from
telling anyone else. Karla
would be kept in captivity
under her trafficker for three
more years, during which she
would become pregnant and
have her child taken away from
her. She was finally able to
escape in an anti-trafficking
raid and was sent to live in a
shelter. Karla estimates that
while she was enslaved, she
was raped over 40,000 times.
From CNNs Freedom Project:
http://www.cnn.com/specials/world/freedom-
project
 Sex Trafficking is defined as the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some
type ofcommercial sex act.1 This can involve abduction, blackmailing, or deceit to force
What is Sex Trafficking?
someone into offering themselves for sex. Anyone under the age of 18 who has
participated in commercial sex, regardless of fraud or coercion, is considered a victim
according to federal law in the United States. Sex trafficking is considered a form of
slavery, one that still exists in the world today. This often takes the form of forced
prostitution, which is the practice of engaging in sexual activity in exchange for payment.2
Victims are often brought to a different city, state, or country, and find themselves
changing locations regularly so their traffickers can avoid law enforcement. This does not
just occur in poor and underdeveloped countries. In the U.S. alone, estimates of sex
trafficking reach the hundreds of thousands,3 and there are an estimated 4.5 million
people trapped in the sex industry worldwide.4 The following map ranks each country
according to its efforts in fighting human trafficking. Often trafficking numbers are much
higher in countries that do not have laws or programs in place to combat trafficking.

1
"What is Human Trafficking?" Homeland Security. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, n.d. Web. 1 Apr. 2017.
2
"Prostitution." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, Incorporated, n.d. Web. 1 Apr. 2017
3
"The Facts." Polaris. N.p., 14 Feb. 2017. Web. 1 Apr. 2017.
4
"New ILO Global Estimate of Forced Labour: 20.9 million victims." International Labour Organization, 01 June 2012. Web. 1 Apr. 2017.
Image source: https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/ng-interactive/2015/jul/28/map-countries-worst-human-trafficking
Source: https://www.fairobserver.com/region/north_america/combating-sex-trafficking-history/
 https://polarisproject.org/resources/2015-hotline-statistics

A pimp is someone, often a man, who controls a prostitute (or many) and solicits
customers. Generally, a pimp receives all of the profits that come from the prostitutes earnings
and has control over any money, food, and clothes they are given. The customers who engage in
commercial sex with prostitutes are often referred to as johns. Commercial sex is a booming
business and a multimillion dollar industry in many urban centers. Atlanta, a hub for sex
trafficking in the United States, has one of the largest valued commercial sex industries, at $290
million. The average weekly income for a pimp in Atlanta between the years of 2005 and 2011
was $32,833.5 Even though sex trafficking occurs all over the U.S., large cities, including Atlanta,
are more likely to contain at risk populations for sex trafficking, and deal with a higher number
of trafficking cases. The above image maps the location and frequency of suspected human
trafficking based on calls to the National Human Trafficking Hotline in 2015, of which 78 percent
involved sex trafficking.6 Cities such as Atlanta, New York, Dallas, and San Francisco were all
frequent locations.

It appears that certain populations are more susceptible to trafficking. Women and girls
make up 98% of those who are sexually exploited.7 Among minors who are trafficked, runaway
and homeless youth make up a disproportionate number of victims. Pimps often target these
children because they have no supportive network and frequently find themselves in unfamiliar
environments. Traffickers also target foreign nationals, since they may have little understanding
of the surrounding community, language or laws. One of the most common ties between many
sex trafficking victims is that they have experienced abuse or trauma in the past. These

5
7 Johnson, Matthew. The Hustle: Economics of the Underground Commercial Sex Industry. Rep. Urban Institute, 2014. Web. 1 Apr. 2017.
6
"2015 Hotline Statistics." Polaris. N.p., 01 Mar. 2016. Web. 13 Apr. 2017.
7
"ILO." 21 million people are now victims of forced labour, ILO says. International Labour Organization, 01 June 2012. Web. 13 Apr. 2017.
individuals can become susceptible to pimps who will cater to their vulnerabilities, which include
the insecurities or feelings of shame that often come with abuse. 8 Even though these
populations are at higher risk for trafficking, individuals from all backgrounds and
socioeconomic statuses can be victims and all are likely to suffer negative effects that are
brought about by life in the commercial sex industry. Some are physical. Many pimps beat their
workers who try to run away or do not meet the set daily quotas. In addition, the large number of
sexual partners makes sex slaves much more likely to suffer from sexually transmitted
infections. Some may deal with drug addiction, since some pimps provide their employees with
narcotics to keep them dependent on the pimp, and in recent years, an increased number of
pimps have branded their employees with tattoos, a permanent reminder of what theyve
experienced.9 Other effects are psychological, including PTSD and anxiety that often results after
trauma and sexual abuse. Self-worth can be a huge issue, since many victims are only treated
as their pimps property.

Even though victims of sex trafficking are involved in prostitution against their will, many
will still face criminal charges due to law enforcement officers who are not trained to recognize
the signs of trafficking. In some cases, pimps or gang bosses who control an exploited person
will force them to take part in other crimes that they are then punished for, such as transporting
drugs or robbing a client. Those who manage to leave the industry often have nowhere to go and
nobody to turn to. They may be homeless, and many struggle to find employment since they have
little education and experience. It is not uncommon for those who have left the commercial sex
industry to find themselves returning to it later.

Those who have conducted research on the sex industry and those who advocate for its
victims have raised awareness of the need to provide resources for those suffering as a result of
their trauma. This has led to the introduction of safe houses, job training programs, legal
services, and legislation, all with the goal of offering those exiting the industry the necessary
tools to start to rebuild their lives.

8
"The Victims." National Human Trafficking Hotline. Polaris, 07 Oct. 2014. Web. 13 Apr. 2017.
9
Hughes, Donna. "Combating Sex Trafficking: A History." Fair Observer. Fair Observer, 06 Oct. 2013. Web. 1 Apr. 2017.
 At nine years old, Tina Frundt was sold for sex by her foster parents for the first time.
When she was only 14, she ran away from home to be with a man she thought was her
boyfriend, who then brought her to a new city and forced her to sleep with other men. Her
and the other girls trapped by their pimp were forced to walk the streets at night and given a
daily quota of $500. They were physically abused if they did not reach it and never received
The Issue

any medical attention, traveling from city to city under these harsh conditions. Tina was a
victim of forced prostitution for over a year before she was arrested on the streets of Chicago,
charged with prostitution, and for one year, was kept in juvenile detention. She was offered
no rehabilitative services after her release.10
Unfortunately, this is not an uncommon case for many victims of sex trafficking,
minors and adults. Though they are indeed victims, many are arrested over and over again
and face criminal charges, rather than receiving proper treatment and care after the trauma
they experience. Take Sheila Faye Simpkins, for example, who estimates that she was
arrested almost 200 times during her time as a prostitute in Nashville, although her pimps
never were.11 Pimps often avoid any encounters with law enforcement, and they have been
known to strike up deals with police officers who are also their clients or pay the bail for their
employees who end up in jail.
The root of this issue lies most heavily in a lack of training for law enforcement
officers, who are not aware of the signs that a prostitute may be a victim of human trafficking.
Even when minors are involved, many state laws differ from the federal law that classifies
any minor in the sex industry as a victim of trafficking. As seen in the case of Tina Frundt,
youth in some states will be put in juvenile detention, regardless of their status as victims.
Other times, those who are trafficked may lie to law enforcement after they are caught,
fearful of what their pimp may do if he finds out his employee revealed his identity. Because
of the illegal nature of prostitution, those in the industry are raised to be wary of those on the
side of the law. It is rare for a victim of trafficking to reach out for help from police, or anyone
else. Fortunately, there already exists many organizations, movements and pieces of
legislation aimed at decriminalizing victims of sex trafficking and providing healthy
rehabilitative services. Some of them are highlighted below.

10
Romero, Juan David. "Why Do We Treat Child Sex-Trafficking Victims Like Criminals?" New Republic. N.p., 04 Dec. 2014. Web. 1 Apr.
2017.
11
Kristof, Nicholas. "From the Streets to the 'World's Best Mom'" The New York Times. The New York Times Company, 12 Oct. 2013. Web. 01
Apr. 2017.
California Senate Bill 1322
This law, which went into effect
in 2017, has drawn criticism
because it legalizes child
prostitution. In reality, the bill
prohibits law enforcement
from arresting minors for
prostitution. It is meant to
Courtneys House
Tina Frundt, the trafficking survivor referenced previously, went
on to start a recovery program for children who have been
sexually exploited. Courtneys House goes out onto the streets to
reach vulnerable youth and suspected victims, as well as
provides a safe place for survivors to heal.

Current Efforts
make it easier for youth to
receive rehabilitation services
and keep them away from jail.

The Trafficking Survivors Relief Act of 2017 Safe Harbor Laws

This bipartisan legislation was introduced in the
Senate in January of 2017. The passing of the bill
would allow for the criminal records of trafficking
victims to be expunged, provided they offer
supporting documentation that the crimes on their
record occurred as a direct result of being
trafficked.
These are laws focusing solely on trafficked
minors and on keeping them from criminal
convictions. Thirty three states have enacted
some form of these laws, which can involve full
legal protection, training for law enforcement,
and funding for rehabilitation services.

FAIR Girls
An international organization, FAIR
Girls aims to prevent exploitation
and bring healing to victims
through empowerment and
education. It provides life skills
training, counselling, and
advocates for victims who have
criminal charges.

Sources
http://www.courtneyshouse.org

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov

https://www.congress.gov

http://humantraffickingcenter.org

http://www.fairgirls.org

http://humantraffickingcenter.org/un-safe-harbor-why-u-s-state-legislation-is-
ineffectively-addressing-sex-trafficking-of-minors/
 Much of what is currently being done to improve the lives of sex
trafficking victims is a step in the right direction. Policymakers and advocates
are realizing what needs to be done, but require additional resources and
Whats next?

support in order to carry it out. Many different organizations exist, like

Courtneys House and FAIR girls, that are working to bring healing to sex
trafficking victims and advocate for their innocence. These groups run largely
on donations from sponsors and support from volunteers. Individuals that can
offer time or money can help ensure that those being supported by these
organizations can continue to be helped. Even those without much time and
money can contact state and federal lawmakers, encouraging them to support
legislation like the Trafficking Survivors Relief Act and to enforce Safe Harbor
laws in their state. They can also push for legislation that brings harsher
punishment on sexual offenders and pimps and more resources to train law
enforcement. A louder voice from the general public will solidify the
importance of this issue. Above all, those who are educated on this issue
should spread awareness that it exists--that victimized individuals in need of
support and a space to heal are instead being charged as criminals. In a country
that has claimed to abolish slavery almost 200 years ago, we should be fighting
for the freedom of those who are still enslaved.

The National Human Trafficking Hotline

1-888-373-7888