What is Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking?
Sexual exploitation and trafficking “is the crime of using force, fraud or coercion to induce another individual to sell sex. Common types include escort services, pornography, illicit massage businesses, brothels, and outdoor solicitation.”
Sexual trafficking can involve bringing someone into the United States under false pretenses, or moving a person to different cities or states to sell sex acts while evading law enforcement. An abusive person may form a relationship with a person living abroad and bring them to the United States under the pretenses of work or marriage, then threaten or coerce them into providing sex acts for pay once they arrive and lack resources and connections to establish their own safety.
Sexual exploitation is often a combination of domestic violence, sexual violence, and child abuse. The abusive person might manipulate, convince, or threaten the person they’re harming into stripping, prostitution, or pornography. The abusive person may groom or recruit the person they target by filling a need in that person’s life (housing, food, love, sense of family) and exchanging that for participation in the sex industry.
To learn more, visit our partners working to address this issue in Clackamas County:
Impact of Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking
Sexual exploitation and trafficking may sometimes feel like a bait and switch. Survivors may feel like they were lured into participating through false promises of loving relationships, money, or family, or independence. Many survivors do not see realistic ways to leave ‘the life’ after they’ve entered because of the stigma associated with prostitution, or because of lack of financial opportunity.
Children are often lured through a process of grooming. Because of this process of coercion and manipulation, many children and youth actively align with their exploiter against systems there to provide them with help. Child survivors may feel feelings of love toward their exploiter or feel like ‘the life’ provides them with a better situation than returning to a home of family violence or state care.
Survivors of sexual exploitation and trafficking often experience complex trauma due to the chronic sexual violence. Survivors often turn to drugs or alcohol to maintain ‘the life’ or to cope with the sexual abuse. Survivors also frequently experience health impacts from the abuse such as chronic pain, STIs, and unwanted pregnancy. They may also experience physical violence or threats of violence at the hands of both their buyers and exploiters. Call our 24-hour Crisis and Support line at (888) 654-2288 or message our confidential chat to connect with services.
Did you Know?
2019 victims and survivors of sex trafficking: 14,597 (Polaris Project)