Sex trafficking : a national perspective

Includes bibliographical references (p. 66-72)Sex trafficking is an issue that occurs both internationally and domestically, and it is one of the largest criminal industries in the world. On an international level, sex trafficking has received an immense amount of political and social awareness in the past decade; on the other hand, domestic sex trafficking remains out of the spotlight, thus, victim acknowledgement and identification has been minimal. The purpose of this thesis was to study the prevalence of domestic sex trafficking in the US. Specific goals were created to expose the truth behind the "pimp" and the "john", uncover the reasons that local agencies have not taken a more dominant role in identifying victims, and lastly, reveal how this all translates to the minimal community resources offered and available to victims. The study was a comprehensive review of literature surrounding the issue, including the policy implemented to address domestic sex trafficking, risk factors of potential victims, and the cycle that a victim will endure throughout the lifestyle. The results of the study concluded that the glorification of pimps, the unaddressed danger of the johns, and the lack of local specialized task forces to handle these sensitive cases, all contribute to victim criminalization and ultimately, minimal aftercare services for victim