The modern-day-slavery: Human Trafficking. It is the “use of force, fraud, or coercion to get another person to provide labor or commercial sex.” (Department of Homeland Security). Every day, hundreds of men, women, and children are trafficked worldwide, and the United States is no exception. Both types of human trafficking, labor trafficking and sex trafficking, are widely spread and present a critical problem to any community and victims of any age, gender, race, or nationality. Although many experts believe there are more situations of labor trafficking than sex trafficking, there is a wider awareness of sex trafficking in the United States than of labor trafficking. (Polaris Project).
While pursuing a B.S. in Public Policy, I conducted an honor thesis on sex trafficking in the United States, and specifically, Atlanta, Georgia. (Atlanta: A Center for Commerce and Sex Trafficking; What’s the Relationship? 2018) Atlanta is considered one of the major hubs for sexually exploiting children and women in the United States. Since Atlanta is also considered a national center for commerce, my research focused on the effects of business conventions and sporting events on the number of sex trafficking cases in Atlanta. The research starts with exploring the nature and the extent of this industry, the targeted groups, current federal and state laws on trafficking, and the reasons behind why Atlanta is a center for such evil activity. (You can read the full thesis under the Recommended Readings page).
After conducting my research, I was shocked by the statistics in the United States and around the world. I realized that such a horrific crime is taking place right now and in our backyards without us knowing. Thus, I became committed to raising awareness on the subject and do my best to contribute as much as I can to the elimination of this horrific underground industry. I will dedicate this section to reaching that goal by posting weekly information about both labor trafficking and sex trafficking, as well as news and updates taking place in the United States and around the world.