The majority of Americans know nothing of s*x trafficking, and for those who do have an awareness, they lack correct information. For the minority that grasp the breadth of this horrific crime, they are usually so overwhelmed by the facts, they don’t know what to do. This feeling of hopelessness is understandable as s*x trafficking is the fastest growing criminal activity in the world. Human traff
icking is the second largest criminal industry surpassing the illegal sale of arms and is expected to surpass the illegal sale of drugs in the next few years. The selling of a human for s*x has surged as a lucrative business for organized crime, because while drugs are sold once, a person can be sold over and over again. This happens right here in the United States. It is estimated that 100,000 to 300,000 Americans under 18 are lured into the commercial s*x trade every year. The average age of victims is between 11 and 14 and the average life expectancy is 7 years. In a 2014 report, the Urban Institute estimated that the underground s*x economy ranged from $39.9 million in Denver, Colorado, to $290 million in Atlanta, Georgia. Brothels exist throughout cities across the nation in motels, cantinas, message parlors, truck stops, at private parties, and inside privately owned homes. A great deal of the s*x trade happens online. Here in Texas, for example, of those 100,000 child s*x trafficking victims in the United States, 25% are enslaved in this one state. The I-10 Corridor is the number 1 route for s*x trafficking in the US, with the stretch from Houston to El Paso ranking as a top area. Based on a 2014 study, Houston's BackPage sells more s*x than both Manhattan and New Jersey. While traffickers are known to bring young people in from other countries, they also target our children. It is reported that the Mexican Cartel sends recruiters into Texas schools, churches, and malls befriending and grooming young teens. There is high demand for s*x in our cities and this public health crisis cannot be ignored. While the situation seems hopeless, we believe with the right understanding of the issue and the right connecting of resources, we can witness the end of s*x trafficking in our lifetime. We will raise awareness, educate, connect, and mobilize neighborhood to neighborhood, city to city, until s*xual exploitation is eradicated.
