Modern Day Slavery: Sex Trafficking In America

Tragedy and survival
Thousands of women are currently held captive in America today. In 2006, it is estimated that over 300 thousand children are held in the sex trafficking business. Particularly, girls under the age of eighteen are forced into the sex trafficking trade. Sex trafficking is known as modern- day slavery. An estimate of 30 to 46 percent of juveniles in the trade attempt suicide. “Potterat et al., 2004 reports that women involved in prostitution have mortality rates 200 times higher than the national average) and are 18 times more likely to be murdered than their non-trafficked counterparts”, Cecchet (2014). Many girls will become abducted from their homes, schools, neighborhoods, and local shopping centers. Some of these young

Davis, (2014) “Atlanta is the sex-trafficking capital of the United States, with more than $290 million spent in the metro area in 2007 alone”. Pimps can stand to make nearly $34 thousand dollars on a single girl in one year alone. Much of this income comes from promoting girls online. In 2007, The US Department of Justice estimated that nearly 55 percent of cases involved black children. With black girls being the majority, white girls are called swans who catch the highest price Davis, (2014). The Hartsfield Jackson Airport is an international multi terminal airport, with flights around the states including the world. We have one of the world’s busiest airports, so travel in and out of Atlanta is fast and easy. Travel in and out of Atlanta is so easy a major problem exists with trafficking around the metro Atlanta, Georgia area. Atlanta, Georgia is also an international hub for drug import and exports. Often times, sex trafficking and drugs go hand in hand. Drugs are used to obtain new “victims”, to exploit them, and to maximize their exploitation Shelley (2012).Addictive drugs such as cocaine and heroin, are used to entice the girls into sex acts so they can support their drug habit. It is also be used to keep the girls in an altered state so they are more willing to do as the pimp wishes. “Beggars, placed on drugs, will work long hours under difficult conditions to bring back their earnings to those who control them” Shelley (2012). The traffickers use the victim’s addiction as a tool to keep girls in submission. Often time’s traffickers will move the victims from town to town so the girls have no family or friendships. Moving the girls around ensures the victim will stay with the trafficker. Some victims become dependent on their trafficker just for the drug aspect. Gangs are also a problem of the smuggling issue. About 55 percent of Latin Americans identified as gang members