Sex for money comes in many forms. There are sex workers, individuals who willingly exchange sex for money, and there are victims of sex trafficking, “a form of modern-day slavery in which individuals perform commercial sex through the use of force, fraud, or coercion,” according to humantraffickinghotline.org.1
These unwilling participants are sold for sex to individuals who may be pillars of their communities, sometimes during major sporting events or in whatever city their actions can command the highest price.
On 3/21/2018, Congress passed the “Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act” (FOSTA; Public Law No: 115-164). It was signed by President Trump on 4/11/2018. The act, “imposes penalties … on a person who, using a facility or means of interstate or foreign commerce, owns, manages, or operates an interactive computer service (or attempts or conspires to do so) to promote or facilitate the prostitution of another person.” As a result, websites like Craigslist, which shut down a personals section, are taking down content that would promote or even allow sex trafficking.
The sourced articles below should provide more information on sex trafficking in the United States and around the world.
Footnote: 1. “Sex Trafficking,” humantraffickinghotline.org, accessed 4/16/2018
- Human Trafficking 101
“Human trafficking is a crime that involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain labor or a commercial sex act. All commercial sex involving a minor is legally considered human trafficking, regardless of force, fraud, or coercion.
According to the International Labour Organization, 27.6 million people—or 3.5 out of every 1,000—were victims of human trafficking in 2021, including 77 percent through forced labor and 23 percent through commercial sexual exploitation.
Their average trafficking situation is 15.4 months.”
U.S. Department of Transportation, transportation.gov, updated 8/15/2025
- Human Trafficking Quick Facts
“ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) conducts criminal human trafficking investigations worldwide. Within the United Sates, HSI sex trafficking investigations have uncovered human traffickers operating in bars, illicit massage parlors, hotels, truck stops, apartment complexes, street prostitution, and escort services. Sex traffickers increasingly use social media and other online platforms to recruit, advertise, and exploit victims.”
U.S. Department of Homeland Security, dhs.gov, updated 5/22/2025
- Craigslist Shuts Down Personals Section After Congress Passes Bill On Trafficking
“The company says it made the change because Congress has passed the Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act, meant to crack down on sex trafficking of children.”
Merrit Kennedy, npr.org, 3/23/2018
- Sex Trafficking And The Super Bowl
“For the last several years, every city that has hosted the Super Bowl has waged an aggressive campaign against sex trafficking. David Greene talks with Marc Chadderdon, a criminal investigator in Minnesota.”
Morning Edition, npr.org, 2/2/2018
- What Happens To Foreign Human Trafficking Victims In The United States?
“Trafficking is still rife in the United States. More than 8,800 people were identified as victims of human trafficking in the Western Hemisphere last year, according to the U.S. State Department.”
Kalhan Rosenblatt, nbcnews.com, 7/30/2017
- Top 10 Human Trafficking Statistics And Their Implications
“Defined as a modern-day version of slavery, human trafficking is a global human rights crisis. Throughout the world, traffickers manipulate victims through tactics such as violence and threats into exploitative forced sex and/or labor.”
Online Resource, borgenproject.org, 6/24/2017
- Sex Trafficking: The New American Slavery
“Sacharay’s exploiter eventually brought her and another teen to Atlanta, because he could command higher prices.
According to a 2014 study by the Urban Institute, some traffickers in Atlanta make more than $32,000 a week.”Leif Coorlim and Dana Ford, cnn.com, 3/14/2017
- Understanding Sex Trafficking
“Perpetrators of sex trafficking often target and manipulate people who are poor, vulnerable, living in an unsafe situation, or searching for a better life. For example, youth with a history of abuse and neglect or who are homeless are more likely to be exploited.”
Online Resource, cdc.gov, last updated 1/17/2017; (Broken link removed 12/2024)
- Report: Majority Of Trafficking Victims Are Women And Girls; One-Third Children
“The 2016 UNODC Global Report disaggregates data on the basis of gender and found that women and girls are usually trafficked for marriage and sexual slavery. Men and boys, however, are trafficked into exploitative labour, including work in the mining sector, as porters, soldiers, and slaves.”
Online Resource, un.org, 12/22/2016
- When Sex Trafficking Goes Unnoticed In America
“How do you identify sex-trafficking victims when such cases go largely undetected or unreported?”
Priscilla Alvarez, theatlantic.com, 2/23/2016