“The truth is, human trafficking takes places in all segments, in all types of locations, and at any time,” said Michelle Guelbart, Director of Private Sector Engagement at ECPAT-USA, a global network of civil society organizations dedicated to ending the commercial sexual exploitation of children.
It’s hard to believe that sex trafficking is happening right wherever you live. It may come as a shock, but human trafficking ranks at number 3 in world crime, generating billions of dollars in profit. Unfortunately, this is only continuing to grow—crazy, right? Especially considering all the resources that exist to fight trafficking.
The U.S. Department of Homeland security specifically defines human trafficking as ”modern-day slavery and involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act.” These victims are women, girls, boys and men of all ages, all from different backgrounds.
The difficult part of this underground world is that it’s obviously a hidden crime. It continues to happen 365 days a year, at any time of day, and in any city, or suburb.
Not to mention, it could be happening in your very own neighborhood. You name the place, and it’s probably happening. Still not convinced?
You’ve likely passed by a victim of human trafficking at some point
Victims of sex slavery are everyday people, just like us. Someone could be sold or transported to a potential client right in front of you without you even realizing it. It also happens in the places you may visit on a semi-regular basis, such as:
These are just a few examples, however, and often, it can be hard to tell who’s actually a victim of sex slavery.
Victims choose to remain silent for a handful of reasons. Whether it’s suspicion of authorities, fear, simply lacking awareness of actually needing help, or they are simply afraid that their trafficker will accuse them of lying, these are all valid reasons to take into consideration.
What are the signs of someone potentially being trafficked?
- Poor hygiene
- Little to no identification
- They are paid very little or nothing at all
- Live and work at the same location
- Work long hours, no breaks
- Bruises or signs of abuse
- Appear to have their communication controlled or restricted
- Inconsistencies in their stories when speaking about themselves
- Lack of confidence in themselves
- Fearful/anxious toward law enforcement or authority
Not only do these signs indicate a potential victim, but these signs can bring awareness to your own personal surroundings or community, another huge help in a trafficking situation.
Sometimes, ending human trafficking can feel hopeless or too big to handle by yourself. This gives us the perfect opportunity as a generation to step up as a team, and play a part in making a difference by recognizing and report the signs of modern-day slavery.
Take action, show compassion, write details down, and most importantly, don’t be afraid to report something that seems suspicious.
According to a report by TIME magazine, “Victims and tipsters can call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1 (888) 373-7888 or text HELP or INFO to “BeFree” or 233733. All calls can be made anonymously. If a victim is in immediate danger, authorities urge people to call 911. Concerned citizens should not confront a suspected trafficker or alert a victim to any suspicions, experts say.”
Can porn normalize this behavior?
Absolutely! These two topics can be heavily linked with one another, and the sad part is, too many people have no idea.
The unfortunate truth is that it’s incredibly difficult to guarantee that performers are truly participating consensually.
As long as there’s a demand for porn—especially porn that is extreme, abusive, or degrading—the porn industry will continue to exploit vulnerable people to meet that demand.
We’re not claiming that all porn is non-consensual—only pointing out that some is, and some isn’t, and it’s not always possible to tell the difference between the two. However, this is something we want to shed light on.
We are a non-shaming community and we believe in the power of fighting for real, genuine and authentic love. If we choose to fight together, for the ones who can’t fight for themselves, we’ll be able to be a part of an incredible change and hopefully witness results firsthand.
Your Support Matters Now More Than Ever
Most kids today are exposed to porn by the age of 12. By the time they’re teenagers, 75% of boys and 70% of girls have already viewed itRobb, M.B., & Mann, S. (2023). Teens and pornography. San Francisco, CA: Common Sense.Copy —often before they’ve had a single healthy conversation about it.
Even more concerning: over half of boys and nearly 40% of girls believe porn is a realistic depiction of sexMartellozzo, E., Monaghan, A., Adler, J. R., Davidson, J., Leyva, R., & Horvath, M. A. H. (2016). “I wasn’t sure it was normal to watch it”: A quantitative and qualitative examination of the impact of online pornography on the values, attitudes, beliefs and behaviours of children and young people. Middlesex University, NSPCC, & Office of the Children’s Commissioner.Copy . And among teens who have seen porn, more than 79% of teens use it to learn how to have sexRobb, M.B., & Mann, S. (2023). Teens and pornography. San Francisco, CA: Common Sense.Copy . That means millions of young people are getting sex ed from violent, degrading content, which becomes their baseline understanding of intimacy. Out of the most popular porn, 33%-88% of videos contain physical aggression and nonconsensual violence-related themesFritz, N., Malic, V., Paul, B., & Zhou, Y. (2020). A descriptive analysis of the types, targets, and relative frequency of aggression in mainstream pornography. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 49(8), 3041-3053. doi:10.1007/s10508-020-01773-0Copy Bridges et al., 2010, “Aggression and Sexual Behavior in Best-Selling Pornography Videos: A Content Analysis,” Violence Against Women.Copy .
From increasing rates of loneliness, depression, and self-doubt, to distorted views of sex, reduced relationship satisfaction, and riskier sexual behavior among teens, porn is impacting individuals, relationships, and society worldwideFight the New Drug. (2024, May). Get the Facts (Series of web articles). Fight the New Drug.Copy .
This is why Fight the New Drug exists—but we can’t do it without you.
Your donation directly fuels the creation of new educational resources, including our awareness-raising videos, podcasts, research-driven articles, engaging school presentations, and digital tools that reach youth where they are: online and in school. It equips individuals, parents, educators, and youth with trustworthy resources to start the conversation.
Will you join us? We’re grateful for whatever you can give—but a recurring donation makes the biggest difference. Every dollar directly supports our vital work, and every individual we reach decreases sexual exploitation. Let’s fight for real love: