Sex Trafficking
Tabitha Conde-Chan
Dr. Shazia Ali
English 1301
March 13, 2015
Roughly 27 million people in the world are affected by human trafficking. The majority of these people being trafficked are used as sex slaves. For people who don’t know what human trafficking is, it is the exploitation of men, women, and children for commercial gain. We all hear about sex trafficking in regions such as Africa and Central and South America, but sex trafficking is literally right on our door step. Texas comes in second in the nation for the highest sex trafficking rate followed by Los Angeles and Atlanta. Being a Texas resident, I was quite surprised that my state was even on this chart. Since Texas is so conveniently located by major highways and the border of Mexico, Texas is the perfect breeding ground for human trafficking. For some people this is quite shocking but it is the brutal truth that the lone star state is also an international highway for illegally importing and exporting people. The human trafficking business is so profitable that this industry makes thirty-two billion dollars per year. By now you’re probably wondering, “Well why don’t these people just leave this industry?” the answer is not as simple as just getting up and walking away. The majority of the victims are teenage runaways, illegal immigrants, or just simply too scared to come forward. Sadly this crime often goes without punishment due to the fear to come forward, leaving the police with no information and in the dark.
Back to what I said earlier of how sex trafficking is on our door step. Since Texas is ranked second for human trafficking, there is a big chance that you have met someone that has been trafficked. According to a Wikipedia article, “There are over 200 active brothels in Houston with two new openings each month. Houston is home to more strip clubs and illicit spas than Las Vegas….” What I am saying is that there are so many women and children out there being trafficked but not enough
Dr. Shazia Ali
English 1301
March 13, 2015
Roughly 27 million people in the world are affected by human trafficking. The majority of these people being trafficked are used as sex slaves. For people who don’t know what human trafficking is, it is the exploitation of men, women, and children for commercial gain. We all hear about sex trafficking in regions such as Africa and Central and South America, but sex trafficking is literally right on our door step. Texas comes in second in the nation for the highest sex trafficking rate followed by Los Angeles and Atlanta. Being a Texas resident, I was quite surprised that my state was even on this chart. Since Texas is so conveniently located by major highways and the border of Mexico, Texas is the perfect breeding ground for human trafficking. For some people this is quite shocking but it is the brutal truth that the lone star state is also an international highway for illegally importing and exporting people. The human trafficking business is so profitable that this industry makes thirty-two billion dollars per year. By now you’re probably wondering, “Well why don’t these people just leave this industry?” the answer is not as simple as just getting up and walking away. The majority of the victims are teenage runaways, illegal immigrants, or just simply too scared to come forward. Sadly this crime often goes without punishment due to the fear to come forward, leaving the police with no information and in the dark.
Back to what I said earlier of how sex trafficking is on our door step. Since Texas is ranked second for human trafficking, there is a big chance that you have met someone that has been trafficked. According to a Wikipedia article, “There are over 200 active brothels in Houston with two new openings each month. Houston is home to more strip clubs and illicit spas than Las Vegas….” What I am saying is that there are so many women and children out there being trafficked but not enough