Nowadays, sex trafficking remains one of the most common social problems, as “700,000 children and women are objects of sexual exploitation” annually (Levinson, 2002, p. 256). It combines the principles of sexual abuse, prostitution, and trafficking (Michie, 2001). Due to globalization, this issue has a presence worldwide, and it is often referred to as “international trafficking” (Michie, 2001, p. 1347). As for its prevalence, it could be said that this social phenomenon is highly widespread in developing countries and regions such as Africa and Asia (Michie, 2001). The centralization in these geographical locations is rational, as the majority of developing countries do not have sufficient bureaucratic apparatus and a well-developed legal system. Based on the factors depicted above, the primary goal of the paper is to understand the working mechanism of sex trafficking by describing the characteristics of the victims, offenders, applicable laws, and steps to face crime.
In the first place, it is critical to discuss the main profiles of the victims. It is widely believed that women and children are the most common targets. The selection of these social groups pertains to their vulnerability and “the integrity of women bodies” (Michie, 2001, p. 1443). Nonetheless, the rising levels of corruption and prostitution in these countries modify the commonly recognized features of the victims. Nowadays, it is difficult to determine similarities between the victims, as, now they include not only women and children but also men and the elderly. Nevertheless, the most vulnerable social groups are individuals with a low level of income and education and the ones, who experience problems with socialization (Michie, 2001).
Another critical aspect to determine is the actions of the offenders and their potential ways of selecting victims. In this instance, the offenders can be represented by the individuals or belong to the well-developed framework of sexual trafficking. In the majority of the cases, the offenders are interested not only in the financial aspect of the question but also psychological satisfaction. In this case, the sexual domination is perceived as a way to show the power of the male culture while explaining the reasons for having males as a substantial number of the offenders (Michie, 2001). Depending on the needs of the offenders, the victims are selected while paying attention to their lifestyle, level of income and education, and the ability to socialize. After that, they try to establish trusting relationships or commit crimes suddenly, as the victim will have no time to react.
Speaking of the applicable laws, it remains apparent that this crime tends to violate the basic concepts of human rights and freedoms. To introduce the specific punishments for this crime, the Commercial Sex Act was introduced while prohibiting people to be forced to be involved in sexual acts for financial purposes (Levinson, 2002). At the same time, various acts tend to exist to improve the current situation. They increase the protection against trafficking and minimize the consequences of the crime and violation of human rights both nationally and internationally (Levinson, 2002). It could be said that a combination of these laws enhances the positions of the social groups at risk, but it remains apparent that the gaps in legislation continue to exist, and it requires improvement.
Lastly, when referring to the steps to combat crime, it is apparent that in the majority of the countries, the Coalition against Trafficking tends to exist (Levinson, 2002). These organizations focus on the prevention phase. Meanwhile, working together with legal institutions can enhance the control procedures. Having a combination of sufficient enforcement and judicial systems will help find the main sources of the violations and prevent the development of the trafficking network. Simultaneously, organizing various educational sessions will increase the awareness of the society and decrease the prevalence of these crimes.
References
Levinson, D. (2002). Encyclopedia of crime and punishment. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Michie, J. (2001). Reader’s guide to the social sciences. New York, NY: Taylor & Francis Group.