Sex trafficking: What we don’t know and how to fix it

Abstract

A gap remains in understanding the blurred line between offenders and survivors of sex trafficking. There is a known element of coercion and/or force present in many cases although only a few articles can be located addressing this blurred line. The focus of such articles varied  between examining youth prostitution and others studying adults. The adult focused articles suggested some range of coercion and exploitation of the prostitute although some women claimed that the sex trade provided them with economic means and agency. This was also cited  in the literature on juvenile “prostitutes.” The reported voluntary nature of their involvement is  questionable leaving much to be learned about the offender-victim-overlap in sex trafficking. Policy implications are provided in moving forward in reducing sexual coercion and sex trafficking.