Rita+Longmeadow

=Human Sex Trafficking in Ohio=

“Human trafficking is a worldwide form of exploitation in which men, women, and children are bought, sold, and held against their will in slave-like conditions” (United States Government Accountability Office, 2006). Human sex trafficking is one of the more publicized forms of human trafficking, especially in third world countries where poverty is an evident issue. People neglect or choose not to acknowledge that there are thousands of cases of sex trafficking here in the United States, particularly in Ohio. These people are victims of fraud, and are forced, coerced, or psychologically and physically threatened into performing sexual acts to earn money that is provided to a pimp running the illegal operation (Davis, 2006). The effects of victimization are both immediate and long-term, and efforts to combat the sex trafficking industry are underway on the local, state, and federal levels through prosecution of traffickers and rehabilitation of victims. It is difficult for researchers and officials to know the exact number of victims of human sex trafficking. Due to the high number of internationally trafficked victims, the number is unknown. Many times, these international citizens are not reported as missing because of their lack of contact to family in their home country and their lack of contacts here in the United States. Using models, numbers are estimated to be around 326,000 victims of human trafficking nationwide. An estimated 15 per 24,965 young Ohio girls between 12 and 17 are recruited into the sex trade each year (Williamson et al., 2009). This translates to 1 out of every 1,665 women are recruited either by force or coercion. Women and children face the biggest risk in the sex trafficking industry. Approximately ninety eight percent of those forced into the sex trade are women and children. It is estimated that 50,000 girls and women are forced into commercial sexual exploitation. This may be in the form of sex acts, pornography, or stripping. The average age of entry into the sex trade is 12 years. These girls are often lured away at the mall or snatched from schools (Sells 2010). Annually, $44.3 billion USD are profited worldwide from forced labor (Hepburn & Simon, 2010), part of which is profit from the sex trade. Immigrant and foreign populations face an increased risk as well, especially those facing impoverished situations. Poverty is a characteristic traffickers look for where luring people into the sex trade. Promises of a job or better life mislead vulnerable people into the industry. Homeless and runaway teens also face a high risk of being taken into the sex trade. An estimated 20% of the 10-20,000 homeless and runaways engage in “survival-sex” after being on their own for two or more weeks. This opens doors for them to be lured into commercial sex trade rings (Williamson et al., 2009). Young people, especially young women, who run away from home with no form of income, shelter, or nourishment are often easy prey for these offenders to lure them into the sex trade, where they are taken across state, and in many cases, international borders. The state of Ohio possesses many characteristics that make it a prime location for running sex trafficking operations and recruiting victims and customers. Toledo, Ohio has earned a nationwide reputation for being the 4th most notorious city for human trafficking arrests, investigations, cases and victims, only falling short next to Miami, Portland, and Las Vegas. Per capita though, Toledo is considered number one when it comes to traffickers and their victims (Sells, 2010). The proximity to Canada, through Lake Erie, and also by land, creates an opportunity for making this an international kidnapping and trafficking crime. Toledo also has five major highways around the city and in the surrounding areas crossing both state and international borders (World Sites Atlas, 2008). Truck stops have been found to be a great source of business for sex traffickers. In 2006, a raid on a Pennsylvania truck stop found 150 victims of trafficking. Half of those 150 victims and 17 out of 18 arrested traffickers were from Toledo (Sells, 2010). The number of highways and interstates that generally span the state of Ohio also are an important quality that the traffickers utilize. This makes it easy to move victims out and bring the customers in, especially near the city of Toledo. The capital city of Columbus is home to many international and impoverished citizens, including women and children, therefore making it easier to lure their victims into the trade (Wilson & Dalton, 2007). With promises of a temporary situation, offenders can lure in their victims and create a ‘debt’ that is owed to the pimp, creating a more than temporary situation for these women and children. Being pulled into the sex trafficking industry has both immediate and future physical and emotional implications for any victim of trafficking. Immediate concerns include physical injury from beatings, starvation, drug and alcohol abuse, rape and gang rape, as well as the emotional pain that these can cause. Vaginal and anal tearing is a port for sexually acquired infections (Miller & Silverman, 2007). The immediate and future health implications for victims of sexual abuse and trafficking include chronic and acute STD’s (especially HIV/AIDS), unwanted pregnancies and abortions, substance abuse, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or suicide (Barrows, 2008). One of the many unfortunate truths about the sex trade is the lack of support and programs for rehabilitating the victims of the industry. According to a 2002 statistic, only 34% of the arrests made related to prostitution were male consumers. The other 66% were women and children (Williamson et al., 2009). Many times after the operation is shut down, the victims are thrown into detention centers (Tiefenbrun, 2005), as the risk for returning to the prostitution industry is so high, and home is not a safe place to go back to (Sells, 2010). There are many group homes and rehabilitation centers being started over the United States that specialize in rehabilitation of sex trafficking victims. Legislation has also been created to help aid these victims avoid the judicial and legislative consequences that go along with prostitution, which is what many sex trafficking victims are classified and punished as. With the age of the victims decreasing to an average age of 12, and some young as 9, it is difficult to believe that someone who cannot even consent to sex is being tried as a prostitute. This is where effort to change is being made by activists and the judicial system. Despite the negative connotation of being prosecuted as a prostitute, it is argued that victims of the sex trade are better off being 'in the system' than homeless on the streets at risk for reentering the sex trade. Being in prison or a correctional facility provides shelter, nourishment, and some sense of security for victims of the industry. As quoted by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, this act exists to “combat trafficking in persons, especially into the sex trade, slavery, and involuntary servitude, to reauthorize certain Federal programs to prevent violence against women, and for other purposes” (TVPA, 2000). This Act focuses on what is called the three “P’s”, prevention, protection, and prosecution. Prevention focuses on prevention of trafficking in the first place. Education is offered to victims while encouragement to stay in schools for young women is provided. Programs are created that accelerate growth in programs for legislation, education, political, social, and economic growth for women. Protection is offered to victims of trafficking while in custody. They are to be granted any necessary medical treatment, not be held in facilities unequipped to handle their situations and crimes, be protected from traffickers and those involved, and lastly have their information kept private from the public (TVPA, 2000). The 2005 revision focuses more on the rehabilitation of children and placing them in a home where they receive the proper care needed for recovery (TVPA, 2005). Prosecution of both traffickers and customers had increased in the severity with the introduction of the 2005 revision as well. Locally, the city of Toledo and Lucas County has created task forces that deal with the sex trafficking problem in the area, all related to the same concepts that the TVPA deals with, prevention, protection, and prosecution. The creation of the Innocence Lost program has put a special focus on Toledo. “Significant effort has been made to increase the awareness, identification, and investigation” in regards to human sex trafficking cases (Wilson & Dalton, 2007). The city of Columbus has the statewide approach that creates problems for victims. Here, there are often treated as criminals and are arrested according to prostitution criteria (Wilson & Dalton, 2007). Federally, the Polaris Project focuses on stopping human trafficking as a whole, not just the sex trade and gives a perspective on why victims are often forced to stay and do not try to escape (Davis, 2006). Another federal task force, The Protection Project, offers asylum through the “T Visa” for international victims of sex trafficking here in the United States. It grants them a leave of stay here until the perpetrators can be identified and the case surrounding their victimization is given closure (John Hopkins University, 2009). With the number of women and children being recruited into the sex trade industry on the rise, officials have a moral and societal responsibility to creating a solution for not only preventing this problem, but more severe prosecution for those violators of ethics and the law. With Ohio possessing many attributes that make it a desirable site for recruiting, kidnapping, and deceiving victims both young and old, especially those facing poverty and homelessness, issues deeper than prostitution need to be addressed. Implications can become cyclical and impact the victims both immediately and in the future, and prevention and rehabilitation are the key factors in promoting a healthy and recovering individual.

Annotated Bibliography

Barrows, J. (2008). Human trafficking and health. Retrieved from: []

This report by Dr. Barrows, an OB/GYN, gives information regarding the future implications girls and women face during and after they escape the sex trade, if that is possible. They face possibilities of STD’s, pregnancy, abortions, infertility, depression, PTSD, substance abuse, and suicide, just to name a few. Not only do they have to live with these brutal and lasting effects, the potential to cause further damage exists.

Clinton, H. (2010, June 14). Trafficking in persons report 2010. United States Department of State. Retrieved from: []

Former first wife Hillary Clinton discusses the international issue of human trafficking and the global impact. Discusses the prominent issues of major countries, including the United States. Discusses the impact on women, and the impact disasters have on the human trafficking industry. Great resource, but used as a GENERAL resource only.

Davis, K. ( 2006, February 6). Human trafficking and modern day slavery in Ohio. Retrieved from: []

Based on the nationwide Polaris Project, an organization combating human trafficking and modern day slavery, this article offers details regarding the specific means of human trafficking, not solely based on the sex trade. Experts touch on the psychological side and results of trafficking and inform authorities as to why victims to not try to escape. Gives insight to the means of leadership, capture, and performed acts while adding personal accounts of these acts to give a name and a face to the industry. Details legislative acts that combat the human trafficking industry and attempt to prosecute offenders of human rights. Focus on the action, means, and purpose of the crimes.

Hepburn, S. & Simon, R. (2010, June). Hidden in plain sight: Human trafficking in the United States. Gender Issues 27 (1/2). 1-26. doi: 10.1007/s12147-010-9087-7

This journal article provides women and children specific statistics. It discusses the financial gain from the industry, which is one of the few articles that do so. Hepburn and Simon give extensive information on the international and domestic sex trade industry going on in the United States. Discusses Hurricane Katrina as an event leading to increased number of trafficking victims. This is the number one resource as to information for immigrant and impoverished victims.

Miller, E., Decker. M., and Silverman, J. (2007, My). Migration, sexual exploitation, and women’s health: A case report from a community health center. Violence against women 13(5). doi: 10.1177/1077801207301614

Discusses the vulnerability of certain populations and the implications for health care professionals in caring for victims of sexual trafficking and the years of extensive abuse. Includes a case study. It “illustrates some of the common health consequences associated with trafficking and the vulnerabilities of women seeking migration to becoming involved in nonvolitional sex and prostitution.”

John Hopkins University. (2009). TVisas. The Protection Project. Retrieved from: []

A “T” Visa grants proven victims of human trafficking asylum in the United States or another country. Discusses its creation and enforcement to avoid smuggling immigrants. Also the “U” Visa is discussed, for those harboring information about victims of human trafficking. Useful in the legislation section of the paper.

Tiefenbrun, S. (2005). The domestic and international impact of the U.S. victims of trafficking protection act of 2000: Does law deter crime? Loyola university international law review 2(2). Retrieved from: []

This article focuses on the legal aspects that women trafficked into the sex industry face. Many times, the trafficking aspect of a woman’s arrest is overlooked and they are charged with prostitution. This article looks at the TVPA of 2000 and analyzes whether or not it makes an impact on the end result of the trafficked women’s final outcome.

Sells, H. (2010, June). Sex trade: Innocence lost in America’s heartland. CBN. Retrieved from: []

Offers information regarding the sex trade industry and the issues it has been creating in Toledo. Gives information about task forces and prominent cases in the national media.

United States Government Accountability Office. (2006, July). Human trafficking: Bette data, strategy, and reporting needed to enhance U.S. antitrafficking efforts abroad. Retrieved from: [|http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov.proxy.lib.ohio-state.edu/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=gao&docid=f:d06825.pd]f

While the focus is based on trafficking abroad, this book reports the cooperating government agencies that have responsibilities when it comes to dealing with the human trafficking industry and their roles in doing so. Descriptions of the legislation in place to help defend rights of victims and bring justice to the offenders.

United States of America Congress. (2000, October 28). Victims of trafficking and violence protection act of 2000. Retrieved from:[]

The Trafficking and Violence Protection Act (TVPA) details the different types of trafficking and violence, particularly against women and goes as far as to analyze the vulnerabilities of individual population groups, such as battered women, immigrants, and children. Discusses the ways to prevent these heinous criminals acts and the role of the judicial branch in ensuring these right sot vulnerable populations. Discusses measures taken with specific population groups to ensure their rights and safety.

United States of America Congress (2005, January 4). Trafficking and victims protection act of 2005. Retrieved from: []

Allows a comparison of the TVPA of 2000 and the TVPA of 2005. Creates opportunity to see the improvements the government is making to protect the victims of human trafficking, and see what is being done to prosecute offenders.

Williamson, C. et al. (2009) Ohio Trafficking in Persons Study Commission Research and Analysis Sub-Committee Report on the Prevalence of Human Trafficking in Ohio. Retrieved from: []

Williamson and her other research partners focus on the origination of immigrant and domestic citizen trafficking within Ohio and why it is an issue in a report given to the Ohio Attorney General. Gives information as to the projected numbers and focuses on individual cases brought up in Ohio.

Wilson, J. & Dalton, E. (2007). Human trafficking in Ohio: Markets, responses, and considerations. Santa Monica, CA. Retrieved from:[]

The authors of this book work closely with law officials and experts in the area of human trafficking, particularly in the Ohio cities of Columbus and Toledo. The entire process of coercing and kidnapping young male and female victims for participation in the sex trade is discussed, as are the needs of these victims after a rescue is made. Law enforcement discusses the judicial process of prosecuting human traffickers and the policies that enforce the regulations against human trafficking, including the 2000 Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA). This book provides local reinforcement that human trafficking is a common occurrence that happens close to home.

World Sites Atlas. (2008). Map of Ohio highways. World Atlas. Retrieved from: http://www.sitesatlas.com/Flash/USCan/static/OHFH.htm

Provides information about Ohio highways, especially those running through Toledo.