Research: Statistics
It is estimated that 75% of runaway and sexually exploited girls are controlled by pimps (Estes & Weiner, 2001)
Estimates suggest there are about 100,000 to 300,000 American children between 11 and 14 who are being sold for sex every year (Smith et al., 2009).
Human trafficking is not just a problem in other countries; cases of human trafficking have been reported in all 50 U.S. states (DeStefano, 2007). Research denotes a wide range of statistics concerning the magnitude of the problem with estimates indicating the range varies from four to 27 million (Bales, 2005; Laczko, 2005). The number of people trafficked across international borders every year has been placed at 800,000, 80 percent of whom are women and girls and 50 percent children (U.S. Department of State, 2007).
The average age of female victims of commercial sexual exploitation is 14 (Boxill & Richardson, 2007). However, according to some advocates, the age of victims is declining and some report that 10- and 11-year-old girls are becoming victims because pimps have figured out that younger girls are in higher demand and bring in more profit (Boxill & Richardson, 2007).
The ethnicity of girls who are commercially sexually exploited varies depending on geographic location but, in general, tends to resemble the ethnic makeup of the local community (Boxill & Richardson, 2007).
While commonly believed, it is inaccurate to assume that commercial sexual exploitation only happens in large urban areas and is only an issue of minority urban youths. Indeed, commercial sexual exploitation can happen to any girl regardless of age, race, socioeconomic status, or geographic location.
The monetary value of this industry is valued between $14 million and $20 billion annually and the perpetrators will continue to increase the supply as long as there is demand (Burke, 1999; Willis & Levey, 2002).
Bales, K. (2005). Disposable people: New slavery in the global economy. Berkeley, CA:
University of California Press.
Boxill, N. A., & Richardson, D. J. (2007). Ending sex trafficking in Atlanta. Affilia, 22(2), 138–149.
Burke, M. (1999). Prostitution: To purchase rape. In J. B. Morton (Ed.), Complex challenges, collaborative solutions: Programming for adult and juvenile female offenders (pp. 113–118). Alexandria, VA: American Correctional Association.
DeStefano, A.M. (2007). The war on human trafficking: U.S. policy addressed. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.
Estes, R. J., & Weiner, N. A. (2001). The commercial sexual exploitation of children in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Retrieved from http://
www.sp2.upenn.edu/restes/CSEC_Files/Exec_Sum_020220.pdf
Kyckelhahn, T., Beck, A. J., & Cohen, T. H. (2009). Characteristics of suspected human trafficking incidents. Retrieved from http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/content/pub/pdf/cshti08.pdf.
Laczko, F. (2005). Data and research on human trafficking. International Migration,
43(1/2), 5-16.
Smith, L.A., Vardaman, S.A., & Snow, M.A. (2009). The national report on domestic minor sex trafficking: America’s prostituted children. Arlington, VA: Shared Hope International.
U.S. Department of State. (2007). Trafficking in persons report. Retrieved from
http://www.state.gov/g/tip/rls/tiprpt/2007/index.htm
Willis, B. M., & Levey, B. S. (2002). Child prostitution: Global health burden, research needs, and interventions. Lancet, 359(9315), 1417–1422.