30 / 60
YLS Special Issue
l
PROTECTING OUR CHILDREN
30
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017
A
s they are a hidden population in
a clandestine and illegal industry,
the number of victims of traffick-
ing for sexual exploitation cannot ever be
counted or ascertained. That trafficking
exists cannot be doubted by the fairly large
number of cases coming to the attention
of law enforcement and the national Hot-
line, and as awareness increases, in future
years we can expect additional instances.
Due to the hidden nature of the problem,
it has become obvious that elimination
of trafficking for sexual exploitation
cannot be achieved by law enforcement’s
apprehension of traffickers alone. Hap-
pily, the actions of private attorneys are
effectively supplementing law enforcement
efforts.
Primarily, trafficking for sexual exploi-
tation exists because of the demand for
paid sex from customers. In addition to
customers, there is an infrastructure that
also profits from such trafficking and must
also be dismantled. Parts of the infrastruc-
ture include the Internet, used to advertise
trafficked persons; hotels and motels used
by traffickers for assignations; and cab driv-
ers who ferry traffickers and their victims.
Finally, a culture currently exists that asserts
prostitution is inevitable, which leads to
the normalization of the practice of paying
for sex and the belief that all prostitution
should be legalized. These attitudes create
an atmosphere of acceptance, allowing
traffickers to operate with impunity.
For years now I have been researching
and investigating how this infrastructure
operates and what legal tools can be used
to dismantle it. A recent seminar sponsored
By Jody Raphael
Combatting Trafficking for Sexual Exploitation
Lawyers are Key