Living In Traffic

  Sexual violence and abuse is something that occurs too often in society. Topics of rape and sexual abuse are mentioned in the text book throughout chapter eight. Events such as sex trafficking is occurring not only in poor countries but here in our own backyards of United States. Sex trafficking is the trade of humans for the purpose of sexual slavery and or prostitution. Many young girls and women are being taken advantage of and tricked into being anything from streetwalkers to sex slaves. Some of these women are lured with the promise of fame, work , and better opportunities. After these women are captured they are brought into a life of long nights, drug and alcohol abuse. The link below describes the stages women go through when being transitioned into the sex trade industry.
http://fsuhu.org/page/stages-of-human-trafficking)
 
   The people who take advantage of these women see them as a profit and not as humans. They have no respect for women and treat them as property. Also, these people use the trust that they gain with these girls to overpower and manipulate them. They are abused both physically, mentally and emotionally to the point that that they are afraid to escape and lose hope. In class we talked about how women are more likely to become victims of abuse and how men see sex as away to control and dominate. This is especially true when it comes to human trafficking.

  Like many other people I was surprised to hear that sex trafficking occurs in my own city, Chicago. Many girls go missing and never return home and the harsh reality is that they could have been sold into sex trafficking. The website below talks about a Chicago women who was coerced into prostitution. It also provides sex trafficking statistics. And mentions that in 2003  a New York Times article signaled Chicago as  becoming the national hub of human trafficking.( http://jjie.org/chicago-a-national-hub-for-human-trafficking/)

This is why this topic is relevant to me because any young girl can become a victim. These girls are approached by guys who are slick talking and know all the right things to say. And moments later that guy becomes their pimp. I have heard about this happening from family and friends who live in different communities in the Chicago area. I believe that young girls and women need to be aware of the seriousness of trafficking.