Watch now: How do we end sex trafficking?

How do we put an end to sex trafficking?

By addressing demand.

Sex trafficking is a result of male demand. If every man stopped buying sex, the entire sex industry would implode and sex trafficking would end instantly.

This basic reality is the foundation to the ultimate solution to sex trafficking. In order to end it we have to end demand for commercial sex.

But how?

Time, testing, and research have demonstrated unequivocally that policies focused on eliminating demand are extremely effective in eliminating sex trafficking.^[1] Countries that criminalize the purchase of sex as a felony level offense and de-criminalize the vulnerable women who sell it—and instead offer them help and social services—have seen astounding results. ^[2]

[1] Cho, Seo- Young, Axel Dreher, and Eric Neumayer. "Does Legalized Prostitution Increase Human Trafficking?" World Development 41.1 (2013): 67-82. Social Science Research Network. Web. 12 July 2013. http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1986065. ; Di Nicola, Andrea, Isabella Orfano, Andrea Cauduro, and Nicoletta Conci. Study on National Legislations on Prostitution and the Trafficking in Women and Children. Brussels: European Parliament, 2005. Transcrime. Web. 11 July 2013.; Jakobsson, Niklas, and Andreas Kotsadam. "The Law and Economics of International Sex Slavery: Prostitution Laws and Trafficking for Sexual Exploitation." European Journal of Law and Economics 35.1 (2013): 87-107. Print
[2] Selected extracts of the Swedish government report SOU 2010:49: “The Ban Against The Purchase of Sexual Services. An evaluation 1999-2008 Swedish Institute & Ministry of Justice. Also see The Swedish Law That Prohibits the Purchase of Sexual Services Best Practices for Prevention of Prostitution and Trafficking in Human Beings Gunilla Eckberg Ministry of Industry, Employment, and Communications Violence Against Women, Vol. 10 No. 10, October 2004 1187-1218 DOI: 10.1177/1077801204268647 2004. Also see “Targeting the Sex Buyer The Swedish Example: Stopping Prostitution And Trafficking Where it All Begins. Kajsa Claude 2010 The Swedish Institute. Selected extracts of the Swedish government report SOU 2010:49: “The Ban Against The Purchase of Sexual Services. An evaluation 1999-2008. Swedish Institute 2010 and http://www.equalitynow.org/sites/default/files/Nordic_Model_EN.pdf; Statistics of the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention [online]. www.bra.se.

The Abolition Model criminalizes the act of buying sex.

This model of legislation that focuses on ending the demand for commercial sex is called the “Abolition Model” and it is the key to eradicating sex trafficking once and for all.

It isn’t enough to merely rescue the exploited—we have to cut off the exploitation industry at its roots. If we hope to one day achieve a world where no one is trafficked or sold for sex, this starts with every country fighting for freedom by adopting the Abolition Model.

"I believe that we will never succeed in combating trafficking in women if we do not simultaneously work to abolish prostitution...” Margareta Winberg Former Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden

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Additional footnotes from video
[7] UK Home Office (2004) Solutions and Strategies: Drug Problems and Street Sex Markets: London: UK Government
[8] Raymond, J., D’Cunha, J., Dzuhayatin, S. R., Hynes, H. P., Ramirez Rodriguez, Z., & Santos, A. (2002). “A comparative study of women trafficked in the migration process: Patterns, profiles and health consequences of sexual exploitation in five countries (Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Venezuela and the United States)”. N. Amherst, MA: Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW). Retrieved March 15, 2003, from http://action.web.ca/home/catw/readingroom.shtml?x=17062
[9] Vanwesenbeeck, I. (1994) Prostitutes' Well-Being and Risk. VU University Press, Amsterdam.

How do we put an end to sex trafficking?

By addressing demand.

Sex trafficking is a result of male demand. If every man stopped buying sex, the entire sex industry would implode and sex trafficking would end instantly.

It’s time we expose the truth together and create a world of freedom.

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