Essay on The Problem Of Sex Trafficking And Prostitution

One of the biggest misconceptions about sex trafficking and prostitution is that it is a foreign problem, not a problem that happens in America. Because it is such a touchy subject, most people prefer to turn a blind eye and ignore the facts. Approximately one million children will run away from home or will be kicked out of their home each year. Not all of these children make it back home, with about one third being drawn into the glamorized lifestyle of prostitution (Sher, 13). The greater part of society views prostitution as a victimless crime and has the same mindset: a whore is a whore is a whore. They neglect those being prostituted so there have been very few studies that document the actual numbers of those involved. They do not seem to consider that these children are being controlled by their pimps and are the victims themselves. The law enforcement officers that should be helping these children get their voices back often share these views. As a result of these views, few solutions have been provided and the amount of children involved in sex trafficking has increased in recent years. Sex crimes, especially those against minors, are increasing, not decreasing. Attorney General Eric Holder states, “The only place we’ve seen a decrease is in the age of the victims” (Sher, 313).
Somebody’s Daughter: The Hidden Story of America’s Prostituted Children and the Battle to Save Them by Julian Sher helps shed light on the fact that sex trafficking is happening in…