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Slavery's New Face:
Sex Trafficking of Women and Girls

Slavery is a harsh reality for millions of people the world over who find themselves trapped in an exploitative and abusive system, bought and sold like objects, and treated with no dignity or human decency.

How extensive is slavery's reach? Human rights groups estimate that anywhere between 12.3 million and 27 million people are enslaved in forced or bonded labor, child labor, sexual servitude, and involuntary servitude at any given time.

Slavery exists in a variety of permutations, but all forms of slavery share some common characteristics: slaves are forced to work; are owned or controlled by another person; are dehumanized and treated as commodities; and are physically or psychologically constrained and unable to escape.

One type of slavery and exploitation that is proliferating at an alarming rate—and that has a particular relevance to women and girls—is sex trafficking/slavery. Seventy-nine percent of human trafficking victims are women and girls. Also, seventy-nine percent of the victims of trafficking end up in sex slavery.

Soroptimists around the world are working to end the enslavement of women and girls. Sex slavery is caused by gender inequality that allows the demand for sex slaves to flourish—the belief that there is no harm to purchasing the bodies of women and girls. In order to end slavery, Soroptimists use a multi-dimensional approach that includes raising awareness, assisting victims, preventing slavery from happening in the first place, and advocating for better laws and enforcement.

Soroptimist is raising awareness about the devastating and complex crime of sex trafficking, which largely affects women and girl children.

If you suspect an incident of sex trafficking in the United States, call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center’s 24-hour toll-free hotline number at 888-3737-888. Callers can receive a number of services including crisis intervention, urgent and non-urgent referrals, tip reporting and comprehensive anti-trafficking resources.