Women, Sex Trafficking, and the Justice System
Women, Sex Trafficking, and the Justice System
From Victimization to Restoration
This chapter discusses the experiences of women and girl survivors of sex trafficking in the United States. It highlights the risk factors that make women and girls vulnerable to sex traffickers and victimization, examines the impact of sex trafficking on women’s and girls’ health, and describes the circumstances that lead to their forced involvement in the sex trade and their contact with the justice system. Gender, class, and racial stereotypes are barriers that prevent trafficking survivors from obtaining legal protection. Other barriers include fear of violence, lack of awareness of resources, and fear of deportation. When seeking legal help, trafficking survivors often experience revictimization and are treated as criminals. Lastly, this chapter identifies the need for more research on survivors of sex trafficking, highlights promising legal and mental health interventions, and proposes guidelines for greater gender and cultural responsiveness in programming.
Keywords: sex trafficking, women, girls, violence, mental health
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