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What Is Sex Trafficking?
Sex trafficking is a form of human trafficking, a method of slavery that continues to this day in the United States and across the world. Human traffickers force or coerce people into prostitution or manual labor.
Under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, sex trafficking is “the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, obtaining, patronizing, or soliciting of a person for the purpose of a commercial sex act.” The Act also says that any kind of commercial sexual activity with a minor is considered sex trafficking, even without force or coercion.
Under the TVPA, sex trafficking and other forms of human trafficking are considered federal crimes. The TVPA also includes mandates about restitution for trafficking victims, as well as standards for preventing trafficking in the first place.
Victims are not from one single stereotype, as the media we watch often presents. Instead, victims of human trafficking can be from any background in a variety of different circumstances. Most trafficking victims are female, though men and boys can also be trafficked. Victims include people across all spectrums of race, sexual orientation, gender identity, and income, among others.
While anyone can become a victim of human trafficking, traffickers often target vulnerable populations like those who are poor or without a support system, making them easier to exploit. Estimates place the current number of sex trafficking victims at about 4.5 million, according to End Slavery Now.
Victims can be physically forced or threatened into sex trafficking, or may be coerced using false promises, isolation, shaming, debt, or offers of protection. While the word “trafficking” suggest transportation from one location to another, victims of trafficking are not always transported between locations.
Companies Facilitating Human Trafficking May be Liable
More than just traffickers themselves may be liable. Indeed, there are certain businesses that may have been used to facilitate trafficking, such as hotels, truck stops, and more. Indeed, the National Human Trafficking Hotline notes that hotels and motels are one of the most common venues for sex trafficking.
A hotel renting out rooms to people forcing human trafficking victims into sexual slavery profits financially from that exploitation. If staff of one of these venues ignores obvious signs of human trafficking—or if the company failed to train them to recognize such signs in the first place—the company may be held liable for their actions or inactions in allowing the crime to take place on their premises.
Sex Trafficking Litigation
So far, approximately 1,500 sex trafficking victims have hired lawyers to pursue litigation against a slew of businesses, including major hotel chains. Estimates suggest that this number may go up to as many as 7,000 seeking litigation in the near future.
Several large hotel companies have been named in sex trafficking lawsuits, including Choice Hotels International, Inc., Inter-Continental Hotel Corps., and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts.
If you have been a victim of sex trafficking and were forced to work at a hotel, motel, or other venue like a night club or truck stop, you may be able to file a lawsuit and pursue compensation. Filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by human trafficking, but it can at least offer some amount of compensation, as well as hold those responsible accountable for their actions and inactions that allowed this to occur.
Filing a lawsuit can be a daunting prospect, so Top Class Actions has laid the groundwork for you by connecting you with an experienced attorney. Consulting an attorney can help you determine if you have a claim, navigate the complexities of litigation, and maximize your potential compensation.
