Research Paper on Online Human Trafficking: Exploitation Enabled By Internet Platforms

Introduction

Human trafficking and prostitution is not the new scenario, the internet is the emerging resources where sex traffickers find potential women, sell them for sexual exploitation, and coverer up their own identity (Allen, 2019). As a result of highly unrestricted internet nature, pimps and purchasers of the trafficked children and women use the internet platform to engage in criminal activities with minimal prosecution risk. The internet also enables individuals who participate in the exploitation of children and women to share the information with the audience through the World Wide Web, thus neutralizing victimization of the trafficked children and women. Because internet websites are globally accessed, this paper discusses how social media and pop culture influences human trafficking and prostitution, plus the future of legalizing prostitution industry for the safety of those women who want to engage in commercial sex work voluntarily.

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Unveiling the Shadows: Social Media's Role in Facilitating Sex Trafficking

Social media opens up platforms for sexual violence among women, sex trafficking being a significant example of these new avenues. Traffickers always control and gloom their victims using online platforms, as predators quickly pose on the internet as the person who is looking for a new date as a way of building trust and recruiting victims (Farley et al., 2013). Traffickers use the presence of social media for those posts that suggest loneliness, the problem at home, or low self-esteem as a way of identifying vulnerable children and women because such posts signal the trafficker that the person is easily victimized. The risk of online victim recruitment minimal compared to in-person recruitment. Many victims whore are recruited online sometimes never meet the traffickers; the study of 2018 states that 55% of the minor survivors of sex trafficking victims in 2015 reported having met their traffickers through the website texting, or mobile app for the first time (Farley et al., 2013). The study also states that 58% of the victims met their traffickers in person, but 42% of the victims never met their traffickers physically. Evaluating these cases, the power to overcome victims seems to be exerted by manipulation and grooming, in addition to threats and coercion.

Pimp Culture's Influence: Glorification and Coercion in Sex Trafficking

Pimp culture glorifies and influences sex trafficking. Lured pimps in the illegal industry facilitated coercion, abuse, and selling of women's bodies (Withers, 2017). More also, systematic pressure such as unemployment influences sex trafficking as one of the pimps in an interview reported having been influenced by the homestead people whom they grew up with and the neighbors who were engaging in the sex trade. Besides, an online game of Pimp My Gun, with similar premises of Pimp My Ride on MYV show, highlights another influence of sex trafficking. Jay-Z, who composed the song Gig Pimpin that got into the whole generation of young people, no regrets about the song because the language of Pimp culture legitimizes a dehumanizing and violent industry, which makes it difficult in combatting sex trafficking. In addition, pop music is becoming notorious in the industry of sexism, both covering song lyrics with popularity and female artists. With an increased number of television coverage on human trafficking and the emerging number of movies that describe sex trafficking makes media to shape popular perceptions of people involving in this criminal activity.

Digital Marketplaces of Exploitation: Online Advertisements and Trafficker Control

Online advertisement of websites such as Adultwork and Vivastreet also influences human trafficking and sexual exploitation. These websites use adverts which reveal the name, photo, contact, and location as a way of creating communication and marketing tools of steady supply and demand for the traffickers (Withers, 2019). A buyer that scrolls through these adverts is unable to differentiate between a consensual and coerced sex worker because the online profiles are being controlled by the traffickers. In Cambridge, a brothel was sampled out through Adultwork on woman advertising profile, using police safeguard visit, it was identified that neither of the three women inside made the access of their profiles and the advertisement was being managed by an external person.

A Safer Future: Legalization as a Solution to Human Trafficking and Prostitution

Like any other industry, human trafficking and the prostitution industry is expected to continue growing; therefore, it should be legalized. By regulating and legalizing the exchange of the commercial sex industry, sex trafficking will decrease in the future and get replaced with a legal market (Cho et al., 2012). This will create a safe environment for those women who voluntarily want to engage in prostitution. Moreover, they will be able to market themselves using open platforms. Men who participate in the consumerism of commercial sex will also never engage themselves with victims of sex trafficking because they will have a patronized legal opportunity. Legalizing prostitution will keke the industry free fromblack market, brothels will acquire and make frequent renewal of the hygiene and safety license for their operation, in addition, street prostitution will be regulated. In addition, sex workers will not be accused as criminals; therefore, it will them to smoothly access law enforcement systems with the courage to reporting any dangerous behaviors they encounter during their services. Finally, legalizing prostitution will generate revenue, thus expanding the industry, reduce sexual diseases, and allocate low enforcement resources.

Conclusion

Human trafficking and prostitution on the internet result in forced sexual exploitation. Social media and the internet have emerged as the new resources of conducting these activities because of its global linkage of people. Victims have been gloomed and controlled by traffickers, and others have been trapped through pop culture. Legalizing the industry of prostitution emerges as one of the measures that can reduce sex trafficking and enhance the safety of those women who voluntarily want to engage in this industry.

References

Allen, C. (2019, March 7). The Role of the Internet on Sex Trafficking. https://observatoryihr.org/blog/the-role-of-the-internet-on-sex-trafficking

Cho, S. Y., Dreher, A., & Neumayer, E. (2012). Does legalized prostitution increase human trafficking?. World Development, 41, 67-82 https://eprints.lse.ac.uk/45198/1/Neumayer_Legalized_Prostitution_Increase_2012.pdf

Farley, M., Franzblau, K., & Kennedy, M. A. (2013). Online prostitution and trafficking. Alb. L., Rev., 77, 1039. https://heinonline.org/HOL/AuthorProfile?base=js&search_name=Farley,

Withers, M. (2017, April 28). Pimp Culture Glorification and Sex Trafficking. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/modern-day-slavery/201704/pimp-culture-glorification-and-sex-trafficking