Summary: The Underground System Of Sex Trafficking

The underground system of sex trafficking is a global issue as the number of victims continue to increase within the United States. I chose to discuss the topic of sex trafficking in relation to the influence of social media, specifically within the Dallas, Texas area. As I have engaged in much research over this topic, I have found that bringing awareness is the most influential tool society has in hopes of warning potential victims.

Sex trafficking is defined as a "modern-day slavery that involves the use of force, fraud or coercion to obtain some type of labor or a commercial sex act (Johnson 2014)." Social media has become a main source of the way society interacts with each other, especially the younger generation. Youths obtain access

Social media is used to recruit victims of all ages into the sex trafficking circle; however, social networking could be used to relieve victims from the market completely. Because technology is already such an important tool within the sex trafficking market, technology could also be used for the better in helping find the victims that are taken involuntarily. I generated a plan to incorporate social media into the sex trafficking system with a positive outlook. Victims who feel as if they cannot leave the system can text a “safe word” to a discrete text line that would allow them to have access to the hotline, without having to speak out loud in fear they will be heard. Young teens and even adults who feel trapped within the sex trafficking system would then feel like there is someone out there who will listen to them without being questioned. Another way that technology could have a positive impact on sex trafficking is switching the roles of the abuser and the victim online. A trained professional would insert themselves into websites and chat rooms used to lure victims into the system and play the role of a victim. This would allow the recruiters to be

For this project, I accompanied my expert (and family member), Kristi, to an awareness meeting that her local church organization gives. The meeting was not specifically over sex trafficking, but it was included. Because she used to work for a sex trafficking escape organization in Dallas and Houston, I gained much hands- on knowledge that she learned over the years. Most of the discussion over sex trafficking was in regards to creating a prevention awareness about the underground system. We discussed how most parents are not involved in their teenagers social media lives and that they do not realize how dangerous it could be. After engaging in the meeting, I took away the idea of creating a parent and youth awareness meeting to get the word out about the underground sex trafficking of humans and how serious it is. However, I would have at least two groups, separating parents and youths so they would each feel more comfortable and focus on the issue