What Tactics Are Used in Sex Trafficking

Sex trafficking is a serious problem in Louisiana and throughout the U.S. Victims are in cities large and small, and contrary to popular belief, they’re often kept in their home country, even the community they’re from.

Often, victims of sex trafficking are targeted because they have unstable home lives, such as abusive or neglectful parents or romantic partners, have low self-confidence, are financially unstable, or need work. However, anyone can become a victim.

Regardless of how a victim is forced, coerced, or manipulated into performing commercial sex acts, the impacts of human sex trafficking are vast. Unfortunately, the digital age has made identifying targets and grooming even easier.

The tactics used in sex trafficking vary, but they all tend to come down to preying on or creating vulnerabilities, and then exploiting them; victims are specifically and carefully chosen, and several factors keep them from escaping or being able to seek help. Understanding the tactics used in sex trafficking is crucial to protect yourself and spot warning signs.

Common Sex Trafficking Tactics Used by Perpetrators

According to U.S. legislation, sex trafficking involves the use of force, coercion, or fraud to get someone to engage in a commercial sex act. It’s important to note that the law differs for minors; no use of force, coercion, or fraud is necessary.

The methods perpetrators use to recruit victims are multifaceted and evolve over time. The following are the most common tactics used in sex trafficking, some of which are strategies to both recruit and maintain control over victims.

Promises of a Better Life

Individuals who are in need of a job or housing – financial stability and security – are often targeted for sex trafficking. They may be directly approached online, at the mall, or on the street, and job ads are frequently used to recruit victims. Convincing targets that they’ll make the money they need to survive and provide for their families, or that they’ll have a lavish lifestyle with endless opportunities, is a highly effective tactic for recruiting sex trafficking victims.

False promises of a better life can also come in the form of offering victims a way to escape unstable homes and relationships. Perpetrators identify and groom teenagers and children with abusive or neglectful parents, as well as individuals who are experiencing domestic violence or are unhappy in their relationships. Victims are promised a safe haven and support, but in reality, unimaginable suffering lies ahead.

Building Relationships

Another way sex trafficking victims are groomed and controlled is through romantic relationships. Many survivors of human trafficking report that the perpetrator was initially charming, supportive, and attentive. However, the relationship is exploited, and victims are psychologically manipulated, intimidated, and/or emotionally abused.

False relationships that perpetrators build also come in the form of friendships. They target people with low self-confidence or who struggle at home and offer support and comfort to gain their trust. Victims feel seen, appreciated, understood, and most importantly, accepted for who they are, but the trust is later used to isolate them further.

Grooming through Technology

While there are many benefits of the internet, technology is widely used to recruit human trafficking victims. It’s made it even easier to target victims, especially teens, children, and those on dating apps, and is a common tactic used in sex trafficking.

Once trust is gained through discovering interests, wants, needs, weaknesses, and vulnerabilities, perpetrators may convince victims to delete or use apps that hide their conversations. Secrecy is the focus, and sadly, technology has made it even easier for perpetrators to elude law enforcement because they can cover their tracks through false online profiles and programs that are difficult to find or access.

In addition to providing a positive connection to the victim, the internet is used to discover and increase weaknesses to groom them for sex trafficking. Perpetrators further break down the confidence and self-esteem of their targets; they may engage in online harassment, and further demean and shame victims. The deeper the vulnerabilities, the greater the risk of becoming a sex trafficking victim.

Threats and Acts of Violence

Some traffickers use fear of harm to gain control over victims of human trafficking. They may be physically or sexually abusive or threaten violence. It’s common for these threats to extend to the victim’s family. Fear of loved ones being harmed is an effective motivator for victims to do what they’re told.

Victims of human trafficking who face threats or acts of violence feel they have no choice but to protect their loved ones from harm. This tactic may be used to get them to begin engaging in commercial sex acts, but also as a way to keep victims in line. The looming threat of violence creates a sense of hopelessness, and victims may fear for their lives.

Tactics to Maintain Control Over Sex Trafficking Victims

The control that perpetrators of human trafficking wield over victims is immense. They use several tactics to recruit victims and make them feel like there’s no way out. Ongoing emotional abuse that breaks their self-esteem, and/or being consistently threatened, creates a sense of worthlessness. Sometimes, they’re manipulated into believing they’ve chosen their situation – they don’t realize they’re victims.

By the time victims of sex trafficking are isolated from their support systems, it can be easy to convince them that they have no options – that they’ll end up on the streets, won’t get a job, and won’t be accepted or forgiven by their families if they leave. In a lot of cases, perpetrators control access to social media and cell phones and withhold money, making human trafficking victims dependent on them for basic necessities.

Those who are targeted because they suffer from substance abuse or drug addiction are kept under control through access to drugs. The idea of owing a debt is another tactic used in sex trafficking and sometimes ties into drug use; victims are convinced they must “pay off” what’s owed, but conveniently, the debt never goes away, and new debts are added.

While many human trafficking victims want to break free, they lack the resources to get help or are kept under watch by those involved. It can be even harder to help those who don’t believe they’re victims.  

Legal Options for Sex Trafficking Survivors

Perpetrators of sex trafficking are skilled at what they do. Sadly, they’re also skilled at eluding law enforcement. Because of this, the only justice many survivors get is through a civil sex trafficking lawsuit, which can seek compensation for the extensive effects of being trafficked. These sex abuse lawsuits also hold accountable the businesses, organizations, and individuals who profited from sex trafficking.

Given that tactics used in human trafficking affect victims on a psychological, emotional, physical, financial, and social level, the healing process for survivors is complex. Counseling, support programs for substance abuse, and care and treatment for injuries from physical or sexual violence are some of the medical needs of sex trafficking survivors, all of which can be quite costly.

They usually require help finding housing and employment, and since others control their basic necessities, survivors rarely have any sort of financial stability once they break free. These factors, along with the effects on mental health and permanent health problems or scarring, are all considered when determining how much compensation to pursue in a civil human sex trafficking lawsuit.

Then there’s justice and accountability. U.S. human trafficking legislation allows victims to seek compensation from parties that profited from, enabled, or were directly involved in trafficking. Thanks to the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVRPA), there have been positive changes within industries, especially in hospitality.

At Herman, Katz, Gisleson & Cain, our Louisiana sex abuse lawyers have helped victims get the compensation and justice they deserve. We provide a safe space for survivors to share their stories and learn their legal options. If you were a victim of human sex trafficking, contact us online or at 1-844-943-7626 for a free, confidential case consultation.