SEX TRAFFICKING MUSEUM
DIGITAL EXHIBIT
Sex trafficking involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain a commercial sex act. Traffickers use violence, manipulation, false promises of well-paying jobs, romantic relationships, fear tactics, isolation, language barriers and various other methods to lure their victims into trafficking situations. Sex trafficking occurs domestically and across international borders.
Traffickers specifically target victims who are susceptible to manipulation because of economic hardship, previous abuse, lack of family stability, lack of felt safety, political instability and many other factors. At its core, trafficking is the exploitation of vulnerability.
Houston's proximity to the U.S—Mexico border makes it the halfway point for smuggling and trafficking operations. Interstate-10 connects Houston to major cities on the East and West Coast, including Miami and Los Angeles. Traffickers often move people across different cities to capitalize on new markets and prevent victims from establishing relationships. Frequent travel makes it difficult for people to reach out for help.
There is no consensus on how many people are in prostitution. Criminal trafficking networks operate under the radar, making it difficult to estimate how many people are sex trafficked in Houston. There is also no empirical study on sex trafficking as a whole in Houston; the studies done focus on varying portions of the commercial sex trade. We know the studies and statistics available don't even scratch the surface of the enormity of the trafficking industry. The following slides show statistics from recent research done in Houston, TX.
Busch-Armendariz, Noël, Nicole Nale, Bruce Kellison, Melissa Torres, Laurie Heffron, and John Nehme. 2016. "Human Trafficking By The Numbers: The Initial Benchmark Of Prevalence And Economic Impact For Texas". The University Of Texas At Austin, School Of Social Work, Institute On Domestic Violence And Sexual Assault.
Busch-Armendariz, Noël, Nicole Nale, Bruce Kellison, Melissa Torres, Laurie Heffron, and John Nehme. 2016. "Human Trafficking By The Numbers: The Initial Benchmark Of Prevalence And Economic Impact For Texas". The University Of Texas At Austin, School Of Social Work, Institute On Domestic Violence And Sexual Assault.
The Avery Center (2021, June 29). Houston, we have a problem: Cost of risk to traffickers, buyers and victims in the commercial sex... Medium. Retrieved February 10, 2022, from https://angie-henderson.medium.com/houston-we-have-a-problem-cost-of-risk-to-traffickers-buyers-and-victims-in-the-commercial-sex-5af1c79d0f8f
Vanessa Bouche & Sean M Crotty (2017) Estimating demand for illicit massage businesses in Houston, Texas, Journal of Human Trafficking, DOI: 10.1080/23322705.2017.1374080
Sex trafficking occurs in diverse venues and the methods of coercion and sexual exploitation vary greatly. There are also emerging methods of trafficking that aren't included in our list. This is a general overview of types of trafficking we see in Houston.
Illicit Massage Businesses are business fronts used to cover up a human trafficking and/or money laundering criminal organization. This method of trafficking makes up a portion of the Asian sex trafficking market and generates an estimated revenue of $107 million annually in Houston.
Cantinas are bars typically located in majority Latino neighborhoods that operate like brothels or a meeting place for men to purchase women and minors. Prostitution is facilitated through bar transactions. Traffickers may work in partnership with the establishment or they may be owners.
Strip clubs may facilitate prostitution in nearby hotels, VIP rooms, or dimly lit upstairs rooms. Clubs are also recruiting grounds for pimps. Strip clubs may also participate in sex trafficking by hiring minors to work in the club.
Also referred to as "the track" or "blade" or "stroll", these are areas in town where prostitution is common. Stories of children sex trafficked on the streets, women tortured by sex buyers and pimps, violence, and even death are common.
In some cases, truck stops are used for sex trafficking because truckers themselves are involved in the process. Truck stops serve as easy-to-access rest and transfer points in the human trafficking industry because the male-dominated nature of truck stops makes them an ideal place for commercial sex.
Sex trafficking occurs in hotels that rent rooms by the hour and/or partner with pimps. Some hotels turn a blind eye to prostitution taking place in the hotel. Hotels can also facilitate labor trafficking within their staff.
Trafficked women and minors may be forced to take photos and post commercial sex ads of themselves online. Arrangements are made online and the meeting place is usually a residential brothel, hotel, or the sex buyer's residence.
Familial trafficking occurs when a family member (trafficker) gives offenders sexual access to victims or pornography in exchange for something of commercial value.
Pornography is simply prostitution with a camera present. Most explicit sites have no method to verify age or consent of people in videos posted online.
This list is not exhaustive, and every situation of trafficking is nuanced and complex. We anticipate the landscape continuing to change. As awareness spreads, criminal enterprises will adapt new methods to continue exploiting individuals for profit.
Stephen Klineberg is the author of the book Prophetic City: Houston on the Cusp of a Changing America. The book is based on a thirty-eight year study on how Houston has emerged as a representation of the future of America. Houston is ethnically and culturally diverse, and the economy continues to diversify and grow. While the city is continually plagued by commercial sexual exploitation thriving in every part of Houston, our prayer is that Houston will become a model in the nation for solutions to the sex trafficking epidemic in the world.
Josephine Butler