Sex Trafficking & The Super Bowl
Super Bowl LIX is just around the corner, and this means the spotlight is being pointed at the sex trafficking problem in New Orleans. This negative spotlight is the one downside of hosting the Super Bowl and often creates a misconception that sex trafficking is only happening in that area or only during the big game. Reality is very different.
Yes, sex trafficking will increase in New Orleans during the big game. The New Orleans Human Trafficking Task Force has already expanded its manpower to prepare for this increase. However, the problem is not limited to one weekend in one city. Sex trafficking is running rampant around the country 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
The number of victims is nearly impossible to measure effectively, but we do know that the internet has allowed this crime to grow rapidly. There are an estimated 150,000 new escort ads posted daily on the internet with 75% of victims reporting being sold online after 2004 [1]. While not every escort ad is for someone who is being trafficked, this is the mechanism traffickers use to advertise their victims in plain sight.
The process of purchasing a human can be as simple as purchasing something from Amazon.
Shining the spotlight on these victims for one day out of the year does a huge disservice to the fight to end this form of slavery. This misconception must be challenged, and communities must begin to realize that many victims are trafficked long before kickoff and will be long after the final whistle blows.
Suber Bowl and Trafficking
The Super Bowl is one of the largest annual events here in America and traffickers are seeking events that cause large populations of people to gather. Any event that creates a situation in which a great number of people are congregated in one geographical location draws attention from traffickers. Even events as small as the local county fair and charity golf tournament can increase trafficking in an area. It is not limited to the big sold-out stadium concerts and March Madness-type events.
Remember traffickers need to find those willing to buy sex to be successful. A greater population of people makes the job of connecting with buyers easier.
Some traffickers travel great distances to capitalize on events. The Super Bowl is another example of this occurrence and has become an excellent avenue for highlighting this crime, however, we must remember the Super Bowl is not alone in its attractiveness.
How You Can Help
Research shows that less than half of 1% of victims are identified to law enforcement for recovery. This means women and children are being exploited and communities are not identifying what is happening to them, regardless of if there is a big event going on or not.
Guardian Group exists to change this! We are uniquely situated to identify victims of this crime to law enforcement partners across the nation for recovery.
As you prepare your go-to game day snacks and get ready to cheer your team to that coveted Super Bowl ring remember that most victims are not forced into the sex trade moments before kickoff and let go after the final whistle blows. This crime is larger than the biggest game of the year and deserves the spotlight every single day.
References:
[1] Thorn (2018, January). Survivor Insights: The Role of Technology in Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking [PDF].