In 2022, Pakistan, Indonesia, China, India and Bangladesh were in the top 10 for countries with the largest number of trafficking victims around the world. Even so, it is estimated that between 18,000 and 20,000 victims are trafficked into the United States every year – 71% of whom enter the US legally. Since 2007, more than 49,000 cases of human trafficking have been reported to the National Human Trafficking Hotline. The Mexican state of Tlaxcala has been identified as the biggest source of sex slaves to the US. In 2015, five out of 10 of Homeland Security's "most wanted" sex traffickers were from Tenancingo, in Tlaxcala. It is estimated that one in 10 people from Tenancingo were involved in human trafficking.
Even so, child advocates say the commercial sexual exploitation of children and domestic minor sex trafficking occur across the United States, violating the rights and health of far too many children and youth. They say adequate prevention efforts should seek to understand the factors that make minors vulnerable to sexual exploitation. These factors include child abuse and maltreatment, caregiver strain, running away or being thrown away, substance use, peer influence, witnessing family violence or criminality, poverty or material need, difficulty in school, conflict with parents, poor mental health or self-esteem, involvement in child protective services, involvement in juvenile detention or delinquency, early substance use, and prior rape or adolescent sexual victimization.
Pending Legislation: H.R.623 - Human Trafficking and Exploitation Prevention Training Act
Sponsor: Rep. Vern Buchanan (FL)
Status: House Subcommittee on Health (Energy & Commerce)
Chairperson: Rep. Brett Guthrie (KY)
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