What perpetuates human trafficking? Poverty, political instability, an individual’s own vulnerabilities, and gender inequalities all contribute. What many people often don’t recognize as a contributor to sex trafficking, however, is pornography.
It’s a hidden factor because people don’t want to talk about it. Human trafficking remains a “wicked” problem because it is inextricably bound to a plethora of other issues, including market demand in the commercial sex industry. The normalization of pornography in the 21st century increases demand, and increased demand ensures that supply will continue. If supply is to decrease, demand must decrease.
As a major form of organized crime, human trafficking generates about $150 billion annually. Out of the estimated 40.3 million people enslaved globally through human trafficking, 79% are sexually exploited. Sites like Pornhub, which, prior to being closed was the world’s leading free porn website, have been known to profit from filming rape, sexual abuse, and child sex trafficking. In 2019 alone, this one website received 42 billion visits. While estimating the revenue generated by the porn industry is difficult, since most porn companies are private businesses, it likely generates between $6 billion and $15 billion annually.
A 2010 research study analyzing 50 popular porn films found that, out of 304 scenes, 88% depicted physical violence and 49% depicted verbal aggression. Pornography is in such high demand because viewers, including sex traffickers, wish to act out what they observe in scenes. Traffickers gather ideas from porn and force victims to watch so they know what is expected of them. Scenes depicting physical and verbal aggression lead to worse abuse towards victims.
Pornography blurs the line between consensual and non-consensual acts, and viewers often cannot distinguish between the two. We may not often consider whether actors have given fair and complete consent to the terms, and whether or not they were told specifically what they were expected to do. Consent gained by manipulation is not consent.
Another problem that arises is the continued exploitation of victims online even after they leave the industry. If they were trafficked, the exploitation continues to make a profit through repeated views.
Everyone can contribute to the fight against human trafficking. One of the best ways to reduce demand for trafficking is to address the demand for pornography.
Together, we can say, “Your no is her hope.”
Susan Peters
With support from Sarah Berning, Professional Writing Intern
Follow the link below to learn about what common signs identify someone as a sex trafficking victim: https://unboundnow.org/human-trafficking.
