End Sex Trafficking

The novel coronavirus COVID-19 has affected many people in many countries. It has disrupted economies and society in unprecedented ways. For marginalized populations who live with poverty, health inequities, and other burdens, the outbreak could be especially brutal. Communities that are marginalized, under resourced and underserved will always suffer more during a crisis. This can cause lasting negative effects and can push people into bad situations, such as sex trafficking.

Outbreaks are associated with several well-documented trafficking risk factors, from the breakdown of rule of law and increase in criminal activity, to competition for resources and diminished economic opportunity. Disease outbreaks can also disrupt family ties. Pandemics can, at least in the short term, increase crime, weaken law enforcement, and generally divert government attention and resources away from activities like social service provision, general healthcare services, anti-corruption activities, and border controls.

All of these factors can push marginalized people with few economic opportunities to look for other outside options that can make them vulnerable to trafficking. It can also send survivors of sex trafficking back into that world as the financial impact of less, or no work, takes a toll on them. In addition, although trafficking affects all genders, marginalized women are especially vulnerable to these conditions and can often have young children which makes their situation more dire.

The impact of the coronavirus will have lasting negative effects on society and the economy for a long time. More thought needs to be given to the devastating effects that it will have on marginalized people and the growth in the sex trafficking idustry that it will cause. We at 3 Generations will continue to tell the stories of people who face injustice and the many people who are enslaved in sex trafficking. Please visit our website to view these stories and for more information.