These events often attract the male population with money to spend.
Super Bowl Spotlight: The Dark Side of Big Events – Sex Trafficking Surges Beyond the Game
Enough Is Enough reports:
Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, LA is just around the corner. Each year, we find that the Super Bowl brings much needed attention, awareness and vigilance around the issue of sex trafficking–a crime that occurs when someone is coerced, tricked or forced to work or provide commercial sex.
During the most watched professional sporting event that draws in tens of thousands into the host city, we find each year the Super Bowl puts a spotlight on human trafficking; but in reality, it’s a 365-day problem, and it’s not unique to just the Super Bowl.
Large commercial sporting events – whether the Super Bowl, NASCAR, the World Cup or others– invite large crowds convening people from all over the U.S. and abroad. These events often attract the male population with money to spend. This can lead to an increase in the demand for commercial sex. Demand fuels the commercial sex trade. Traffickers see the potential profits that can be made through their “supply” of sexually trafficked persons – often underaged girls.
Human trafficking is reported to be the second most profitable illegal industry — second only to the drug trade. More than 50% of all victims are under the age of 18; both boys and girls fall victim to sex trafficking.
In a majority of cases, traffickers use the internet to facilitate, identify and groom victims as it provides direct and easy access to them. Ads are then placed on the internet to attract and connect buyers to those who are being exploited for commercial sex.
The bottom line: Sex trafficking is happening every day and anyone can be a victim of this crime. It can occur in any U.S. community—cities, suburbs, and even rural areas. It’s critical for the public to be engaged and informed on this issue and learn to recognize signs of sex trafficking, which among others, may include:
- Signs of malnourishment, sexual or physical abuse
- Letting someone else speak for them or appear to be coached on what to say
- Brands or scarring, indicating ownership
- Frequent absences from school or withdrawing from previously enjoyed activities
- Abrupt disconnection from family and friends
- Being overly frightened, annoyed, resistant, or belligerent to authority figures
- Having unexplained hotel keys, prepaid cards, or items inconsistent with one’s socioeconomic status
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! Enough Is Enough (EIE) continues to engage in prevention efforts to protect children from all forms of online exploitation, working to educate, equip and empower others with needed information and resources. EIE also joins its allies in advocating for enhanced policy that promotes strong and effective online child protection legislation from state and federal governments.
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