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Human Trafficking and
PORNOGRAPHY STATISTICS

According to Alan Wilkett, Pasco County Florida Sheriff Retired, President of Warrior 321, and Chair of the Human Trafficking Foundation: human trafficking is defined as “when one person takes advantage of another person’s vulnerabilities for commercial gain.”

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The United States Department of State defines Human Sex Trafficking as “when force, fraud or coercion is used to cause a commercial sex act with an adult.  Force, fraud or coercion need not be present for sex trafficking to occur with a child under the age of 18.  When a commercial sex act occurs with a child under the age of 18, it is by definition sex trafficking.”

The United States Institute Against Human Trafficking (USIAHT) states that “Sex Trafficking is modern-day slavery, happening everywhere in the United States.  The victims can be US citizens or of any nationality, age, socioeconomic status, or gender.  Sex Trafficking is a highly profitable crime that exploits an adult through force, fraud, or coercion, or that engages a child in any form of commercial sexual exploitation.”

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According to Micah Washinski at the USIAHT, “There are more victims of slavery today than there were at the height of the slave trade of the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries.”

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According to humanrightsfirst.org in 2014, Human Trafficking claimed 40.3 million people and $150 billion in global revenue, making it nearly the largest illegal trade on planet earth – second only to drugs.  The revenue breaks down like this: $99 billion from commercial sexual exploitation; $34 billion in construction, manufacturing, mining and utilities; $9 billion in agriculture, including forestry and fishing; $6 billion is saved annually by private households that employ domestic workers under conditions of forced labor.”

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“While only 19% of victims are trafficked for sex, sexual exploitation earns 66% of the global profits from human trafficking.  The average annual profits generated by each woman in forced sexual servitude is estimated to be six times more than the average profits generated by each trafficking victim worldwide,” according to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

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OSCE studies show that sexual exploitation can yield a return on investment ranging from 100% to 1,000%, while an enslaved laborer can produce more than 50% profit even in less profitable markets (e.g., agricultural labor in India).

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According to PENN STATE UNIVERSITY

General Facts - 

  • In 1949, the United Nations adopted a resolution in favor of the decriminalization of prostitution, which has been ratified by 50 countries.

  • The average age of someone entering into prostitution is 14 years.

  • At least 75% of prostitutes were sexually and physically abused as children.

  • The majority of prostitutes become addicted to alcohol or drugs.

  • The National Task Force on Prostitution suggests that over one million people in the US have worked as prostitutes.

  • Estimates in some larger cities found that 20-30% of prostitutes are male.

Abuse – 

  • 70% of prostitutes have experienced multiple rapes by their customers, pimps and strangers.

  • One report cites 60% of the abuse against street prostitutes is perpetrated by clients, 20% by police, and 20% in domestic relationships.

  • Some prostitutes are raped between 8 and 10 times a year or more.

  • Of those raped, only 7% seek help and only 4% report the rape to the police.

  • A recent study showed that, in case of rape and abuse, 5% of the perpetrators impersonated police officers, often producing badges and police identification.

Mental State – 

  • Some researchers suggest that prostitutes, in general, suffer from negative identities or lack of self-esteem.

  • According to one study, 76% of call girls considered suicide.

Clients – 

  • In a study in London, 50% of clients were married or cohabitating.

  • 70% of adult men have engaged in prostitution at least once.

General Facts - 

  • In 1949, the United Nations adopted a resolution in favor of the decriminalization of prostitution, which has been ratified by 50 countries.

  • The average age of someone entering into prostitution is 14 years.

  • At least 75% of prostitutes were sexually and physically abused as children.

  • The majority of prostitutes become addicted to alcohol or drugs.

  • The National Task Force on Prostitution suggests that over one million people in the US have worked as prostitutes.

  • Estimates in some larger cities found that 20-30% of prostitutes are male.

Abuse – 

  • 70% of prostitutes have experienced multiple rapes by their customers, pimps and strangers.

  • One report cites 60% of the abuse against street prostitutes is perpetrated by clients, 20% by police, and 20% in domestic relationships.

  • Some prostitutes are raped between 8 and 10 times a year or more.

  • Of those raped, only 7% seek help and only 4% report the rape to the police.

  • A recent study showed that, in case of rape and abuse, 5% of the perpetrators impersonated police officers, often producing badges and police identification.

Mental State – 

  • Some researchers suggest that prostitutes, in general, suffer from negative identities or lack of self-esteem.

  • According to one study, 76% of call girls considered suicide.

Clients – 

  • In a study in London, 50% of clients were married or cohabitating.

  • 70% of adult men have engaged in prostitution at least once.

General Facts - 

  • In 1949, the United Nations adopted a resolution in favor of the decriminalization of prostitution, which has been ratified by 50 countries.

  • The average age of someone entering into prostitution is 14 years.

  • At least 75% of prostitutes were sexually and physically abused as children.

  • The majority of prostitutes become addicted to alcohol or drugs.

  • The National Task Force on Prostitution suggests that over one million people in the US have worked as prostitutes.

  • Estimates in some larger cities found that 20-30% of prostitutes are male.

Abuse – 

  • 70% of prostitutes have experienced multiple rapes by their customers, pimps and strangers.

  • One report cites 60% of the abuse against street prostitutes is perpetrated by clients, 20% by police, and 20% in domestic relationships.

  • Some prostitutes are raped between 8 and 10 times a year or more.

  • Of those raped, only 7% seek help and only 4% report the rape to the police.

  • A recent study showed that, in case of rape and abuse, 5% of the perpetrators impersonated police officers, often producing badges and police identification.

Mental State – 

  • Some researchers suggest that prostitutes, in general, suffer from negative identities or lack of self-esteem.

  • According to one study, 76% of call girls considered suicide.

Clients – 

  • In a study in London, 50% of clients were married or cohabitating.

  • 70% of adult men have engaged in prostitution at least once.

Additional INFO TO CONSIDER

In the article “Substance Abuse and Prostitution” by M. H. Silbert, A. M. Pines & T. Lynch, a study of 200 street prostitutes documented a high prevalence of alcohol and drug abuse in their family of origin, during the drift into prostitution and as part of prostitution… 55% of the subjects reported being addicted prior to their prostitution involvement (so it is not clear whether it was prostitution that caused their drug involvement).  However, 30% became addicted following and 15% concurrently with their prostitution involvement.

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According to lifenews.com, forced abortion is an “especially disturbing trend in sex trafficking.”  L. J. Lederer’s 2014 study of over 100 sex trafficking victims shows that 55% of the women surveyed had at least one abortion, and 30% had multiple abortions during the time of trafficking.  Of these, more than half responded that the abortion was not their choice, and many responded by saying that the pressure from pimps to continue the trade did not allow for the time to carry a baby.  “Notably, the phenomenon of forced abortions in sex trafficking transcends the political boundaries of the abortion debate, violating both the pro-life belief that abortion takes innocent life, and the pro-choice ideal of women’s freedom to make their own reproductive choices.”

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According to the United States Institute Against Human Trafficking (USIAHT), more than 15% of all men in America purchase sex.

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According to the United States Institute Against Human Trafficking (USIAHT), 85% of those sold in sex slavery were abused as children.

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According to the United States Institute Against Human Trafficking (USIAHT), 90% of victims are arrested for selling sex; less than 10% of buyers are arrested.

QUICK FACTS

• Worldwide, there are 40.3 million human trafficking victims, with 75% women and girls and 25% children, according to the International Labour Organization.

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• 4.8 million people are involved in forced sexual exploitation worldwide, with more than 1 million of those victims being children under the age of 18 years, according to the International Labour Organization.

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• New studies show that up to 36% of sex trafficked children in the U.S. are males, according to the USIAHT.

USIAHT further stipulates that between 60% and 70% of trafficked children in the U.S. come from child social services or the foster care system.

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• Studies show that 90% of women want to get out of prostitution but feel trapped or simply do not know how, according to the USIAHT.

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• The U.S. Department of Homeland Security states that human trafficking is modern-day slavery and involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act.

An estimated 1 in 7 runaways are likely victims of sex trafficking, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, 2017.

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• LGBTQ youth are more vulnerable to being sex trafficked because they have higher runaway rates, as a result of more discrimination, violence and economic problems than their non-LGBTQ peers, according to the U.S. Department of State and Polaris.

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• According to the U. S. Department of Justice, the average age a child first becomes a victim of sex trafficking is between 12-14.

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• 84% of those in sex slavery were sexually abused as children, according to World Without Exploitation.

According to Loyola University’s Annals of Health Law, 92% of victims are physically assaulted.

More than half of prostituted or trafficked women began selling sex when they were children, according to Demand Forum.

In Jersey City, NJ, a comprehensive approach including reverse stings reduced prostitution by 75%, according to Demand Forum.

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• According to Demand Forum, reverse stings and shaming reportedly removed Wilkes-Barre, PA from a domestic trafficking circuit, and reduced the number of women engaged in street prostitution locally by 75%.

According to Demand Forum, over 2,100 cities and counties in the U.S. have attempted to combat demand for commercial sex.

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• Comprehensive effort including “kerb crawler” arrests and john school reduced prostitution in Ipswich, England by 40-80%, according to Demand Forum.

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• The San Francisco john school reduced re-arrest rates by over 40%, according to Demand Forum.

According to Demand Forum, about 10% of men in the U. S. buy sex from prostituted or trafficked women and girls.

The 19 “National John Suppression Initiative” (NJSI) operations from 2011-2021 have involved the collaboration of over 140 law enforcement agencies, and have collectively produced the arrests of more than 10,000 sex buyers, according to Demand Forum.

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According to Pure Desire Ministries, “We live in a world that many have described as “pornified.”  Porn has become mainstream and even normalized in so many ways, leading people to think it’s harmless.  But porn has consequences.  Consequences that lead to abuse, violence and sex trafficking.”

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“Half the John’s in America are Christian men” – Dr. Ted Roberts, Pure Desire ministries

“When you cannot stop your behavior; when you spend more time and money than you thought you would, when you’ve been caught or had consequences and continued anyway; when you’ve made promises to quit and can’t fulfil those promises to yourself, God, your family and your wife, you most likely have an addiction. – Dr. Doug Weiss

According to Dr. Jay Stringer 2018 book “Unwanted”, “One example of where we can see the influence of evil is in prostitution and commercial sexual exploitation.  Men who buy sex often experience alienation and shame for purchasing exploitive, entitled sex, all the while increasing the excruciating alienation and trauma of the women and girls (and males) whose bodies are purchased.  The compounding interest that evil earns from anti-sexual behavior makes it the most profitable enterprise of all time.”

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Dr. Stringer continues: “The statistics associated with unwanted sexual behavior in our world are staggering.  The Society for the Advancement of Sexual Health conservatively estimates that between 3% and 5% of all Americans can be classified as addicted to sex.  This represents an alarming nine to 16 million people.  Additionally, 64% if 13 to 24-year-olds intentionally watch pornography at least once a week.  By the time children become teens and young adults, 62% of them will have received a sext (sexually explicit image via text), and 41% will have sent one.  And if all that were not enough, the average age of initial involvement in prostitution for girls is estimated between 14 and 18 years of age.  Pornography is the most predominant form of unwanted sexual behavior, infiltrating every aspect of the places we live, work, and worship. 

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Consider THESE STATISTICS

  • Porn use will nearly double the probability of a couple’s getting divorced.

  • Approximately 35% of all Internet downloads are porn related.

  • Porn sites receive more monthly traffic than Netflix, Amazon, and Twitter combined.

  • Porn is a $97 billion dollar industry, with as much as $12 billion of that coming from the US.

  • About 57% of our pastors and 64% of our youth pastors struggle or have struggled with pornography.

On the subject of the connection between pornography use and sexual abuse in children, Dr. Stringer concludes that men who had high scores on the sexual-abuse scale were 20 times more likely to buy sex compared to those who had low sexual-abuse scores.

According to the article “15 Mind Blowing Statistics About Pornography and The Church” by Jeremy Wiles at Soul Refiner, the research studies, primarily by the Barna Group and Covenant Eyes, reveal that initial exposure to porn begins in childhood and progresses.  Access to porn is increasingly easy due to the wide variety of formats now available, such as printed materials, the internet, DVDs, television, and more.  Let’s look at some data to see the scope and effects of porn in society and the church:

  1. Over 40 million Americans are regular visitors to porn sites. The average visit lasts 6 minutes and 29 seconds

  2. There are around 42 million porn websites, which totals around 370 million pages of porn.

  3. The porn industry’s annual revenue is more than the NFL, NBA, and MLB combined. It is also more than the combined revenues of ABC, CBS, and NBC.

  4. 47% of families in the United States reported that pornography is a problem in their home.

  5. Pornography use increases the marital infidelity rate by more than 300%.

  6. Eleven is the average age that a child is first exposed to porn, and 94% of children will see porn by the age of 14.

  7. 56% of American divorces involve one party having an “obsessive interest” in pornographic websites.

  8. 70% of Christian youth pastors report that they have had at least one teen come to them for help in dealing with pornography in the past 12 months.

  9. 68% of church-going men and over 50% of pastors view porn on a regular basis. Of young Christian adults 18-24 years old, 76% actively search for porn.

  10. 59% of pastors said that married men seek their help for porn use.

  11. 33% of women aged 25-and-under search for porn at least once per month.

  12. Only 13% of self-identified Christian women say they never watch porn – 87% of Christian women have watched porn.

  13. 55% of married men and 25% of married women say they watch porn at least once a month.

  14. 57% of pastors say porn addiction is the most damaging issue in their congregation. And 69% say porn has adversely impacted the church.

  15. Only 7% of pastors say their church has a program to help people struggling with pornography.

Uncovering  THE TRUTH

Pornography’s public health harms include rising, child-on-child sexual abuse, violence against women, and sexual dysfunctions, and they are impacting millions around the globe - National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCSE).

According to Soul Refiner, Net Nanny reports that only 3% of teenage boys and 17% of girls have never seen online pornography.

According to the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCSE), “the only way to stop sex trafficking is to combat and prevent the root cause of the sexploitation marketplace: sex buying (aka the demand.)

According to the Strategic Alliance to Fight Exploitation in Tampa Bay (SAFE), there were 896 human trafficking cases reported in Florida in 2019.  (National Human Trafficking Hotline)

Trafficking Adults or children is a felony in Florida, according to the Strategic Alliance to Fight Exploitation in Tampa Bay (SAFE).  (Online Sunshine)

According to the Strategic Alliance to Fight Exploitation in Tampa Bay (SAFE), the life expectancy for a child taken into sex trafficking is only seven years from the date of capture.  (News Channel 8)

According to the Strategic Alliance to Fight Exploitation in Tampa Bay (SAFE), in 2018, the Tampa City Council passed a bathhouse ordinance to combat human trafficking.  Only 21 bathhouses obtained the requested permit in 2020.  (News Channel 8)

According to the Strategic Alliance to Fight Exploitation in Tampa Bay (SAFE), in 2021, the University of South Florida, St. Petersburg Campus opened a lab devoted to studying human trafficking research in the state.  (CBS Tampa Bay)

According to the Strategic Alliance to Fight Exploitation in Tampa Bay (SAFE):

  • 2 million children worldwide are trafficked in the commercial sex trade.

  • Hundreds of thousands of American children are being trafficked in the US at any one time.

  • Up to 500 youth are being trafficked in the Tampa Bay area at any one time.

A 2018 study revealed that in 24 hours in one major city, up to 7,900 men solicited sex online, according to the Strategic Alliance to Fight Exploitation in Tampa Bay (SAFE).

According to the Strategic Alliance to Fight Exploitation in Tampa Bay (SAFE):

  • 80% of buyers purchase sex by the time they’re 25 years old.

  • 50+% of Christian men view porn on a regular basis.

There is a vast criminal network selling women and girls’ bodies every day.

Imagine your 14-year-old daughter or granddaughter stuck in a hotel room in Tampa for hours, with endless men coming to have sex with her… she has no control over what happens when the next guy comes in, and sometimes the situation turns bad.  For example, according to the Strategic Alliance to Fight Exploitation in Tampa Bay (SAFE):

  • 50-78% of women in commercial sexual exploitation have been raped.

  • 65-100% have been physically assaulted.

  • 44-83% have had a weapon used against them.

  • ~40% of men said that once they pay for it, they’re entitled to do whatever they want to the women they buy.

“The fact that one human being can feel entitled to purchase and do what they do to the body of another human being, who is created by God and is His child: to mar His image for their own pleasure, is an abhorrence to both the creation and the Creator.” - Alan Wilkett, Pasco County Florida Sheriff Retired, President of Warrior 321, and Chair of the Human Trafficking Foundation.

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