About Sex Trafficking

Definition: Sex trafficking is the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, obtaining, patronizing, or soliciting of a person for the purpose of a commercial sex act in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such act has not attained 18 years of age.

SAN DIEGO

has been in the top 8 high-intensity areas for commercial sexual exploitation of children in the nation

13-16 YEARS OLD

is the national average age of entry into the sex trade

$810 MILLION

made from the illicit sex trade in San Diego in just one year

3,417-8,108

sex trafficking victims estimated per year in San Diego alone

If trafficking is everywhere, why can't I see it? 

Because victims of trafficking…

  1. Are hidden in plain sight. Traffickers isolate and intimidate their victims so they live in constant shame and fear. By keeping them constantly moving on a circuit, victims are kept disoriented and without a means to escape. 

  2. Are betrayed by people they know and trust and may feel deeply connected or even grateful to the captor. 83% of confirmed sex trafficking cases in the United States were US Citizens

  3. Are not held in physical chains, yet physical and psychological abuse prevent them from running away or asking for help. Traffickers condition their victims through various methods of violence and manipulation to keep them mentally and emotionally enslaved. 

  4. Cannot easily come forward  for help. Through psychological conditioning, most don't identify themselves as victims. Others believe there is no way out, as they have been completely stripped of their identity and worth. 

  5. Are subject to traffickers’ threats and coercion to control victims. Forced drug use and threats against family and loved ones are common. This violence encourages victims to cooperate to avoid additional punishment. 

  6. May appear to be alone, but her trafficker is likely nearby watching her every move. Controlling personal documentation, when she eats, sleeps and what she wears, the trafficker takes complete control over her life. 

“Stories become weapons in the hands of human traffickers – fantastical tales of romantic love everlasting and happily ever afters, or tall tales about decent jobs, good wages, waiting for vulnerable workers, just over the horizon. Sometimes, the stories themselves raise red flags. Let’s say, for example, a teacher learns her student plans to run away with a man who promises to make her a model.”

- Taken from Polaris Project, the leading organization in national data and research, and the organization responsible for managing the National Human Trafficking Hotline

How to Recognize the Signs

  1. Someone appears to be newly showered with gifts or money or otherwise become the object of some kind of overwhelming, fast-moving and asymmetric (young/older; wealthy/struggling) romantic relationship.

  2. The person is developing a relationship which seems “too close” with someone they know solely on social media.

  3. The person is offered a job opportunity that appears too good to be true

  4. A person is recruited for an opportunity that requires them to move far away but their recruiter/prospective employer evades answering their questions or is reluctant to provide detailed information about the job.

  5. Is the person accompanied by someone who seems controlling or abusive?

  6. Do they have to ask permission to eat, sleep or go to the bathroom?

  7. Is the person rarely allowed in public? Can they go out in public alone?

  8. Do they have more than one cell phone?

  9. Can you detect physical or psychological abuse?

  10. Is someone else collecting their pay or holding their money for "safe keeping"?

Keep in mind that many victims have a strong sense of distrust and do not see themselves as victims. Being discrete is essential as their trafficker is likely near by.  If you see someone that appears to need help, please contact the National Trafficking Hotline (1.888.3737.888) or your local law enforcement.

Please visit polarisproject.org for more information on human trafficking.

Key Human Trafficking Legislation

  • Modern federal action against human trafficking traces back to the 13th Amendment’s abolition of slavery in 1865. While early prosecutions relied on narrow statutes, a robust legislative framework emerged in the 21st century to combat trafficking more comprehensively.

    Major Acts Include:

    • Trafficking Victims Protection Act (2000): Established the “3 P’s” — prevention, protection for victims (via health services and immigration relief), and prosecution (creating new forced-labor and sex-trafficking offenses)

    • Reauthorization Acts (2003, 2005, 2008, 2013): Expanded criminal tools (e.g., RICO inclusion, extraterritorial jurisdiction), victim services (grants, unaccompanied children screenings), supply-chain accountability, and corporate and government coordination

    • Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act (2015): Strengthened prosecution of traffickers and buyers, directed forfeited assets to victim restitution, and required a national anti-trafficking strategy

    • TVPA Incremental Updates (2017–2018): Improved victim screening, federal performance tracking, industry partnerships, and diplomatic monitoring; targeted forced labor in diplomatic settings and supply chains

    The TVPA’s international provisions expired in September 2021 and have not yet been reauthorized, meaning the U.S. has been waiting over three years for that specific reauthorization.

    • International Provisions: These are the parts of the TVPA that deal with the U.S. government anti-trafficking programs abroad. They expired in September 2021 and have not been reauthorized.

    • Domestic Provisions: Some parts related to domestic victims were renewed in legislation passed in late 2022, extending protections for victims within the U.S.

    • Ongoing Effort: A new reauthorization bill was passed by the House of Representatives in early 2024, but was pending Senate action. A separate bill, the “Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2025,” was introduced in late 2025.

    Learn more here.

  • California has been a national leader in advancing anti-trafficking legislation, enacting laws to strengthen victim protections, increase accountability for traffickers, and promote public awareness. Survivors can access compensation for lost income and other crime-related expenses, confidentiality protections, case management, trauma therapy, forensic medical exams, legal assistance, child services, and connections to a multitude of community partners, all under one roof at San Diego Family Justice Centers (https://ospsandiegocounty.gov/ or https://www.sandiego.gov/yoursafeplace/help ). The state requires hospitality workers and law enforcement to receive trafficking prevention training and mandates that certain public businesses post hotline notices. Human trafficking education has also been mandated in the following San Diego County school districts: San Diego Unified, Sweetwater Union High School, Escondido Union High School, San Dieguito Union High School, Poway Unified, and San Pasqual Union Elementary School. Additional measures support youth victims, extend civil statutes of limitations, and hold large companies accountable for preventing trafficking in their supply chains.

    California's Assembly Bill 379 (AB 379) is a new law signed in August 2025 that combats human trafficking by criminalizing loitering with the intent to buy sex and strengthening penalties for soliciting minors. The bill also provides for survivor support by creating a new fund for providers of care for sex trafficking survivors. 

    Key provisions of AB 379:

    • Misdemeanor for loitering:

    It is now a misdemeanor to loiter in public with the intent to purchase commercial sex. 

    • Felony for soliciting a minor:

    It is a felony for an adult to solicit sex from a 16- or 17-year-old (previous legislation covers younger minors).

    • Survivor support:

    The bill establishes a Survivor Support Fund to provide resources for victims. 

    • Increased penalties for businesses:

    It increases civil penalties for businesses that do not comply with human trafficking requirements. 

    • Education and training:

    It requires probationers to complete a human trafficking education program and ensures that law enforcement continues to receive training and support in combating human trafficking. 

    • Reporting requirements:

    It requires a report to the Legislature and Governor on counties that receive funding, the number of prosecutions, and convictions. 

    Learn more here.

If you are in immediate danger or in need of immediate assistance, please call 911 or the following hotline numbers:

507-769-0819

Safe House Project

233733

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