Trafficked: Sex slaves seduced and sold

BBC News - Trafficked: Sex slaves seduced and sold Accessibility links Skip to content Skip to local navigation Accessibility Help bbc.co.uk navigation News Sport Weather Travel Future TV Radio More Search term: US & Canada Home UK Africa Asia Europe Latin America Mid-East US & Canada Business Health Sci/Environment Tech Entertainment Video US Election 2012 22 May 2012Last updated at 10:36 GMT Share this page Delicious Digg Facebook reddit StumbleUpon Twitter Email Print Trafficked: Sex slaves seduced and sold Every year thousands of women are forced into prostitution and traded from Mexico to the United States. The BBC investigates the sex trafficking business, which makes some men very wealthy at the expense of vulnerable young women.

Warning: Viewers may find some of the video content disturbing.

Continue reading the main storyRural traffickers' townSold for sexBrothels on wheels'John School' for clientsTraffickers' town

Tenancingo is a Mexican town built on sex trafficking - with little alternative employment, it's become the only way to make money. Young women from across Mexico are duped into becoming sex slaves by wealthy men living in grand homes, offering them work or even marriage. Needing money for their families, the women discover too late they're being sold into prostitution, often in the US. One Mexican charity estimates there are 1,000 traffickers in Tenancingo, out of a total population of 10,000.

Global trafficking figures$32bnAnnual human trafficking industry (almost £20bn)9.8mTotal involved in unpaid work or prostitution800,000People trafficked across borders every year79%Of people trafficked are women/girlsSource: Congressional Research Service/UN global report on trafficking/ILOSold for sex

"Maria" was 17-years-old when she was lured to Mexico with promises of a new life. Instead she was forced into prostitution and sold from one bar to another. For those women trafficked in Mexico, the capital, Mexico City, is a central hub. From there, many are smuggled to the US, or exploited in border towns and tourist resorts. The Mexican Congress has plans to crack down on trafficking; those accused will be jailed during trial and victims guaranteed anonymity. Corruption among Mexican officials at state level has hampered prosecutions in the past.

Trafficking figures in Mexico100,000Latin Americans trafficked across borders per year47New prosecutions in Mexico City in 20104Trafficking offenders convicted4-17 yearsLength of sentencesSource: Congressional Research Service/Mexico Attorney General's Office'Brothels on wheels'

Many trafficking victims are taken to New York, where they often work gruelling shifts of 10 hours or more. Some women live and work in a brothel, only leaving the building when their pimp moves them to a new location. Other women are advertised on "chica cards", distributed in the street. Customers call the number on the card and women are delivered by car to a customer's house or hotel room. The women live in fear, frequently assaulted by their pimps and customers.

Trafficking figures in New York14-19Average age of victims25-30Average number of male clients per shift$30Average amount paid for 15 minutes$5,250Average a brothel makes a week per womanSource: National Human Trafficking Resource Center'John School'

The US has a federal anti-trafficking law and New York state has its own tough penalties. Though strong laws are in place, the problem is enforcing them. Women who co-operate in trafficking investigations can receive special visas allowing them to work legally. But convicting pimps is still difficult as many of their victims are too terrified to give evidence against them.

Reducing the demand for prostitution is seen as one key to ending sex trafficking. In Brooklyn, New York, the district attorney's office runs a controversial programme to treat men convicted of using prostitutes. Called "John School" the men are taught that the women they are soliciting may be the victims of a sex trafficking operation.

Trafficking figures in the US103Human trafficking cases prosecuted in 2009/10181Individuals charged141Convictions11.8 yearsAverage prison sentenceSource: Trafficking in persons report 2011, US Dept of State Produced by Laura Trevelyan, David Botti, Ignacio de los Reyes, Chuck Tayman, Nada Tawfik, Mark Bryson, Claire Shannon, Luke Ward.

Share this page Delicious Digg Facebook reddit StumbleUpon Twitter Email Print More US & Canada stories RSSMontreal marks 100-day protest

Tens of thousands of protesters fill the streets of Montreal to mark 100 days since the start of protests against a rise in student tuition fees.

Concerns grow over Facebook dealDonna Summer track joins registry Services  Mobile  Connected TV  News feeds  Alerts  E-mail news About BBC News Editors' blog BBC College of Journalism News sources Media Action More … CBBC CBeebies Comedy Food Health History Learning Music Science Nature Local Travel News Full A-Z of BBC sites BBC links Mobile site Terms of Use About the BBC Advertise With Us Privacy BBC Help Ad Choices Cookies Accessibility Help Parental Guidance Contact Us BBC © 2012 The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more.

This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.

View the original article here