Sex trafficking is a serious issue that many people are trained to spot and report. However, there is a fine line between actual sex trafficking and voluntary engagement in sex work. A few years ago, while going through required trainings at the Naval Postgraduate School, I came across a slide equating adult prostitution with sex trafficking. This raised red flags for me as I believed that sex trafficking involved coercion or minors, not consenting adults.

Upon further investigation, I stumbled upon an insightful interview on Reason’s website with sex work researcher Tara Burns. In the interview, Burns highlights the misconceptions surrounding sex trafficking laws and how they are actually harming sex workers. She found that those charged with sex trafficking were often sex workers themselves, facing double jeopardy by being charged with prostitution and sex trafficking simultaneously.

What’s even more alarming is that those who fit the federal definition of a sex trafficking survivor were more likely to be sexually assaulted by police and denied access to services and support. This ironic twist reveals that the very laws meant to protect victims of sex trafficking are being weaponized against innocent individuals engaging in consensual sex work.

The interview sheds light on the systemic issues within the sex industry that make individuals vulnerable to abuse not only from traffickers but also from law enforcement and service providers. It challenges the common narrative that cracking down on sex trafficking will automatically help those in need, exposing the flaws in our current approach to combating this issue.

It is crucial to reevaluate our understanding of sex trafficking and work towards a more nuanced and compassionate approach that truly helps those in need without causing harm to innocent individuals. The full interview on Reason’s website provides valuable insights into the complexities of sex trafficking laws and the unintended consequences they can have on vulnerable populations.