Slavery's New Face:
Sex Trafficking of Women and Girls

Slavery is a harsh reality for millions of people the world over who find themselves trapped in an exploitative and abusive system, bought and sold like objects, and treated with no dignity or human decency.

How extensive is modern day slavery's reach? Human rights groups estimate that anywhere between 12.3 million and 27 million people are enslaved in forced or bonded labor, child labor, sexual servitude, and involuntary servitude at any given time.

Slavery exists in a variety of permutations, but all forms of modern day slavery share some common characteristics: slaves are forced to work; are owned or controlled by another person; are dehumanized and treated as commodities; and are physically or psychologically constrained and unable to escape.

One type of slavery and exploitation that is proliferating at an alarming rate—and that has a particular relevance to women and girls—is sex trafficking/slavery. Seventy-nine percent of human trafficking victims are women and girls. Also, seventy-nine percent of the victims of trafficking end up in sex slavery.

Soroptimists around the world are working to end the enslavement of women and girls. Sex slavery is caused by gender inequality that allows the demand for sex slaves to flourish—the belief that there is no harm to purchasing the bodies of women and girls. In order to end sexual slavery, Soroptimists use a multi-dimensional approach that includes raising awareness, assisting victims, preventing slavery from happening in the first place, and advocating for better laws and enforcement.

Learn More
Access sex trafficking resources including facts, statistics, white papers and contact information for anti-trafficking programs.

How to Help
Visit Soroptimist's online volunteer network, LiveYourDream.org, and find out how you can take action to stop sex trafficking of women and girls.

Soroptimist members: Access club resources for administering this program

Access information about sex trafficking in:

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Read Soroptimist's exclusive whitepapers:

White Paper: The New Face of Slavery
This document provides an in-depth look at sex trafficking from both the supply and demand sides, and offers suggestions for successfully combating this form of slavery.

White Paper: Prostitution is Not a Choice
This whitepaper explores how prostitution and sex trafficking are caused by gender inequality and the demand for paid sex.