Human Trafficking and Sex Work

Source
Working Group on sex work and human rights
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Year
2012

This concise guide to the difference between sex work and trafficking - and what a response to trafficking grounded in sex worker rights looks like - discusses the key differences between sex work and trafficking; the differences that make the habitual conflation of the two not only inaccurate but also a hinderance to tackling actual exploitation, and a threat to the human rights of sex workers.

The resource notes, "'demand' for sex work is not a predominant driving factor for trafficking" and "confusing sex workers with trafficked persons erases the voices of sex workers, worsens their working conditions, adds to their general stigmatization and impedes discussions on ways to end human trafficking". It notes that trafficking numbers are unreliable, current policies are ineffective, and 'rescue' missions are not the answer. It describes the impact of raids, and how sex workers in India and elsewhere have contributed to effective anti-trafficking efforts.

You can download this 2 page PDF resource above.

This resource is in English.