Combating Sex Trafficking: The Strategies of the U.S. and United Kingdom

The trafficking in persons for sexual exploitation is a worldwide problem. The international community is engaged in addressing this problem. One of the major issues associated with sex trafficking is that its severity is ultimately unknown. While the majority of government and NGO research indicates sex trafficking victims number in the hundreds of thousands or millions, some academic researchers argue these statistics are inaccurate. In the United States, there are federal and state laws empowering prosecutors and police officers. Law enforcement efforts involve operations conducted at the international, state and local levels. Education and training programs designed for criminal justice practitioners and the general public take place in the classroom and through the Internet. In the United Kingdom, legislation is also in effect to empower prosecutors and police officers. Law enforcement efforts are also conducted at the international and local levels. Training and education are also available for the general public and law enforcement communities. Both nations have evaluated their efforts in attempting to make improvements. While the U.S. and U.K. are actively engaged in combating sex trafficking, the unknown severity of the issue makes it difficult to determine success or failure of the efforts in place.