The Problem:
The demand for paid sex and sex trafficking go hand in hand. It all works on supply and demand, so cutting off the market is the place to begin. NCOSE shows the ‘root cause’ to be the buyers. Without them, there would be “no prostitution and no sex trafficking.” Those who are providing the services (often unwillingly) are in danger of physical and emotional harm. Data shows that sex-buying is “strongly associated” with violence against women, including rape. Also, purchasers are more likely to be violent than those who have never paid for sex.
An Inside Look at Men Who Buy People for Sex (Long, 2019, February 14.)
Although 80% of men are not sex-buyers the remainder are active. About 25% (6.25) of sex buyers purchase weekly, or monthly. They are “high frequency’ buyers.” “Nearly one in five of these high-frequency buyers had his first paid-sex experience while he was legally a juvenile.”
Pornography and Trafficking
The research also revealed a correlation between pornography and sex trafficking. Active and former buyers are much more likely than non-buyers to have viewed porn in the past year.
The good news is that about a quarter of the high-frequency buyers are afraid of being arrested and are “considering not buying sex again.” (Long, 2019, February 14).
Sex traffickers are difficult to deter due to market incentives created by sex buyers. The full spectrum of sex traffickers—including peers, family members, and those in positions of power (e.g., police, clergy, institutional caregivers)—are motivated by money, and every dollar in the global sex trade originates from sex buyers. Every victim was purchased by a sex buyer—typically multiple sex buyers per day. Further, “A very small portion of pimps and traffickers are ever arrested. . .they [traffickers] are likely to be replaced as long as demand remains strong and there is profit to be made.”
Why Sex Buyers Must be Stopped and How to Do It (Why and How. 2022)
Gender-based violence is endemic and decried by social movements and human rights
organizations, so it makes sense that sex buyers and the gender-based harm they inflict
must be stopped. Below are several recommendations aimed at achieving this vision.
Recommendations A - G derive from the 2018 report “Who Buys Sex? Understanding and
Disrupting Illicit Market Demand by Demand Abolition.” (Ambassador Swanee Hunt founded Demand Abolition and NCOSE continues the legacy.)
A. Stop arresting the people who are being prostituted and instead arrest the buyers (No buyers, no business.)
B. “Make available federal short-term funding programs to support state and local law enforcement agencies ready to make demand-reduction reforms.”
C. Use fines from convicted sex buyers to pay for “survivor exit services” as well as “effective long-term sex buyer education programs, and law enforcement operations.”
D. Make consequences relevant to the offence, and more severe for repeat offenders. Not just punishment, but punishment with a purpose.
E. Public health services and educational institutions need to counteract the idea that buying sex is normal.
F. Employers must have policies that prohibit employees from buying sex.
G. “Implement targeted prevention campaigns and focus deterrence communications on behavioral ‘nudges’ such as:
· It is safer for men to have consensual sex than to buy sex
· Communications programs that can handle a lot of traffic and would lead men away from the types of sexual activities that correlate with buying sex.
· Focused information from health organizations that would reduce demand.
· Physicians and mental health counselors to let sex-buyers know the risks involved.”
H. Prosecution for so-called “sex tourists” and “sex buyers.”
I. Buyers to be “prosecuted as conspirators to sex-trafficking.
J. Prevent children from being exposed to pornography.
K. “Develop and refine existing demand reduction strategies to target the most active and privileged buyers.”
Success in the UK
One UK town, Ipswich, has arrested ‘Kerb-crawlers’ who are attempting to buy sex from women on the sidewalks. This is a huge step in the right direction. There is also a program to help women, the “Make a Change Service.” “Sex workers have been treated for any addictions they may have had, and there was a change in policing” The welcome change is that “sex workers are now treated as vulnerable victims instead of criminals.” (BBC News. 2016)
“The Make a Change” team, which is made up of multiple agencies and works with vulnerable adults and young people, has provided support to 222 young people at risk of exploitation since it was set up in 2007. They are currently helping 27 teenagers who are in danger of entering the sex trade. They have also worked with 196 adults who were leading chaotic lifestyles, and now the majority are living independently free from violence.” (Suffolk C.C., 2024)
As we can see, the tide is turning toward helping those who are victims of the sex trade and against the real problem of the buyers. We can influence the situation very heavily by communicating with the media and expressing appreciation for all that’s being done to help the victims. It also helps to show people the reality of what suffering sex workers endure. We can add our voices to the ‘helpers’ by letting news writers (newspapers, TV, radio, talk shows, opinion forums) know how we feel. Everyone has to learn, and we probably have a lot we can teach if we are tactful, kind, and appreciative of what is being done. We can work together as concerned citizens and get things moving.
Sources:
BBC News (2016, November 5) https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-37822112.amp
End Sexual Exploitation. https://endsexualexploitation.org/issues/sex-buying/
Kerb Crawlers, (2007, April 9) Ipswich Star Newspaper
Long, S. (2014, February 14). An inside look at men who buy people for sex. End Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE). https://endsexualexploitation.org/articles/demand-abolition-report/
Make-a-Change Service. (2024,) Suffolk County Council (UK).
No Buyers-No Business. Research Report (NCOSE takes over from Ambassador Swanee Hunt)
Original report 2018, updated (2019, July)
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