Connecting Two Worlds: The Intersection of Drug Addiction and the Sex Trade
Dominique D. Burns & Huynh T. Son | September 22 | 10:10 - 11:10 AM | Room 2592
The drug trade industry is the biggest underground network next to human trafficking. With this commonality, we can see how these two global issues intersect and are closely linked. Contrary to popular belief and media representation not all sex trafficking survivors are dependent on drugs prior to being trafficked. There are several ways drug use intersects with sex trafficking including control, coping, drug purchase/sale, and recruitment. Drug addiction is intrinsically linked to the sex trade, an estimated 40 to 85 percent of people trafficked are engaged in one of the ways drugs intersects with the sex trade (National Center for Biomedical Technology, 2016). Drug addiction and severe mental health problems, including posttraumatic stress disorder are barriers to exiting the sex trade (Valera, Sawyer, & Shiraldi, 2001).
Presentation Objectives:
· To expose attendees to concepts and terms associated with drugs and the underground commercial sex trade.
· To increase awareness of the intersects of drug addiction and the sex trade.
· To discuss and increase knowledge on approaches and resources for trafficked survivors.