In our experience serving child sex trafficking victims, sex trafficking most often happens as a controlling relationship that uses psychological manipulation.

Sex trafficking is a symptom of a much more deeply-rooted issue: relational brokenness.

Studies and research show that victims of trafficking, traffickers, and sex buyers have often experienced abuse in their homes and communities. This unhealthy experience molds their definition of reality and sets them on a path of exploiting others or being vulnerable to victimization.

People who purchase sex increase the demand.

As the National Human Trafficking Resource Center explains, “Sex trafficking is a market-driven criminal industry that is based on the principles of supply and demand. Therefore, people who purchase commercial sex increase the demand for commercial sex and likewise provide a profit incentive for traffickers, who seek to maximize profits by exploiting trafficking victims.”