Sex trafficking in the U.S.

Data from Gracehaven:

Between 325,000 to 421,000 youth in the U.S. are either actively involved in sex trafficking or are at high risk of becoming involved.

A University of Pennsylvania Study estimated the following:
Numbers of children at risk of Commercial Sexual Exploitation:
208,000 children not living in their own homes
7,000 children living in their own homes
400 gang members and street youth
32,000 international youth
Total is approx. 325,000

A second study* performed in 2006 looking at a nationally representative sample of 13,294 adolescents found that 3.5% of American adolescents had exchanged sex for money or drugs. According to U.S. Census data, that’s 421,415 American adolescents!


*Edwards, J., Iritani, B. and Hallfors, D. “Prevalence and correlates of exchanging sex for drugs or money among adolescents in the United States”. Sex Transm Infect 2006;82:354-358.

And, a video worth watching from the New York Times.