Sex trafficking affects all aspects of a woman’s life. Looking at the situation from the outside, it appears that women only sell their bodies for money. On the contrary, women experience many hardships that come with the job. Violence is one of the main concerns that coincide with prostitution and sex trafficking. Rape, sexual assault, sadistic sex, physical violence, and other use of weapons, all play a role in prostitution (Raymond & Hughes, 2001). Men expect women to comply with all of their requests and if they do not the situation could get violent. These women have had men pull guns, knives and other weapons on them, they will physically make the women do what they want, which may lead to rape, and even their pimps will beat them if they do not make enough money in a given night. Prostitutes also deal with being harassed, stalked, kidnapped, videotaped, and robbed. On occasion, their property is damaged out of the buyer’s anger and frustration (Raymond & Hughes, 2001). When these women tell their pimps or authorities about the violent acts, no one does anything. It is assumed that since they are prostitutes, they get what they deserve.
Another major concern about prostitution is AIDS and sexually transmitted infections. Seventy-three percent of women that prostitute say men will pay more to have sex without a condom. Because they are in need of money or the pimps want them to make as much money as possible, they typically agree (Raymond & Hughes, 2001). This creates a high incidence rate of AIDS and STI’s. Women also face the risk of becoming alcoholics or addicted to drugs. The men that bring the women over may give the women drugs to make them compliant or the women will use drugs to not feel nothing while selling themselves (www.acf.hh.gov/trafficking). The physicals harms are great but women that are trafficked do not have a choice in the matter.
