What Is Human Trafficking?
Tennessee Human Trafficking Hotline
855-558-6484
The Definition
Sex Trafficking occurs when someone uses force, fraud, or coercion to cause a commercial sex act with an adult, or causes a minor to commit a commercial sex act.
The Problem
- There are an estimated 50 million people being trafficked in the world today, with an estimated 6.4 million being trafficked for sexual exploitation. UN’s estimates human traffickers’ annual illegal profits exceed the annual profits of Walmart, Visa, Amazon, Google, and Apple combined. (International Labour Organization)
- Of those being trafficked for sexual exploitation, 80% are women and girls. (International Labour Organization)
- Sex Trafficking is estimated to be a $236 billion business – it is the 2nd largest criminal enterprise and fastest growing crime in the world. (U.S. Department of Homeland Security)
- Every 2 minutes, a child is trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation in the United States. (U.S. Department of Justice)
- Almost 300,000 American children are at risk annually for trafficking into the sex industry. (U.S. Department of State)
- Over the last 8 years, minor sex trafficking reports have dramatically increased from 66 in 2016 to surpassing 600 by 2021. (Tennessee Bureau of Investigation)
- There are girls as young as 5 and 6 years old in the U.S. that are forced to do sexual acts for economic gain by their trafficker. (U.S. Department of Justice)
- A 2011 report by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation concluded that no county in Tennessee was immune to the crime of sex trafficking. Today, 100% of counties in TN have reported cases of sex trafficking. (Tennessee Bureau of Investigation)
- An estimated 42 minors are trafficked every month in Tennessee; more than 500 each year. (Tennessee Bureau of Investigation)
- The majority of tips dealing with minor victims (45%) involve children between the ages of 13 and 17 years old. It should be noted that 47% of all the tips received by the involving minors originate with DCS/CPS. (Tennessee Bureau of Investigation)
- In 2011, four TN Counties (including Davidson) reported more than 100 cases each over a 24 month period. Number of tips received have continued to increase over time. (Tennessee Bureau of Investigation)
- Studies show that traffickers prey on individuals presenting vulnerabilities including: mental health concerns, experiencing or living in a household involving physical or sexual abuse, substance use disorders, involvement in the child welfare or foster care system, unstable housing, and/or living at or near the poverty level. (Polaris)
- Over half of traffickers knew their victims, including romantic partners and family members. (Polaris)
- Through a grooming process, traffickers will gain trust and meet needs before isolating and exploiting the victim, increasing the likelihood that the victim will become attached and repeatedly return to the trafficker. This process can occur entirely online. (Polaris)
- Reports estimate that 70-90% of commercially exploited individuals have a history of childhood sexual abuse. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)
- Data shows that in the United States, approximately 40% of sex trafficking victims are recruited online, making the Internet the most common place where victim recruitment takes place. (Alexandra Gelber, U.S. Department of Justice)
- There are not enough dedicated beds in shelters across the country to house the number of survivors seeking restoration. There are only a handful of shelters that are specifically dedicated and equipped for this particular client group. Rest Stop Ministries was the first long-term, 24/7 staffed, comprehensive residential restoration program specifically designed for adult female survivors of domestic sex trafficking in Tennessee.
The Solution
- The Tennessee General Assembly has passed over 50 new pieces of legislation regarding human trafficking since the 2011 TBI report.
- Tennessee is a “safe harbor” state with laws that decriminalize prostitution for minors, treating them as victims instead. (Shared Hope International)
- Tennessee ranked #1 in the 2013 State Report Card of the Protected Innocence Challenge graded by advocacy leader Shared Hope International on 41 key legislative components to fight the crime of domestic minor sex trafficking, and maintained an “A” rating through 2019. (Shared Hope International)
- Shared Hope International released the Advanced Legislative Framework, ensuring robust and trauma-informed protections for trafficking victims. In the first year of the new Framework, TN received a “D” rating, increased to a “B” in 2022, then in 2023 was ranked #1 in the U.S. with an “A” rating. Tennessee is the ONLY state with an “A” rating. (Shared Hope International)
- The Grace Empowered Project, led by the Attorney General’s office, gives first offenders arrested for prostitution an opportunity to seek exit strategies and survivor services. However, there are few shelters and long-term rehabilitation programs in TN. (Davidson County Office of the District Attorney General)
- Tennessee is a Tier One (Green) State regarding our legislative infrastructure according to the Polaris Project, another leading National advocacy group. (Polaris)
- Beginning February 9, 2016 Nashville instituted the first-in-state Human Trafficking Intervention Court dedicated solely to human trafficking cases in order to expedite and be more “victim services” oriented. (Davidson County Office of the District Attorney General)
- Tennessee has criminal provisions addressing the “demand” side, or buyers of commercial sex. The John School seeks to reduce recidivism rates and curb demand. (John School Davidson County)
- Tennessee has a State Human Trafficking Task Force comprised of a network of collaborative partners from state agencies, nonprofit leaders, legislators, law enforcement, survivors, subject matter experts, researchers, and community leaders. (Office for Victims of Crime)
- The 2013 Comprehensive Plan for the Delivery of Services to Human Sex Trafficking Victims published by the Tennessee Department of Human Services as a result of this statewide task force concludes that Tennessee communities don’t have sufficient services designed specifically for trafficking survivors; rehabilitative services for survivors remain disjointed.
- Rest Stop Ministries is a nonprofit 501c3 faith-based organization dedicated to comprehensively restoring female survivors of domestic sex trafficking. We follow a housing-first model and provide holistic survivor-centered, trauma-informed care in a long-term residential community.
Get Support
We welcome referrals and applications from advocates, agencies, or survivors.
Human Trafficking is modern-day slavery, plain and simple. It happens here. And it has to stop.
