SEX TRAFFICKING

Sex trafficking involves recruiting, transporting, and coercing people into commercial sex acts against their will. An estimated 76,000 people are trafficked across borders each year, while cities in California are among the top 13 cities for trafficking in the US. Victims are often controlled through debt, loyalty, physical abuse or locked locations, while traffickers exploit victims' vulnerabilities for profit. Readers are encouraged to learn about warning signs and speak up to help end trafficking.