Sex Trafficking- A Definition

When we think about the term 'sex trafficking' we all conjure a set of images, specific to our understanding and experience of sex trafficking.

But how is it actually defined? And when Held Dear writes on the topic, what do we really mean?

Sex trafficking is the practice of transporting individuals out of their own country, using force, deception, manipulation, coercion, family pressure, economic deprivation and other conditions of inequality for the purposes of sexual exploitation.

Slavery usually comes hand in hand with sex trafficking. Slavery is defined as the ownership of a person, who under control or domination of another, loses the ability to control his or her life, liberty and fortune.

At Held Dear we have adopted the definitions provided by Lydia Cacho, author of Slavery Inc. The Untold Story of International Sex Trafficking. Lydia is an author we admire, have learned a great deal from and highly recommend.

Sex Trafficking is distinctly different from 'human trafficking,' for more information on that click the link below.

United Nations on Human Trafficking

Learn A Little About Us

It is hard to understand how violence, whatever its form, affects the lives of those who experience it-whether that be as perpetrators or as victims. No two experiences are the same and recovering is not a linear or standardized process.

Sexual violence is a form of violence that disproportionately affects women and children. Their experiences of it can range from the overt, easily recognizable forms of abuse to more subtle, seemingly insignificant ways of exerting power and control over another individual.

All over our world are individuals working tirelessly for the equality and safety of others. They are working to strip violence of it's mask and stop it from unintentionally making its way into our homes, our lives and our holidays to places where women and children are commonly traded as merchandise.

Held Dear is a project, that will eventually become a book to publicize and illustrate the voices from a variety of different individuals and sectors working to combat sex tourism and sex trafficking.

We are focused on this form of violence as it is quickly becoming one of the most lucrative industries for organised crime networks, with an estimated annual profit of over 30 billion. It is an industry that exists because women and children are taken from their homes and forced or coerced to lie down in brothels. Without room for choice, opportunity, freedom and devoid of empathy from the hundreds of customers that come through the doors they are trapped.

We believe that empathy, understanding and tools to tangibly attack this form of violence are the necessary ingredients for safe, violence free lives.