How Does Human Trafficking Relate to the Crisis?

Black people are disproportionately impacted by sex trafficking and exploitation, frequently representing the highest rates of trafficking and exploitation among all racial groups. Black women and girls make up 40% of sex trafficking victims, despite only making up roughly 7% of the U.S. population. 51% of youth prostitution arrests involve Black children, while 42% of adult prostitution arrests involve Black adults. Missing persons cases are heavily correlated with human trafficking cases, as the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children found that 1 in 7 of all reported missing children were likely victims of sex trafficking. This number rises to 1 in 6 among endangered runaways, and 17% among children missing from welfare.

Among adults, the data on this issue is extremely scarce. Yet, traffickers tend to target groups impacted by systemic disparities. Black women commonly face racial, gender, and socioeconomic disparities, contributing to increased vulnerability to being targeted by traffickers. Even following the investigation of a case, Black survivors often face racial biases in law enforcement and the justice system. Misidentification (the misinterpretation of trafficking victims as perpetrators of crime) is a recurring issue, particularly among cases involving Black survivors. In addition to this, gender plays a significant role in rates of trafficking. 54% of those exploited in human trafficking cases in general are women and girls (Salvation Army) and 94% of sex trafficking victims were female, according to a Rights4Girls study. Traffickers also tend to seek out socioeconomically disadvantaged women, including Black women who are more likely to experience poverty (Congressional Black Caucus).

Unfortunately, due to these factors, it is difficult to identify the exact number of missing persons cases that can be attributed to trafficking and exploitation. However, the disproportionate rate of missing Black women and girls, combined with the 471% overrepresentation of Black women and girls among female sex trafficking victims indicates a correlation that is driven by similar factors, such as race, gender, and socioeconomic status.