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manipulate victims. At present, 26 states 85 and DC specifically define the meaning of force and coercion in
the context of sex trafficking (Polaris Project 2013).
As noted in finding 2, all states and DC should mandate training to ensure that law enforcement
personnel are equipped with the knowledge necessary to identify and pursue cases of human trafficking.
These trainings should explicitly address the vast forms of nuanced fraud and coercion employed by
pimps to control individuals that engage in sex work.
Finally, all states and DC should require that certain establishments post information relating to either
state or national sex trafficking hotlines. By targeting establishments where sex trafficking may take place,
these efforts can help connect individuals seeking assistance with the necessary information to access
services.
Practice Implications
The above findings indicate that coercion, manipulation, and fraud, sometimes coupled with violence, are
critical to pimps’ facilitation of sex work. However, evidence of coercion and fraud can be more difficult to
identify than physical signs of violence and abuse. In coordination with prosecutors, law enforcement
trainings should focus on both victim and offender interview techniques to identify signs of fraud and
coercion. In addition, local and federal prosecutors, law enforcement, and judges should be trained on the
evidence necessary to prove fraud and coercion according to both the federal Trafficking Victims
Protection Act (TVPA) standards and the legal standards of state human trafficking laws. To successfully
try cases with evidence of fraud and coercion, prosecutors will also require training on how to present
evidence of fraud and coercion to juries. In addition to law enforcement, mental health service providers
should also be trained on how to assist victims who have been psychologically manipulated and coerced
by a pimp to engage in sex work.
As noted in finding 4, local education campaigns are critical to teach both boys and girls about sex
trafficking. It may be more difficult for victims to articulate experiences of fraud and coercion than stories
of physical violence. Educational campaigns in schools that depict the coercive psychological techniques
used by pimps to target and control victims will help both victims and their allies identify signs of fraud
and coercion.
Finding 7: While pimps have varying levels of knowledge regarding law
enforcement tactics and sentencing surrounding sex trafficking,
offenders believed that pimping was less risky than other crimes,
including drug trafficking.
Firsthand reports on the perceptions of offenders are critically important to understanding the possible
deterrent effects of current law enforcement initiatives and criminal sentencing. While the majority of
respondents stated that arrest is a foremost “risk” of pimping, they also routinely reported that they
believed pimping was less risky than other crimes.
Some pimps believed that pimping offenses could only be charged as misdemeanors, while others thought
they would not be pursued by law enforcement or prosecutors. Prior to arrest, multiple respondents
believed that pimping was neither a felony nor a crime that was ever enforced by the police or pursued by
prosecutors. Others believed that pimping wasn’t a crime at all. As a result, respondents often assumed
that they were immune to prosecution or highly unlikely to be locked up for pimping. In fact, some
respondents reported transitioning from drug dealing to pimping because they perceived the UCSE as a
lower risk.
85 The 26 states with sex trafficking statutes defining coercion and force include: Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia,
Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New
York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin (Polaris Project
2013).
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