After class articles and extended research on human trafficking, I have been amazed at how unaware I was of an issue that is so destructive and important to address, and is going on in my country--even in the city where I live. When I read about the sex-ring in Minneapolis that was busted last fall, I was completely blown away. This is an incredibly harmful issue that is hardly being acknowledged at all.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/24/us/24gang.html?pagewanted=all
New York Times- Article on the sex ring in Minneapolis
It is a very hard situation to deal with, especially because of the inexperience our own authorities and gov't have in handling these types of crime. The lack of updated law and knowledge on the issue is making it very difficult for progression to be made on the fight against human trafficking in the US. There needs to be more research, heightened awareness, and action taken by gov't and law enforcement to begin to tackle an issue that is spreading so rapidly, yet so quietly across our country.
http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2011/05/sex-trafficking-201105
This article in Vanity Fair is the story of two girls in Connecticut who are sucked into the underground sex-trafficking world, and does a very good job of showing how the government struggled to handle the case as it was slowly uncovered. It is very scary to think about, but this "business" has been very appealing to many because of the demand, profit, and because of the low risk of being caught due to the lack of awareness in our country. I highly suggest reading the article, it is a little long but it is a very interesting story and gives you a look into the world of sex trafficking that is being carried out in our own backyards.
I agree that there needs to be more emphasis put on human trafficking by the government and it needs to be more of an open topic. Many people aren't aware that sex trafficking is a domestic issue (I wasn't until recently). And I think that the solution to this is more acknowledgement and education provided by the gov. You make a good point on how the industry is appealing because of the demand, profit, and low risk. Demand especially is scary as it is the driving force behind the industry.
You make good points about the lack of government action on the topic of human trafficking. There should definitely be more research circling around about this heartbreaking issue, and I think a particular emphasis should be placed on doing studies involving the customers, or 'johns' since they are the driving force behind these crimes. I actually used that same article from Vanity Fair about the girls in Connecticut for my second discussion paper. I knew that trafficking does occur in the United States, but reading stories like these makes the issue so much more prevalent and real in the eyes of the reader. It is like you can imagine yourself in their shoes, since they probably came from a background that was not much different than ours.