Sexual slavery occurs when people are lured and/or forced into engaging in illegal sexual activity—such as pornography or prostitution—in exchange for money that is then used by individual criminals or criminal organizations.
The victims of such a crime are usually, but not always, women and girls from impoverished areas. In addition to being sexually exploited for profit, they are frequently raped or abused by the traffickers.
The criminals that promote sexual slavery use several tactics in order to snag their victims. In some cases, they may pose as talent scouts or modeling agents. Other "recruiting" strategies include bogus promises regarding various types of employment. After the traffickers spring the trap, the victims are forced into the national or international "sex industry."
A vulnerable group targeted in the United States is runaways. These "street kids" are easy prey for traffickers because they often have no legitimate means to secure food or shelter. According to some estimates, most American youths that take to the streets engage in prostitution, thereby increasing the chances of being sexually exploited by unscrupulous individuals.