Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking in the United States: A Victim-Centered Approach

Abstract

The United States is one of the world’s largest sex-trafficking markets. Many of the victims are victims of Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking (DMST). DMST involves the recruitment, harboring, and transportation of a person, who is a citizen or a permanent resident of the United States, under the age of 18 years for the purpose of commercial sex (TVPA 2000). It has been estimated that approximately 150,000–300,000 U.S. children are at risk for commercial sexual exploitation in the United States each year. However, despite the fact that DMST is a rapidly growing problem in the United States, only recently has there been legislative efforts to address this serious problem. In this chapter, the authors, using a victim-centered approach, examine the nature and extent of DMST and the legislative and social responses to the victims of DMST.