Martindale Center- Policy Briefs on the Future of Work

COVID-19 Impact on Human Trafficking: Racial Disparities and Social Media Use 31 it is clear through research that those who face vulnerabili- ties are a greater risk of being trafficked. The sex trafficking industry specifically draws upon feelings of insecurity associ- ated with the vulnerabilities of those whom they target. The COVID-19 pandemic has made a large impact on the vulnerabilities which women of color face. The unemploy- ment and job-loss problem resulting from the pandemic has increased the vulnerabilities of marginalized female popula- tions in the United States. Fully 61% of Hispanic Americans and 44% of Black Americans said in April 2020 that they or someone in their household had experienced job or wage loss compared with 38% of white Americans (Lopez et al.). Simi- larly, by September 2020, 48%of Black Americans and 44%of Hispanic Americans in NewYork City lost their jobs and were still unemployed because of COVID-19, compared to the 21% of white Americans (Elflein). So too, US Labor Department data indicates that unemployment rates among Blacks and Hispanics are the highest in the country and higher among women than men (US Labor). Sex traffickers exploit and ma- nipulate marginalized groups’ vulnerabilities. Unemploy- ment issues or problems with paying bills can create econom- ic tension inAmerican households, causingwomen to be lured into sex trafficking. Immigrant women have been one of the groups most affected by COVID-19, and one of the biggest factors that has led to an increase in sex trafficking vulnerability is access to education. Though most of the United States youth population has been negatively impacted by the switch to online learning, immigrants often do not have the same capabilities to handle this change. Another disadvantage immigrants face is a higher vulnerability to job loss during the pandemic. Most people fall into sex trafficking as a means of attempting to make money and provide for themselves or their families. Furthermore, given that women are more vulnerable to job loss than men, female immigrants face significantly higher risks. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, “employers tend to be more selective during slack labor market conditions,” whichmeans employers are more likely to fire or let go of employees who hinder productivity (OECD). A lack of education and lack of work experience are two factors that unfortunately put female immigrants high up on that list. New technological advancements have aided in the spread of the sex-trafficking industry, especially through the use of social media platforms. The Polaris Project reports that from 2015 to 2017, 845 victims were recruited through the internet (Anthony). However, there are far more suspected victims being recruited through social media, as formal reports of sex trafficking only constitute a small portion of actual cases. It is evident thatnichegroups/individualsarerecruited indistinct ways that correlate to their vulnerabilities. According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, recruitment for sex trafficking consistently occurs on mainstream social media platforms and dating apps such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, WhatsApp, Tinder, and Grindr (Anthony). Many struggling teens turn to the internet to find people who can provide stability and support; traffickers know this and tend to seek out and take advantage of these vulnerabilities. Traffickers pursue potential victims by commenting on their posts, sending direct messages, and building their trust through online communication. Through Facebook and other social media sites, recruiters are able to advertise specifically to the individual they are targeting, changing tactics in accordance with the vulnerabilities of that individual. They will further manipulate in the “boyfriend phase,” convincing victims of potential romantic interest, promise of gifts, and escape from possible unfortunate situations. Some traffickers use their personal accounts, while others will conceal their identity as a model or acting scout looking for talent. For example, 26% of sex trafficking survivors surveyed by Polaris reported their trafficker exploited them via social media (Anthony). Whenfirst entering sexwork, many do it of their own volition. However, this is where social media and the internet have led to control and threats against those who wish to leave the industry. Instances of “revenge porn” or continual stalking of social media accounts lead many who are trying to escape to feel they are unable to do so without experiencing vengeful activity. In the Polaris survey, 32% of these victims reported that their trafficker stalked their social media accounts and would spread lies about them to their other followers in order to gain control. The internet, being so hard to track and monitor, has exacerbated this type of activity. One Polaris Project article noted that, “One survivor of sex trafficking… explained how although her trafficker allowed her access to social media, it was just another tactic to maintain his all- encompassing control over her” (Anthony, 26). On the legislative side, the Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act (2018) creates a civil right for prosecution against online platforms that knowingly promote sex trafficking (“The 2019 Trafficking Victims…”). Further, the Mann Act (1910) prohibits use of the internet to solicit prostitution or sex work. It has led to the shutdown of