Philadelphia Sex Trafficking Victim Lawyer

The trafficking of individuals to perform forced prostitution and other sexual acts against their will has increasingly become a problem here in Philadelphia.

According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, they received 1,080 signals that year here in Pennsylvania alone, 341 of which they confirmed were from individuals who were human trafficked. At least 153 of those cases were sex trafficking ones.

While we hope that you’ve found safety if you’re reading this, we know how long the road to recovery can be for individuals who were unsuspectingly taken away from everything they once knew, moved to a new area, and forced to work in the sex trade. Getting back on your feet once again will likely require you to first get help to cope with what you’ve been through, and each Philadelphia sex trafficking victim lawyer on our team is ready to help you do just that.

Our work together begins with a confidential consultation in our office. That meeting is free and aims to apprise you of your rights to hold those who took and held you against your will, making you do things you didn’t want to liable for their actions. If you’re ready to discuss your options, send us an email or call our law office, Laffey Bucci D’Andrea Reich & Ryan, to be connected with an attorney now.

Pennsylvania Trafficking Victim Demographics

The National Human Trafficking Hotline compiles demographic data for all sex and labor trafficking victims in PA. Their most recent data shows that, in 2021, the following was true:

• An overwhelming majority of the victims were adults (129); however, another 42 were minors subjected to this sexual abuse
• Most victims were females (154), whereas only 17 were males
• Numbers were split about half and half in terms of how many of the trafficking victims were U.S. citizens (15) versus foreign nationals (17)

Where Sex Trafficked Individuals Are Forced To Work

The same National Human Trafficking Hotline resource shared above discusses where sex trafficking victims in PA end up being forced to work. Those venues include:

• Illicit massage parlors and spa businesses
• Residences, perhaps including in brothel-like settings or as to-your-door escorts
• Hotels or motels, perhaps as prostitutes or to-your-room escorts
• Truck stops
• In other cases, traffickers place online ads without trafficking victims’ consent and send them out to other venues or have them work in the pornography industry

They may also be forced to work at bars, nightclubs, and strip clubs as well as different types of beauty salons.

Compensation You May Be Eligible To Receive by Filing a Lawsuit

As you’re well aware, as a former human trafficking victim, traffickers aren’t great caregivers. Lingering medical concerns are unaddressed, which may mean that you have untreated sexually transmitted diseases acquired from your customers that need to be treated.

Additionally, if your trafficker provided you with alcohol and drugs to help you persevere your captivity and long workdays, you may have developed a dependency on one or both substances that you need professional help to address.

And, if you’ve faced physical or verbal abuse in addition to regular unwanted sexual assaults you’ve been forced to endure, it’s likely that you may have significant mental health concerns to work through with a counselor in therapy.

Each of the aforementioned is an example of different concerns that you may want to confront head-on but need the financial resources to do so. A Philadelphia sex trafficking victim lawyer can certainly help you do that by assisting you in filing a lawsuit.