Transnational Feminism and Sex Trafficking

Abstract

Sex trafficking is one of the most recent forms of sexual exploitation and gender violence to be studied that is known to occur all over the world. This chapter describes how it crosses borders with victims being moved from place to place and, therefore, needs a transnational approach with government cooperation to protect victims. Culture rather than nationalism is a more of a factor in helping protect further victimization. Although sex trafficking affects both women and men, it needs a feminist approach to help understand how victims are kept captive by socioeconomic backgrounds and sex role expectations as well as grooming and more coercive behaviors similar to other forms of gender violence. The authors review many of the recent government actions that have been taken and describe the impact on different theories of feminism such as those who wish to protect exploited victims and others who see women who provide sex as free-choice commercial sex workers. All agree that children need government protection together with calling for improving socioeconomic conditions.