Sex Trafficking

Sex trafficking is a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. 1591. It covers anyone who recruits, entices, harbors, transports, provides, obtains, advertises, maintains, patronizes, or solicits a person for a commercial sex act using force, fraud, or coercion. When the victim is under 18, no force, fraud, or coercion needs to be shown.

The Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act also gives survivors a civil claim, and that is where most lawsuits come from. Under 18 U.S.C. 1595, a survivor can sue the trafficker and also anyone who knowingly benefited financially, or by receiving anything of value, from participating in a venture that the defendant knew or should have known was engaged in trafficking. That "beneficiary" language is why lawsuits have been filed against hotels, motels, online platforms, and other businesses accused of profiting while ignoring red flags.

The deadline is longer than for most civil claims. Under 18 U.S.C. 1595(c), a civil trafficking lawsuit must be filed within 10 years after the claim arose, or within 10 years after the victim turns 18 if the victim was a minor. Survivors can recover damages and attorney's fees.

These are individual lawsuits, and many are filed using initials or pseudonyms to protect survivors' privacy. If you are in immediate danger, call 911. The National Human Trafficking Hotline is 1-888-373-7888. For legal options, see our pages on human trafficking lawsuits and Roblox and Discord exploitation. A free case review is confidential.