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Tráfico sexual: El negocio de la esclavitud moderna
Every year, millions of women and children are abducted, deceived, seduced, or sold into forced prostitution, made to service hundreds if not thousands of men before being discarded. Generating huge profits for their exploiters, sex slaves form the backbone of one of the world's most profitable illicit enterprises, for unlike narcotics, which must be grown, harvested, refined, and packaged, the female body requires no such "processing" and can be repeatedly consumed.
In this first-of-its-kind journey, Siddharth Kara investigates the mechanics of the global sex trafficking business across four continents and takes stock of its devastating human toll. Since first encountering the horrors of sexual slavery in a Bosnian refugee camp in 1995, Kara has taken multiple research trips to India, Nepal, Burma, Thailand, Vietnam, the United Kingdom, Italy, the Netherlands, Albania, Moldova, Mexico, and the United States. He has met hundreds of slaves, has witnessed the sale of numerous human beings into slavery, and has confronted some of the criminals who have exploited them.
Drawing on his background in finance and economics, Kara provides a rare business analysis of sex trafficking, focusing on the local drivers and global macroeconomic trends that gave rise to the industry after the fall of the Berlin Wall. He quantifies the size, growth, and profitability of sex trafficking and other forms of modern slavery& mdash;metrics that have never been published before& mdash;and locates the sectors that would be hardest hit by specifically designed interventions and penalties.
Kara supplements his analysis with a riveting account of this unconscionable industry, sharing the moving stories of victims and revealing the shocking conditions of their exploitation. He concludes with a proposal for aggressive measures that target the essential business and economic functioning of the sex trafficking industry designed to provide a more effective global approach to abolishing these crimes against the world's most vulnerable and exploited persons.
The author will donate a portion of the proceeds from this book to the organization Free the Slaves.
384 pages, Paperback
First published October 24, 2008
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About the author
Siddharth Kara
8 books555 followersSiddharth Kara is an author, researcher, and activist on modern slavery. Kara has written several books and reports on slavery and child labor, including the New York Times bestseller and Pulitzer Prize finalist, Cobalt Red. Kara also won the Frederick Douglass Book Prize. He has lectured at Harvard University and held a professorship at the University of Nottingham. He divides his time between Los Angeles and London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews
December 8, 2020
We all know that human trafficking exists. It is one of those inconvenient truths we brush under the carpet, as we go on with our mostly comfortable lives - until we read a book like this, which exposes the abject misery of millions of human beings that our so-called "free" world is built on.
In eight chapters, Siddharth Kara covers the business of human trafficking, mostly for sex, in the following regions:
1. South Asia (India, Nepal and Bangladesh - spotlight on India and Nepal)
2. Western Europe (spotlight on Italy)
3. The former Soviet Union (spotlight on Moldova)
4. The Balkans (spotlight on Albania)
5. Thailand and Burma
6. The United States
What sets this book apart from others on the subject is the author's merciless analysis of the root cause of trafficking - economics. In the first and last chapter, he takes apart the business in purely economic terms and exposes the huge profit margin in the business - because the sex slave can be used again and again, needs no maintenance, and can be discarded once the useful life is over. There are many more where that came from.
The common threads to all these horrendous stories are: crippling poverty; a society which sees vulnerable people, especially women, as perishable goods to use and throw (often sanctioned by local cultural norms); corrupt government systems (border officials, policemen and judges); traffickers and slave-owners who are finely co-ordinated; and a largely ignorant and uncaring world. To tackle this, the author suggests the following steps:
1. Make it unprofitable for the slave-owner by making the economic risk of running a racket prohibitive, by increasing fines and damages to crippling levels. Nowadays, they are so trivial as to be laughable (except in the USA).
2. Create international task-forces to tackle the problem. This will reduce the effect of apathy and corruption at local levels.
3. Make sure that the cases are fast-tracked so that justice is swift.
4. Protect the victims from social stigma. Most of them, once caught, remain in the racket because they can't reintegrate with society.
Even though the suggestions are laudable, one must realise that with the current market-place world, where everything is for sale, they are difficult to implement. Kara agrees. He gives some practical suggestions as to what we ordinary mortals can do.
1. Raise awareness. (That's what I am doing now, by sharing this review. I urge all who read my review to read this book, and put up your own reviews.)
2. Provide financial support to anti-trafficking NGOs.
3. Set up community vigilance committees.
4. Write letters to national lawmakers.
5. Use the power of social media.
It will be an uphill task - after all, prostitution is termed mankind's oldest profession. But if we all chip in, little by little, we can eradicate this horrendous evil.
In eight chapters, Siddharth Kara covers the business of human trafficking, mostly for sex, in the following regions:
1. South Asia (India, Nepal and Bangladesh - spotlight on India and Nepal)
2. Western Europe (spotlight on Italy)
3. The former Soviet Union (spotlight on Moldova)
4. The Balkans (spotlight on Albania)
5. Thailand and Burma
6. The United States
What sets this book apart from others on the subject is the author's merciless analysis of the root cause of trafficking - economics. In the first and last chapter, he takes apart the business in purely economic terms and exposes the huge profit margin in the business - because the sex slave can be used again and again, needs no maintenance, and can be discarded once the useful life is over. There are many more where that came from.
In 2015, there were approximately 1.59 million victims of sex trafficking in the world, generating annual profits for their exploiters of roughly $52 billion. These are conservative estimates that nevertheless demonstrate the broad scale of the phenomenon and the immense profits enjoyed by the exploiters. The global weighted average net profit margin of a sex-trafficking business has dropped slightly from 69.5 percent in 2006 to 67.8 percent in 2015, but it is still the most profitable illicit enterprise on the planet.While Nepali, Bangladeshi and Indian village girls being trafficked to the big cities is old hat, the travails of the former communist countries started with the collapse of the Soviet Union. In the name of "economic restructuring", the IMF imposed a brutal free market regime on these hapless countries as a condition for giving them loans: the aim was not restructuring, of course, but destroying them and putting them at the mercy of the multinationals (we are seeing the next episode that drama now, where the Arab world is being bombed and flattened to "make it safe for democracy"). A population who found themselves impoverished one fine morning, had no choice other than to sell themselves.
India:I can keep on quoting.
Breaking the spirits of slaves begins during transportation and continues once the slave is sold. More torture, rape, and humiliation await slaves as their owners do everything possible to ensure they will service clients submissively and never try to escape. In Falkland Road in Mumbai, a former sex slave turned working prostitute named Mallaika told me that sex slaves were tortured and murdered every day. She told me that minors were mercilessly abused when they first arrived and that they were given opium so they would have sex with clients. If they misbehaved, arms were broken. If they tried to escape, they might have their throats cut in front of other slaves, who were subsequently required to clean up the slaughter as a visceral lesson in the fate that awaited them should they try to escape.
***
Minors are starved and beaten when they first arrive. The gharwali gives them opium so they will have sex. If they do not behave, the malik makes the radio high and beats them until they go unconscious. Just a few days back a minor came from my village and was sold by her parents for twenty thousand rupees [$444]. She refused to have sex, so the malik broke her arm.
***
Nepal:
When I asked the women of Sindhupalchok why the men treated them as they did, I invariably received the same two answers:
“This is our culture.”
“Men want women as slaves.”
***
Italy:
Julia was seventeen and pregnant. She had arrived in Rome from Romania at the age of fourteen. Standing next to her, Alyssia was the same age and born in the same town. They had traveled together with the help of a man who had promised work in a restaurant. Instead, they spent the last three years as street prostitutes in Rome. Their “protector” (pimp) was never far away. He kept them locked in an apartment during the day and brought them to the streets at night. If his girls did not secure twenty clients per night, he would not let them eat. Such “protection” dumbfounded me.
***
Nigeria:
Before this grueling journey begins, the woman must first undergo specific juju rites, in which the woman’s pubic hair, nails, and menstrual blood are collected and placed before a traditional shrine. During the ritual, the woman is made to swear an oath to repay her debt, never to report to the police, and never to discuss the nature of her trip with anyone. Failure to uphold this oath results in grave misfortune for the woman and her family. These rituals create a powerful hold over the victim, so much so that almost no Nigerian trafficking victims ever attempt to es- cape sex slavery before repaying their debts. Unlike the East European street prostitutes I saw in Rome, no protectors kept a watchful eye on the Nigerians. When Nigerian victims are rescued and asked to discuss their ordeals, some enter into trances or suffer fits. Testifying in court is out of the question. Nigerian sex slaves live in constant fear, convinced that they and their families are in imminent danger due to the juju rites.
***
Albania
The Albanians murder the most. When we find Albanian trafficking victims, they beg us not to arrest them because they fear death for their families. This is how the Albanians keep the women from testifying. If a victim is arrested, her family is killed. If she does not have a family, her friends are killed. If she does not have friends, her neighbors are killed. It does not matter, they find someone to kill.
***
Moldova
That night, Uri sold us to a German man. He raped us in the hotel with five other men. They made us have sex with many men that night. The Germans made me work like this for sixteen months. I was kept locked in a hotel room with three other girls.
One client who came was a lawyer. He was named Farooq, and he offered to buy me from the German. The German sold me for four thousand euros. Farooq kept me locked with chains in a room in his home, and he forced me to have sex with men who visited. If I complained, he would cut me with a knife.
The common threads to all these horrendous stories are: crippling poverty; a society which sees vulnerable people, especially women, as perishable goods to use and throw (often sanctioned by local cultural norms); corrupt government systems (border officials, policemen and judges); traffickers and slave-owners who are finely co-ordinated; and a largely ignorant and uncaring world. To tackle this, the author suggests the following steps:
1. Make it unprofitable for the slave-owner by making the economic risk of running a racket prohibitive, by increasing fines and damages to crippling levels. Nowadays, they are so trivial as to be laughable (except in the USA).
2. Create international task-forces to tackle the problem. This will reduce the effect of apathy and corruption at local levels.
3. Make sure that the cases are fast-tracked so that justice is swift.
4. Protect the victims from social stigma. Most of them, once caught, remain in the racket because they can't reintegrate with society.
Even though the suggestions are laudable, one must realise that with the current market-place world, where everything is for sale, they are difficult to implement. Kara agrees. He gives some practical suggestions as to what we ordinary mortals can do.
1. Raise awareness. (That's what I am doing now, by sharing this review. I urge all who read my review to read this book, and put up your own reviews.)
2. Provide financial support to anti-trafficking NGOs.
3. Set up community vigilance committees.
4. Write letters to national lawmakers.
5. Use the power of social media.
It will be an uphill task - after all, prostitution is termed mankind's oldest profession. But if we all chip in, little by little, we can eradicate this horrendous evil.
February 10, 2011
Like the truth, this book has a good and a bad. First, the bad.
This was the worst book I have ever read. I have never felt so sickened, so appalled, so filled with rage as I was when I first read this book. I couldn't make it through 5 pages at a time of a chapter without stopping to breathe and let my blood cool. This book exposes the most disgusting, despicable aspects of the human condition. It explains the business, economics, and nittygritty of human trafficking. His next book is more focused on human slavery in terms of slave labor, where this was an explanation of the global sex trade. This book made me realize that to call human beings animals is a great disgrace to the rest of the animal species, who don't exploit their young and defenseless to the rest of their species, and who don't make a profit on the exploitation of their own young. The stories he shares of former slaves will make you sick with anger and sadness.
That said, this was one of the best books I have read. Siddharth Kara is honest, and his writing is based in data and research, not sensationalism, which I greatly admire. I think that he deserves great reward for the work he has done, and what use to which he has put his brilliant mind, and the risks he took to get first hand impressions of brothels in the most dangerous parts of the globe. I think everyone who can should read this book, then take it with them to lobby or effect change some other way.
This was the worst book I have ever read. I have never felt so sickened, so appalled, so filled with rage as I was when I first read this book. I couldn't make it through 5 pages at a time of a chapter without stopping to breathe and let my blood cool. This book exposes the most disgusting, despicable aspects of the human condition. It explains the business, economics, and nittygritty of human trafficking. His next book is more focused on human slavery in terms of slave labor, where this was an explanation of the global sex trade. This book made me realize that to call human beings animals is a great disgrace to the rest of the animal species, who don't exploit their young and defenseless to the rest of their species, and who don't make a profit on the exploitation of their own young. The stories he shares of former slaves will make you sick with anger and sadness.
That said, this was one of the best books I have read. Siddharth Kara is honest, and his writing is based in data and research, not sensationalism, which I greatly admire. I think that he deserves great reward for the work he has done, and what use to which he has put his brilliant mind, and the risks he took to get first hand impressions of brothels in the most dangerous parts of the globe. I think everyone who can should read this book, then take it with them to lobby or effect change some other way.
August 31, 2012
Kara's book is a great and readable. Despite his warning in the introduction concerning the first chapter, I found the last chapter to be the most techical and number filled. Not that I didn't find it interesting, but the points Kara makes are the type you would find in a business or econmic paper, not surprising considering his background.
The business angle combined with the personal journey does make for compelling reading. Mr. Kara you have no need to apolgize for you sex; you are a great man.
Because of the view in terms of econimc and law, this should be required reading for any president next year and Mr Kara should be put in charge of cracking down on sex trafficking, human trafficking in general, for the United States.
The business angle combined with the personal journey does make for compelling reading. Mr. Kara you have no need to apolgize for you sex; you are a great man.
Because of the view in terms of econimc and law, this should be required reading for any president next year and Mr Kara should be put in charge of cracking down on sex trafficking, human trafficking in general, for the United States.
February 6, 2025
"the world had indeed degraded into a plague of lust, greed, deceit and violence. Untamed desire ran amok, governing the descent of man." - Was my quote that stuck with me the most.
The book was written really well, absolutely tragic stories from around the world. After reading this book (for class) I would recommend it to anyone, however I am left speechless and heartbroken. Lead on O' King Eternal.
The book was written really well, absolutely tragic stories from around the world. After reading this book (for class) I would recommend it to anyone, however I am left speechless and heartbroken. Lead on O' King Eternal.
April 18, 2009
Excellent overview, incredibly well-researched. Kara's prose gets a bit overwrought at times, but given the subject matter he is exploring, I can forgive that. His suggestions going forward are astonishingly detailed.
June 6, 2009
I read this book after Disposable People. I like how the author left the sexual details out- I don't need the rape of children described. He focuses more on the history and culture of a region and how this contributes to women and children being taken/sold/duped. I found this part very interesting. These historical factors also help the kidnappers/owners keep their victims because the girls don't think they have any other choice or they feel obligated to support their parents. Again, I didn't know this kind of slavery existed until a year or so ago and I can't quite believe it. It's so horrendous and horrible. The author actually travels to the regions and countries in the book so his research is right on. He spends time in brothels and actually puts himself in danger looking for the various places girls are hidden. He really wants to show the world what is happening, how it is for millions of women and girls- mostly young girls, sadly enough. In fact, the desire for younger and younger girls is increasing due to the spread of AIDS. Well written.
August 27, 2024
This was a very powerful read. I hadn’t really known much about sex trafficking before going into this, but the book did a very good job of making a very complex topic understandable. Hearing stories about victims and even getting to hear their testimony was very interesting and very difficult. My heart hurts for all people who are enduring trafficking of any kind, this novel has made me want to look more into this issue and help where I can.
The U.S National Human Trafficking Hotline is:
888-373-7888
The U.S National Human Trafficking Hotline is:
888-373-7888
June 27, 2016
3.5* This does not diminish the important of this book. Read it, so you can be aware.
Unlike Kevin Bales "Disposable People", Kara discusses more of the "business" side of trafficking. Sure, there are survival testimonies, testimonies of the trafficked victims and etc., but it is not the central part of the story. Even though it's not the central part it often times overshadows all the technical stuff. It's powerful and this are the parts of the story I liked best because I didn't have an information overload.
It was a difficult read for me because of the financial/business discussions that come with trafficking people around the world. My mind just couldn't grasp all of it not for the lack of the intelligence, but for the lack of education and understanding of both fields (if that makes sense). This does not diminish the fact that it is highly informative and I believe important to understanding the complexity of trafficking and the overall full picture.
Unlike Kevin Bales "Disposable People", Kara discusses more of the "business" side of trafficking. Sure, there are survival testimonies, testimonies of the trafficked victims and etc., but it is not the central part of the story. Even though it's not the central part it often times overshadows all the technical stuff. It's powerful and this are the parts of the story I liked best because I didn't have an information overload.
It was a difficult read for me because of the financial/business discussions that come with trafficking people around the world. My mind just couldn't grasp all of it not for the lack of the intelligence, but for the lack of education and understanding of both fields (if that makes sense). This does not diminish the fact that it is highly informative and I believe important to understanding the complexity of trafficking and the overall full picture.
August 29, 2023
An infuriating but insightful in-depth look at the economics behind sex trafficking, slavery and other similar atrocities committed for profit against humans by humans. An important read for anyone working or interested in combatting this horrible industry, which generates an incomprehensibly sick amount of revenue each year. This book is not easy to read but key for anyone who works in the anti trafficking space. Minus one star for the unashamed US-centric parts which imply that there isn't much of a human (sex) trafficking issue in the US, although the US's role in the wrongs perpetuated by the IMF and WTO's extreme capitalism and its effects on the increasing inequality globally and the perpetuation of poverty (hence, ideal conditions for facilitating sex and other types of trafficking) are clearly pointed out
March 1, 2022
This book was a very good read because it really showed in detail what conditions are like and what the process is in sex trafficking. While reading it was very easy to picture the scenes and the people suffering as though you were actually there. The book also showcased the lack of protections or the lack of systems in place to prevent sex trafficking or slavery even though there are organizations made in NATO to counteract these crimes.
December 30, 2025
This is a book powered by raw emotion, anecdote, and pain.
It teaches a valuable lesson in what on the ground experience can accomplish for research and advocacy. I applaud Kara for taking the time to travel to hard, traumatic places in order to have difficult conversations with those in the bowels of the global trafficking industry. I wish more professors broke out of their ivory towers to experience the world like he does. Each chapter is full of first person accounts and locations that would break anyone's heart. You can tell that Kara does not come out of this experience unscathed. In fact, you can hear his moral outrage rip through the pages.
This emotion is a double-edged sword for the book. On the one hand, one is forced to reckon with the pain of what the global trafficking situation is. Kara's emotional appeal prevents you from being able to explain away the realities that he is experiencing. However, his emotion also is infused with a deep-seated bias against elites across all spectrum's of power. While some individuals may agree with Kara's dislike for corporations, elites, and capitalism it takes away from the core thesis of his book (i.e. providing solutions to preventing trafficking on a mass scale) by allowing (some) readers to ignore his appeal due to his biases. His book would have been better if he did not give his audience a way out of the reality he is painting, and I wish that he did a better job pairing ancedote with factual evidence. Additionally, I found Kara's solutions to be rather limited in their power. Most of his recommendations can be chalked up to 'spend more money.' I understand that the point of this book is to have first person accounts encourage additional research and societal change; however, I think he should have pursued deeper thought work into what can be done to limit trafficking with our current levels of resources.
Overall, this book is an important testament to personal experience, and the power of going out into the world to experience the things you write about. I applaud Kara, and think that this book still deserves a high rating, despite some of its flaws.
It teaches a valuable lesson in what on the ground experience can accomplish for research and advocacy. I applaud Kara for taking the time to travel to hard, traumatic places in order to have difficult conversations with those in the bowels of the global trafficking industry. I wish more professors broke out of their ivory towers to experience the world like he does. Each chapter is full of first person accounts and locations that would break anyone's heart. You can tell that Kara does not come out of this experience unscathed. In fact, you can hear his moral outrage rip through the pages.
This emotion is a double-edged sword for the book. On the one hand, one is forced to reckon with the pain of what the global trafficking situation is. Kara's emotional appeal prevents you from being able to explain away the realities that he is experiencing. However, his emotion also is infused with a deep-seated bias against elites across all spectrum's of power. While some individuals may agree with Kara's dislike for corporations, elites, and capitalism it takes away from the core thesis of his book (i.e. providing solutions to preventing trafficking on a mass scale) by allowing (some) readers to ignore his appeal due to his biases. His book would have been better if he did not give his audience a way out of the reality he is painting, and I wish that he did a better job pairing ancedote with factual evidence. Additionally, I found Kara's solutions to be rather limited in their power. Most of his recommendations can be chalked up to 'spend more money.' I understand that the point of this book is to have first person accounts encourage additional research and societal change; however, I think he should have pursued deeper thought work into what can be done to limit trafficking with our current levels of resources.
Overall, this book is an important testament to personal experience, and the power of going out into the world to experience the things you write about. I applaud Kara, and think that this book still deserves a high rating, despite some of its flaws.
July 7, 2009
"Sex Trafficking" is a thought-provoking and heart-touching looking into modern slavery. While the author mainly focused on forced prostitution, he also covered other types of forced labor and slavery. He included many stories of slaves and ex-slaves to give a face to slavery and to demonstrate the variety of ways women are enslaved. The author also gave detailed economic breakdowns of the profitability of forced labor and explained how these economics can be changed to make slavery economically less desirable.
Much of the book was written in an engaging, conversational style. The parts on economics did get a bit technical and dry, but his points were still very understandable.
I don't agree with everything the author said since his view of the world is different than mine. However, the reader can easily use the information he's gathered in this book to come to their own conclusions on how to fight modern slavery. The author does suggest several practical things an individual can do to help.
However, I doubt his proposed international slavery inspection force will work due to the clash of values that occurs any time many different cultures are brought together in one organization. I also found it a bit ironic that the author clearly thinks it was a bad idea for America to "force" it's style of capitalism on the rest of the world, yet he's suggesting we should essentially "force" our style of morality and justice on other countries in regards to slavery.
(If you're curious, I think America has some pretty good--though not perfect--systems of doing things. However, we often forget how long it took for those things to get to their current state and what cultural foundations we had first that made them work well. I think our main problem is that we get impatient and don't fully think out cultural differences before trying to export our ideas.)
This book gave insight into modern slavery. It also provided a good look into how different other cultures can be in how they treat women, view slavery, etc. I'd highly recommend this book to anyone desiring a stop to modern slavery, people interested in other cultures, and to all women (especially feminists).
Much of the book was written in an engaging, conversational style. The parts on economics did get a bit technical and dry, but his points were still very understandable.
I don't agree with everything the author said since his view of the world is different than mine. However, the reader can easily use the information he's gathered in this book to come to their own conclusions on how to fight modern slavery. The author does suggest several practical things an individual can do to help.
However, I doubt his proposed international slavery inspection force will work due to the clash of values that occurs any time many different cultures are brought together in one organization. I also found it a bit ironic that the author clearly thinks it was a bad idea for America to "force" it's style of capitalism on the rest of the world, yet he's suggesting we should essentially "force" our style of morality and justice on other countries in regards to slavery.
(If you're curious, I think America has some pretty good--though not perfect--systems of doing things. However, we often forget how long it took for those things to get to their current state and what cultural foundations we had first that made them work well. I think our main problem is that we get impatient and don't fully think out cultural differences before trying to export our ideas.)
This book gave insight into modern slavery. It also provided a good look into how different other cultures can be in how they treat women, view slavery, etc. I'd highly recommend this book to anyone desiring a stop to modern slavery, people interested in other cultures, and to all women (especially feminists).
May 27, 2012
Kara went all over the world researching sex trafficking and shares what he found in this excellent book.
He begins with a nuts and bolts overview that summarizes how the business and economics of trafficking works. I've read a number of books on trafficking, and I think this is the best summary so far. I also found his suggestion of using the terms "slave trading" and "slavery" instead of the sometimes misleading "trafficking" useful.
He ends with his ideas on a framework for reducing demand, and he supports his suggestions in an analytical approach which isn't pie in the sky but focuses on the actual dollars and cents of the business. In fact, that's one of the things I appreciated most about this book--exposing the costs and revenues of the business.
The meat of the book shares the specifics of sex trafficking in India & Nepal, Italy and Western Europe, Moldova and the former Soviet Union, Albania and the Balkans, Thiland and the Mekong subregion, and the United States.
The only thing I did not find compelling is his suggestion that the IMF has impoverished the world. I'm not an IMF supporter, but it felt like a liberal rant. I wanted a more reasoned and detailed analysis. Of course, this isn't a book on economics. Still, I wasn't convinced. However, this should NOT take away from the other research he shares about what's happening with trafficking around the world. And that fact that the poor are exploited by slavers.
This is an EXCELLENT book. If you want to learn about sex trafficking, I'd start here.
He begins with a nuts and bolts overview that summarizes how the business and economics of trafficking works. I've read a number of books on trafficking, and I think this is the best summary so far. I also found his suggestion of using the terms "slave trading" and "slavery" instead of the sometimes misleading "trafficking" useful.
He ends with his ideas on a framework for reducing demand, and he supports his suggestions in an analytical approach which isn't pie in the sky but focuses on the actual dollars and cents of the business. In fact, that's one of the things I appreciated most about this book--exposing the costs and revenues of the business.
The meat of the book shares the specifics of sex trafficking in India & Nepal, Italy and Western Europe, Moldova and the former Soviet Union, Albania and the Balkans, Thiland and the Mekong subregion, and the United States.
The only thing I did not find compelling is his suggestion that the IMF has impoverished the world. I'm not an IMF supporter, but it felt like a liberal rant. I wanted a more reasoned and detailed analysis. Of course, this isn't a book on economics. Still, I wasn't convinced. However, this should NOT take away from the other research he shares about what's happening with trafficking around the world. And that fact that the poor are exploited by slavers.
This is an EXCELLENT book. If you want to learn about sex trafficking, I'd start here.
July 30, 2013
There are numerous books on human trafficking, that discuss the brutal and inhumane nature of the phenomenon, but I've never seen a book quite like Siddharth Kara's Sex Trafficking : Inside the Business of Modern Slavery. It does exactly what its' title suggest by taking the reader inside the dirty business of the flesh trade. By discussing the routes, methods of recruitment and rationale for human trafficking, the reader goes inside the trade. This is not remarkable, what sets this book apart is the detailed business/economic analysis provided in the back of the book that seeks to pinpoint the cost of slave, how much money can be made from a slave in the sex industry for the pimps and traffickers, and even how much it would cost to free a slave and drive down the demand for sexual services through basic models of cost analysis. Kara's business-economic approach to the human trafficking business mixed with the human compassion present in the works of Bales, Skinner, and Malarek, provide a needed a welcome voice to the human trafficking issue.
February 14, 2024
This book ends with a quote from a 15-year old girl, who has been a slave for 10 years of her life:
“I want to tell people my life story, so they know what happens to people like me. I want other people who have suffered like me to know they are not alone.”
A difficult, but very important read.
“I want to tell people my life story, so they know what happens to people like me. I want other people who have suffered like me to know they are not alone.”
A difficult, but very important read.
June 1, 2017
Perhaps I have read too many books like this recently for the brutal impact of what he talks of to really hit home. I hate giving a readable book on such an important topic such a low score but there are far better books on this tragic subject than this book. I would recommend David Batstone's Not For Sale or Kevin Bale's Disposable People. Even Lydia Cacho's Slavery Inc does a better job of focusing on the socio-economic factors of the sex slave trade.
I think Kara's fault lies in three directions, in looking at the actual sale and life of sex slaves he gives too much information. More than once I found myself thinking some sick pervert could almost read this as a how to manual. The second fault is that he places himself too deeply into the story at points. I don't really care that you spent an entire night in your car staking out one bridge. You didn't get any solid information, it isn't relevant to the book, so why are you even bothering to tell us about it? Finally, his proposed solutions are both simplistic and utopian. He does throw around some numbers for offsetting the economic business of trafficking and owning sex slaves, but the implementation of an international task force as he outlines it is little more than wishful thinking.
So skip this book. This is a very important issue that I wish more people were informed on and actively fighting for but this book is not the place to begin such an important task.
I think Kara's fault lies in three directions, in looking at the actual sale and life of sex slaves he gives too much information. More than once I found myself thinking some sick pervert could almost read this as a how to manual. The second fault is that he places himself too deeply into the story at points. I don't really care that you spent an entire night in your car staking out one bridge. You didn't get any solid information, it isn't relevant to the book, so why are you even bothering to tell us about it? Finally, his proposed solutions are both simplistic and utopian. He does throw around some numbers for offsetting the economic business of trafficking and owning sex slaves, but the implementation of an international task force as he outlines it is little more than wishful thinking.
So skip this book. This is a very important issue that I wish more people were informed on and actively fighting for but this book is not the place to begin such an important task.
June 14, 2024
It's hard to know how to review a book like this.
It is one of the most harrowing things I have ever read: Kara spares no detail of the horrific torture and exploitation he studied. Rarely have I read a where the author's anger is at an injustice that doesn't directly affect them. I have the utmost respect for the research, connections, and tenacity of this man.
It is truly devastating to understand the level of trafficking that still occurs- I don't know what has changed since this book was written, but it is clear how much corruption and evil lies hidden in our world. May our hearts burn with passion to change it.
It is one of the most harrowing things I have ever read: Kara spares no detail of the horrific torture and exploitation he studied. Rarely have I read a where the author's anger is at an injustice that doesn't directly affect them. I have the utmost respect for the research, connections, and tenacity of this man.
It is truly devastating to understand the level of trafficking that still occurs- I don't know what has changed since this book was written, but it is clear how much corruption and evil lies hidden in our world. May our hearts burn with passion to change it.
April 11, 2023
A for effort, research, resources put in by the author to make this book a reality. A real, uncomfortable read which will leave you in tears by the last page. Some of the sections might not appeal to certain readers as it dives deeper into the economics, business, and numbers of the trafficking business worldwide. Having said that, a thorough understanding of the economics of this shady business is required to move towards abolishment of sex trafficking.
I wish there was an updated version by Siddharth Kara in 2023 on how Internet also impacts the modern day slave trading business
I wish there was an updated version by Siddharth Kara in 2023 on how Internet also impacts the modern day slave trading business
February 16, 2025
Pretty abysmal. Desperation begets exploitation. Some interesting proposals at the end to address the economics around sex trafficking, but it’s difficult to envision change when misogyny and poverty deeply persist in certain castes and cultures.
May 15, 2023
Fantastic writing and well-researched. Sex trafficking is a tough topic to read about, but the author does it justice while prescribing actionable policies to combat it.
July 2, 2023
So much misery for so much profit
February 11, 2012
Anyone with even a shred of respect for human dignity should read this book. Slavery, illegal in every country in the world, also exists in every country in the world, and one of its most insidious forms is women trafficked for prostitution. The stories presented here do not make happy reading, but this is the reality for over a million girls and women on our planet today. One of the best parts of this book is its explanation about how trafficking continues; instead of appealing to the heart alone, as most books of this ilk do, it also uses an economic model of supply and demand and resultant reward. Simply put, if it wasn't so profitable, it wouldn't be nearly so widespread. Kara also clearly demonsrates how the rise of globalisation, especially the actions of the IMF, which have resulted in sustained poverty for most of the developing world as governments struggle to pay off their artificially imposed debts, has created a perfect environment in which people trafficking can thrive, feeding off economic desperation.
The only intellectual downside to this book is the naïvely optimistic solution suggested in the last chapter, for which I've deducted one star - it assumes virtually unlimited funds for the setup of an independent NGO, a vast incorruptible army of helpers willing to work against trafficking, and completely ignores the incredibly strong role of culture in stifling the basic rights of women in the societies in which trafficking is most pervasive. He does acknowledge the effects of patriarchal culture earlier in the book, but in his enthusiasm to stick with the mathematics of economic models, forgets it at the end. Nevertheless, it's still worth reading: if enough people are aware of and disturbed by the problem, maybe somebody somewhere will come up with a workable solution.
The only intellectual downside to this book is the naïvely optimistic solution suggested in the last chapter, for which I've deducted one star - it assumes virtually unlimited funds for the setup of an independent NGO, a vast incorruptible army of helpers willing to work against trafficking, and completely ignores the incredibly strong role of culture in stifling the basic rights of women in the societies in which trafficking is most pervasive. He does acknowledge the effects of patriarchal culture earlier in the book, but in his enthusiasm to stick with the mathematics of economic models, forgets it at the end. Nevertheless, it's still worth reading: if enough people are aware of and disturbed by the problem, maybe somebody somewhere will come up with a workable solution.
July 23, 2016
This book is 10 years old, so most of the data is pretty outdated. Nonetheless, you get an understanding of what's going on here even in the smallest sense.
When I was in graduate school pursuing a masters in criminal justice (during the time this book was written) my professor and dean of our college was working closely with the International Justice Mission in Thailand. The stories he would bring back were heart wrenching. Out of all the countries profiled in this book Thailand was the most disturbing to me, mainly because the sex crimes start so young and are so blatant and out on the streets. My professor would come home to class with stories of girls the age of 6-8 years offering "yum yum" for $20 (oral sex). This brings up the biggest question of all I kept asking myself over & over while reading this: Who ARE these men using these oppressed women and in many cases children for sex???
The biggest driver for exploitation is poverty as poverty leads to desperate decisions, migration, and poverty (or low pay) fuels corruption. The issue of human sex trafficking is sadly driven by money in all directions. The author points out that most human slaves are being used for labor (farming, fishing) and that sex trafficking accounts for less than 5% of cases yet carries the highest profit margin.
I would be curious to get an updated version of this book now that we are fully entrenched in the smart phone era. I'm hoping the advancements in technology can help catch these perpetrators, though we are still going to have to have more cooperation and less corruption in the prosecution and enforcement of such laws.
When I was in graduate school pursuing a masters in criminal justice (during the time this book was written) my professor and dean of our college was working closely with the International Justice Mission in Thailand. The stories he would bring back were heart wrenching. Out of all the countries profiled in this book Thailand was the most disturbing to me, mainly because the sex crimes start so young and are so blatant and out on the streets. My professor would come home to class with stories of girls the age of 6-8 years offering "yum yum" for $20 (oral sex). This brings up the biggest question of all I kept asking myself over & over while reading this: Who ARE these men using these oppressed women and in many cases children for sex???
The biggest driver for exploitation is poverty as poverty leads to desperate decisions, migration, and poverty (or low pay) fuels corruption. The issue of human sex trafficking is sadly driven by money in all directions. The author points out that most human slaves are being used for labor (farming, fishing) and that sex trafficking accounts for less than 5% of cases yet carries the highest profit margin.
I would be curious to get an updated version of this book now that we are fully entrenched in the smart phone era. I'm hoping the advancements in technology can help catch these perpetrators, though we are still going to have to have more cooperation and less corruption in the prosecution and enforcement of such laws.
December 26, 2014
There are good books and then there are important books--this one is both. As a society, we may be aware of sex trafficking and slavery today, but we generally don't understand it as a business. It is, for most of us, morally reprehensible, but once the business mechanics of it are understood, it becomes chilling. Bodies, mostly young women and children, as products to be shipped and consumed.
What's extraordinary about this book is that it is both treatise and chronicle. The first chapter presents the case--defining sex trafficking, portraying the victims, revealing the cultural and economic causes, exposing the roles of governments, and advocating for change. Kara's commitment to presenting the facts and proposing advocacy in hard and fast terms is exceptional.
Once past the first chapter, he takes us through the methods, victimization, cultures, and histories of those countries that are the center of the sex trafficking business, like India, Nepal, Italy, Western Europe, and even the U.S. The depth and breadth of this scourge, its almost inescapable cycles, and the struggles of shelters to save a few compels the reader to, at least, want to see action. Governments have a chance to make big change but so do individuals.
To some this book may seem plodding until you realize that we are getting a unique portrait of the history, struggles, and decades of poverty and often hopelessness of people all over the world. It is a significant wake up call.
What's extraordinary about this book is that it is both treatise and chronicle. The first chapter presents the case--defining sex trafficking, portraying the victims, revealing the cultural and economic causes, exposing the roles of governments, and advocating for change. Kara's commitment to presenting the facts and proposing advocacy in hard and fast terms is exceptional.
Once past the first chapter, he takes us through the methods, victimization, cultures, and histories of those countries that are the center of the sex trafficking business, like India, Nepal, Italy, Western Europe, and even the U.S. The depth and breadth of this scourge, its almost inescapable cycles, and the struggles of shelters to save a few compels the reader to, at least, want to see action. Governments have a chance to make big change but so do individuals.
To some this book may seem plodding until you realize that we are getting a unique portrait of the history, struggles, and decades of poverty and often hopelessness of people all over the world. It is a significant wake up call.
December 1, 2013
Phenomenal. Comprehensible and well researched. Thoroughly enjoyed it albeit reading about the torturous stories of the numerous victims involved in the sex trafficking industry. Major contributing factors the author endorses are that globalization is a major force in the expansion of sex trafficking, that the IMF implemented economic policies that exploited natural resources in underdeveloped/developing countries, and that poverty is the primary reason for exploitation whether it be in sex trafficking or any type of employment where those with take advantage of and exploit those without. Recommended reading.
January 3, 2011
This is a great book and worth reading. It is disturbing, but probably not possible to write about this w/o being disturbing. There are a few parts in the first and last chapter when he writes about the causes and cures that I'm not sure I agree with, but he does a great job shedding light on the topic.
December 5, 2012
This book was incredibly interesting and insightful. Working with Asylum Seekers this book made me think about those individuals that have taken a journey that could not possibly be comprehended by the average person . Very well written and I have recommended it to my colleagues, but not for a bed time read!
October 17, 2013
an amazing and horrifying look into not just the traumatic results of sex trafficking but also an enlightening economic break down of the business of sex trafficking with visceral real world examples of how the problem could and in many cases should be dealt with
February 14, 2014
At this moment I only have access to my phone and can't type a proper review but honestly this book was probably one of the best I have read on this awful modern day slavery. Kara is a wonderful author with a big heart. Speechless is the best word to describe my feelings after finishing it.
June 11, 2015
People do some horrible things. The stories are interesting, but (understandably) much of the economics relies on insufficient information. Nevertheless, it's worth reading.
Side note, be careful about buying fish from Thailand.
Side note, be careful about buying fish from Thailand.
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