Poverty

Many governments, international groups, and NGO’s have discussed poverty as a primary root cause of human trafficking and sexual exploitation. This is reflected in the fact that many nations with thriving sex tourism industries also suffer from widespread poverty. Poverty is indeed highly correlated to the socioeconomic background of many prostitutes, yet despite this, we are hesitant to describe it as a primary cause of sexually exploitive industries.

To do so is to detract the blame and responsibility from the users of the sexual services. While poverty allows sexual exploitation to occur, it should be thought of as a supportive, rather than developmental factor.

Once established, a sex service based industry in an impoverished nation is incredibly difficult to dismantle. Sex tourism in particular, fuels an alluring mirage in which many desperate young women will come to view prostitution as a way out of economic hardship. When the choice exists between providing sexual services or watching ones family starve, it is hardly a choice at all.