The Harmful Sexual and Non-Sexual Behaviors of Trafficked Women and Children in Mexico: A Study of Victims of Sexual Exploitation

During the last 17 years, since the adoption of the Palermo Protocol, authorities at international and national levels have investigated and prosecuted trafficking cases, and aided victims. Nevertheless, every day thousands of people around the world are sold, lured with false promises and exploited. In Mexico, 10,000 young girls and women are said to be trafficked into cities for sexual exploitation every year. Trafficked victims suffer a wide range of sexual exploitation, physical and psychological violence, human rights violations including their right to dignity, and cruel and inhumane treatment, creating vulnerability and isolation. To cope, many victims adopt harmful sexual and non-sexual behaviors, which we discuss in this paper. For this study, we gathered information from 70 trafficked victims in Monterrey, Mexico. We found that trafficked women and children are forced into high-risk sexual and non-sexual behaviors. Many of them use drugs, alcohol, and marijuana. Their sexual behaviors indicate that many victims are coerced into high-risk sexual practices including having multiple sexual partners.