Sex trafficking may seem like a problem in a big city or foreign country.
But the U.S. Attorney for South Dakota says this state has its own problem with human trafficking.
U.S Attorney Brendan Johnson says sex trafficking is different than prostitution. He says the victims in sex trafficking cases are often young women or girls and are cohered or forced into the sex trade. Johnson says they do not stay in the trade voluntarily. Prostitution is prosecuted under state jurisdiction but sex trafficking is a federal crime. Johnson says these cases are becoming more common in South Dakota.
“What folks are doing is they are targeting often times very vulnerable young women in our communities. They target girls who are sometimes having problems in school or with their family and they lure them into these commercial sex trafficking rings,” says Johnson.
Johnson says in the last six months his office has indicted four individuals for human trafficking.