Sex trafficking in Mexico

Sex trafficking in Mexico is human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation and slavery that occurs in the United Mexican States. It is a country of origin, transit, and destination for sex trafficked victims.[1]

Citizen and foreign victims, including indigenous peoples, are sex trafficked into and out of the states of Mexico. They are raped and physically and psychologically harmed in locations within these administrative divisions.

Sex trafficking victims in the country are from all ethnic groups in Mexico, including the indigenous peoples of Mexico,[2] and foreigners.[1] Mexican citizens, primarily women and girls, are sex trafficked to the different states of Mexico, as well as other countries, namely the United States.[3][4][2][5] Foreign women and girls are also trafficked to and within Mexico.[2][5][4][6][7] The illegal transporting and sexual assault of migrants from Latin America to the United States is a problem. Children,[3][8][9][2][6][5][10] and people in poverty[2][5][10] and with little education[2] are particularly vulnerable to sex trafficking. Perpetrators create fake identification documents, including birth certificates, for underage girls.[5] Sex trafficked victims are deceived[11][9][2][6][5][10] or abducted and forced into prostitution and pregnancies. They are guarded or locked up[5] in brothels, bars, hotels,[2] homes, and other locations.[5][10] They are threatened[11][6] and physically and psychologically abused.[11][2][6][10] Their family members are sometimes threatened.[6][7] The babies and children of victims have been held hostage by perpetrators to ensure compliance.[4][10] Some traffickers impregnate their victims too keep them under their control.[5] Victims contract sexually transmitted diseases from rapes,[5] and often drugged[12] and live in poor living conditions. Victims experience mental health problems.[5] Some women and girls are tortured[11] and or murdered.

Sex trafficking and exploitation have permeated all levels of Mexican society. Male and female perpetrators[3] in Mexico come from a wide range of backgrounds and every social class. A number of traffickers are members of or facilitated by cartels and gangs.[9][2][5][4] Some government officials and workers, as well as foreigners, have profited from sex trafficking in Mexico. Police have been complicit.[4][5] Impunity is a problem.[2][5] Traffickers use social media and other phone and internet websites and apps to lure victims.[1] Pedophiles traffickers, from the United States and other countries, or men who contact the traffickers target children. They use clothing, toys, and candy to attract children to houses they rent or buy.[1] Some perpetrators are the victims’ family members.[5] Some victims are forced by their captors to be traffickers themselves.[13]

The scale of sex trafficking in Mexico is difficult to know because of the lack of data[1] from corruption,[11][1][10] poor record keeping, the secretive nature of sex trafficking crimes,[5] the fact that only a small minority of cases are reported to the authorities, and other factors. Local, state, and federal anti-sex trafficking efforts have been criticized for being insufficient. Authorities have been accused of being apathetic.[2] Anti-sex trafficking organizations, as well as victims’ families, in Mexico have received threats.[1][2][5][4]