Fast Facts

(Donevan, 2021; Donevan et al., 2025)

Qualitative research with current and former porn performers suggests that sexual exploitation and trafficking are common experiences in the porn industry.

Citations

Donevan, M. (2021). “In this industry, you're no longer human”: An exploratory study of women’s experiences in pornography production in Sweden. Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence. 6(3) doi:10.23860/dignity.2021.06.03.01
Donevan, M., Jonsson, L. S., & Svedin, C. G. (2025). The experience of individuals filmed for pornography production: a history of continuous polyvictimization and ongoing mental health challenges. Nordic Journal of Psychiatry, 79(2), 156–165. doi.org/10.1080/08039488.2025.2464634

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(Xian, Chock, & Dwiggins, 2017)

LGBTQ+ youth who are rejected because of their sexual orientation or gender identity are particularly vulnerable to potential psychological/emotional manipulation by traffickers or predators who may take advantage of them.

Citations

Xian, K., Chock, S., & Dwiggins, D. (2017). LGBTQ youth and vulnerability to sex trafficking. In M. Chisolm-Straker, & H. Stoklosa (Eds.), Human trafficking is a public health issue: A paradigm expansion in the United States (pp. 141). Switzerland: Springer Nature. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-47824-1 Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2F978-3-319-47824-1.pdf

How Porn Can Fuel Sex Trafficking

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(Bouché, 2015)

In one survey of underage sex trafficking victims, 63% said they had been advertised or sold online.

Citations

Bouché, V. (2015). A report on the use of technology to recruit, groom and sell domestic minor sex trafficking victims. Thorn. Retrieved from https://www.thorn.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Survivor_Survey_r5.pdf

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(International Labour Organization, 2017)

Of the approximately 24.9 million trafficking victims globally, an estimated 4.8 million—about 19%—are trafficked for sex, and more than 1 in 5 sex trafficking victims—an estimated 21%—are children, according to the International Labour Office.

Citations

International Labour Organization. (2017). Global estimates of modern slavery: Forced labour and forced marriage. Geneva: Retrieved from https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/@dgreports/@dcomm/documents/publication/wcms_575479.pdf

How Porn Can Fuel Sex Trafficking

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(Feehs & Wheeler, 2021)

According to a report of prosecuted sex trafficking cases in the U.S., the majority of coercive tactics used by traffickers (59%) were non-physical, compared to 41% of tactics involving physical coercion.

Citations

Feehs, K., & Wheeler, A. C. (2021). 2020 federal human trafficking report. Human Trafficking Institute. Retrieved from https://www.traffickinginstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/2020-Federal-Human-Trafficking-Report-Low-Res.pdf

How Porn Can Fuel Sex Trafficking

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(Bouché, 2015)

According to one report on domestic minor sex trafficking, survivors indicate that they were sometimes “advertised” on porn sites.

Citations

Bouché, V. (2015). A report on the use of technology to recruit, groom and sell domestic minor sex trafficking victims. Thorn. Retrieved from https://www.thorn.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Survivor_Survey_r5.pdf

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