The Trafficking of Human Beings for the Purpose of Sexual Exploitation: a Form of Gender Violence

Abstract

Human sex trafficking is a form of gender-based violence. Women and girls are the main victims of this crime and although it presents very different social and cultural implications, depending on where these women come from "“ whether they be European, African, South American, etc. "“ there is no denying the correlation of key factors, such as poverty and social exclusion. These are further emphasized in the case of women and girls. Human trafficking, a crime which has recently been recognised by the Spanish Criminal Code, must be understood as a complex phenomenon. It requires a multidisciplinary approach which reprimands the actions of the traffickers, and at the same time focuses on measures to protect the most vulnerable victims -women and girls-, helping them to re-integrate and re-gain their rights and freedom.