Bill Overview
Title: Sex Trafficking Demand Reduction Act
Description: This bill expands requirements for fighting human trafficking that apply to foreign countries receiving U.S. foreign assistance. (The President is authorized to reduce assistance to, or take other actions against, countries that fail to meet such requirements and are not making significant efforts to do so.) The Department of State, when evaluating whether a country has met such requirements, shall assess whether the country has made serious efforts to prohibit the purchase of commercial sex acts if the government has authority to do so, whereas currently the State Department must assess whether a country has made serious efforts to reduce such activities. The State Department shall also assess whether a country has made serious efforts to (1) educate buyers of commercial sex acts on how traffickers exploit prostituted persons, and (2) ensure that anti-trafficking training and provisions are incorporated into codes of conduct for government staff.
Sponsors: Rep. Wagner, Ann [R-MO-2]
Target Audience
Population: Individuals at risk of being sex trafficked or involved in commercial sex acts
Estimated Size: 1250000
- The bill targets human trafficking globally, which is a prevalent issue, affecting many countries worldwide.
- According to the World Population Review, approximately 40 million people globally are victims of modern slavery, including sex trafficking.
- The bill's requirements are directed at foreign countries receiving U.S. foreign assistance, potentially having an impact on their policies and populations.
- Efforts to reduce the demand for commercial sex acts can impact both the victims of trafficking and those at risk of becoming trafficked.
- Spreading awareness and education about trafficking affects communities and populations that engage in or are at risk of engaging in commercial sex acts.
Reasoning
- The policy primarily targets human trafficking by influencing foreign countries, but its effects on U.S. citizens could also exist through international and domestic changes in trafficking dynamics.
- Individuals involved in anti-trafficking efforts or victims might experience changes in wellbeing due to improved conditions and reduced trafficking globally.
- People in the U.S. who are in the commercial sex industry might see changes in demand due to international policy impacts.
- The policy has a moderate budget initially but escalates across 10 years, indicating it aims for long-term systemic change.
- The mixed impact across different U.S. populations requires interviewing a diverse set of people, including those directly and indirectly affected.
Simulated Interviews
Social Worker (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I believe this policy is a step in the right direction as it targets the root demand of trafficking.
- Being directly involved in rehabilitation, I see the need for international cooperation.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Tech Industry Professional (Austin, TX)
Age: 28 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's important to support international efforts against trafficking; it can create safer environments globally.
- Not sure how directly I'll be impacted, aside from feeling better about international engagements.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Legal Advocate (New York, NY)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- International policies like this make strides in setting global standards against trafficking.
- As an advocate, this policy could enhance collaborative efforts across countries.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Retired Businessman (Miami, FL)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I believe this policy is necessary to push countries to act more responsibly regarding trafficking.
- I am retired, but I feel responsible business practices can be influenced by such policies.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
University Student (Seattle, WA)
Age: 21 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy is aligned with global human rights values I believe in.
- Despite being a student, I'm aware that global issues have local impacts.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Sex Worker (Chicago, IL)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Policies like this can indirectly affect my work if global demand for services changes.
- I'm concerned about the potential for increased policing even if it targets international actors primarily.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Government Employee (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 38 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I know this policy will directly impact my work as it adds more evaluation criteria.
- U.S. foreign policy plays a crucial role in influencing international anti-trafficking measures.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Non-profit Director (Portland, OR)
Age: 54 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy may enhance international cooperation and fund more projects abroad.
- Increased obligations for foreign countries could set useful precedents at home.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Journalist (Detroit, MI)
Age: 47 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Policies like this are crucial as they target demand, an often overlooked facet of trafficking.
- Public awareness and policy change must go hand-in-hand.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Tech Developer (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 31 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- While I focus more on the tech side, the importance of such international policies is evident.
- Reduction in trafficking demand is a cause worth supporting and developing secure tech solutions for.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $50000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $60000000)
Year 2: $51000000 (Low: $41000000, High: $61000000)
Year 3: $52000000 (Low: $42000000, High: $62000000)
Year 5: $54000000 (Low: $44000000, High: $64000000)
Year 10: $57000000 (Low: $47000000, High: $67000000)
Year 100: $75000000 (Low: $65000000, High: $85000000)
Key Considerations
- The policy's success largely depends on international cooperation which might vary by region.
- Cultural and legal differences among countries can affect the ease of implementing the bill's requirements.
- Potential resistance from countries reliant on assistance could be a diplomatic challenge.
- Long-term benefits from reducing sex trafficking, though significant, are difficult to quantify immediately.
- U.S. foreign policy effectiveness in ensuring compliance with the bill's standards could affect outcomes.