4/4 slave labor in strip clubs (can be non sexual)
1. Human Trafficking
Overview
Sex Trafficking in the U.S.
Labor Trafficking in the U.S.
Agriculture & Farms
Domestic Work
Hostess & Strip Clubs
Restaurants & Food Service
Factories
Peddling & Begging Rings
Hospitality Industry
Other Industries
Recognizing the Signs
International Trafficking
Trafficking FAQs
State-by-State Resources
Calendar of Events
The NHTRC Human Trafficking Report a Tip Access Training Resources Map Get Involved Contact
In situations of labor trafficking, these clubs
may force women to strip, dance, or
entertain patrons for long hours and limit
control over their own schedule, movement,
and/or money.
“They told me I was going to have to work at a strip club. They forced me to
work six days a week for twelve hours a day. I could not refuse to go to work or
I would be beaten. I had to hand over all of my money to [them]. I was often
yelled at for not making enough money or had a gun put to my face. Every week
I handed over around $3,000 to $4,000 to [them]. I was their slave.”
– 'Katya', a trafficking survivor from Ukraine.
Victims of bothsex andlabor traffickingmay be foundinhostess
clubs andstripclubs inthe UnitedStates. Insituations of sex
trafficking, avictimmay be forcedto provide commercial sex to the
club patrons by apimp, employer, or other controller, inadditionto
his or her work as adancer or hostess. Insituations of labor
trafficking, the victims are forcedto dance, serve as hostesses, or sell
drinks and/or food. Victims may be U.S. citizens, undocumented
immigrants, or foreignnationals withtourist, summer work, or
entertainment groupvisas. Thoughthe victims tendto be adult
women, some of these networks may also exploit minors.
Ayoungwomancame to the US fromJapanshortly before her
eighteenth birthday. She hadbeenpromisedajob as alifeguardinVermont, andinsteadwas brought
to New Mexico andforcedto stripat anight club. Onnight, she met ayoungmanat the club, andshe
pleadedforhelpinleaving. She felt as if she no longercouldtake the sexual abuse inflicteduponher
by hercontrollers. The controllers confiscatedall of herwages that she earnedworking14 hours a
day, andwouldnot let herleave the premises. The youngmancalledthe National HumanTrafficking
Resource Center(NHTRC), andthe informationwas reportedto alocal traffickingtaskforce who
openedaninvestigation.
*Basedoncalls receivedby the National HumanTraffickingResource Center. Identifyingdetails
have beenchangedto protect confidentiality.
When does it become trafficking?
Stripping, nude dancing, andhostessingbecome sex traffickingwhenthe employer uses force, fraud,
and/or coercionto compel anadult worker to engage incommercial sex withclub patrons. If the
escort is under the age of 18, s/he is consideredavictimof sex traffickingregardless of the presence of
force, fraudor coercion. Situations of individuals beingcompelledto hostess, serve drinks, or dance in
these types of clubs are atype of labor trafficking, if force, fraud, or coercionis usedto induce the
individuals into performingsome formof "labor or services." Commonmeans of control include:
Force–Physical or sexual abuse;restrictions onmovement andcommunicationwithfriends and
family;constant surveillance.
Fraud–False promises of adifferent job;misrepresentationof the workingconditions, wages, and
immigrationbenefits of the job;alteredor bogus contracts;non-payment, underpayment or
confiscationof wages;visafraud.
Coercion –Exploitationof aforeignnational’s unfamiliarity withthe language, laws andcustoms of
the US;verbal andpsychological abuse;threats of harmto the victimor the victim’s family or friends;
threats of deportation;lack of control over aschedule;isolation;confiscationof passports andvisas;
Hostess/Strip Clubs - Labor
Trafficking
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Sex TraffickingintheU.S.
RecognizingtheSigns
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Client Quotes
debt increasedthroughvarious fees to the club or drivingnetworks.
*The above list is not comprehensive orcumulative. One element of force, fraudorcoercionmay be
present, ormany.
Types of Hostess/Strip Club Networks
Russian Stripping Networks–WomenfromEasternEurope and/or Russiaare frequently
recruitedto work instripclubs inthe UnitedStates. Once inthe UnitedStates, anetwork of drivers
transports the womento andfromthe clubs where they work. Club owners generally consider these
womenindependent contractors andemployees of the drivingnetwork, not the club. The womenmay
be requiredto pay certainfees to the club, DJ, bouncer, taxi drivers, stage manager, andother parties.
The womenoftenmust adhere to extensive, pre-determinedschedules andare frequently moved
betweenmultiple clubs. Commercial sex sometimes takes place inthe bathroom, VIP, or lapdance
rooms.
Asian Hostess Clubs–Also knownas “roomsalons,” these legitimate businesses are well-connected
withfake massage businesses. Clubs may be locatedinstore-fronts, office spaces, andcommercial
areas. Clandestine advertisements inethnic local newspapers allowthese "closednetworks" clubs to
cater to Asianmale clientele. Foodanddrink are soldat inflatedprices, as womenaccompany and
entertaincustomers. Commercial sex may take place on-or off-site after hours.
Latino "Cantinas"–Cantinas register andoperate as legitimate businesses that have food, drink,
dancingandmusic, largely cateringto amale customer base. Labor traffickingoccurs whenfemale
hostesses are forcedthroughthreats andviolence to meet certaindaily quotas of alcohol sales by
encouragingmale customers to buy beer at inflatedprices. Insome situations, sex traffickingmay also
occur onor off-site. Unlike residential brothels, the hostesses involvedwithacantinado not always
sleeponsite.
Vulnerabilities
Organized Crime–Hostess clubs andstripclubs withinspecific ethnic networks are oftentiedto
organizedcrime. Womenare frequently toldthey owe money to the network, andfailure to pay will
result inharmto themand/or their families.
Immigration Status–Traffickers oftenuse the threat of deportationas well as document
confiscationto maintaincontrol of foreignnational victims. Some victims enter the U.S. witha
fraudulent visaprocuredthroughorganizedcrime or arecruiter, leavingthemparticularly vulnerable
to threats of deportationandunlikely to seek helpfromthe police. Additionally, traffickers prey on
immigrant workers’ unfamiliarity withthe language, laws andcustoms of the US to further manipulate
or exploit them.
Statistics Snapshot
Inthe 2008study “Deconstructingthe Demandfor Prostitution” conductedby the Chicago Alliance
Against Sexual Exploitation, 46% of the 113 interviewees hadbought sex at stripclubs. 49% of
interviewees believedthat there were girls under 18years of age workingat stripclubs.
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![Human Trafficking
Overview
Sex Trafficking in the U.S.
Labor Trafficking in the U.S.
Agriculture & Farms
Domestic Work
Hostess & Strip Clubs
Restaurants & Food Service
Factories
Peddling & Begging Rings
Hospitality Industry
Other Industries
Recognizing the Signs
International Trafficking
Trafficking FAQs
State-by-State Resources
Calendar of Events
The NHTRC Human Trafficking Report a Tip Access Training Resources Map Get Involved Contact
In situations of labor trafficking, these clubs
may force women to strip, dance, or
entertain patrons for long hours and limit
control over their own schedule, movement,
and/or money.
“They told me I was going to have to work at a strip club. They forced me to
work six days a week for twelve hours a day. I could not refuse to go to work or
I would be beaten. I had to hand over all of my money to [them]. I was often
yelled at for not making enough money or had a gun put to my face. Every week
I handed over around $3,000 to $4,000 to [them]. I was their slave.”
– 'Katya', a trafficking survivor from Ukraine.
Victims of bothsex andlabor traffickingmay be foundinhostess
clubs andstripclubs inthe UnitedStates. Insituations of sex
trafficking, avictimmay be forcedto provide commercial sex to the
club patrons by apimp, employer, or other controller, inadditionto
his or her work as adancer or hostess. Insituations of labor
trafficking, the victims are forcedto dance, serve as hostesses, or sell
drinks and/or food. Victims may be U.S. citizens, undocumented
immigrants, or foreignnationals withtourist, summer work, or
entertainment groupvisas. Thoughthe victims tendto be adult
women, some of these networks may also exploit minors.
Ayoungwomancame to the US fromJapanshortly before her
eighteenth birthday. She hadbeenpromisedajob as alifeguardinVermont, andinsteadwas brought
to New Mexico andforcedto stripat anight club. Onnight, she met ayoungmanat the club, andshe
pleadedforhelpinleaving. She felt as if she no longercouldtake the sexual abuse inflicteduponher
by hercontrollers. The controllers confiscatedall of herwages that she earnedworking14 hours a
day, andwouldnot let herleave the premises. The youngmancalledthe National HumanTrafficking
Resource Center(NHTRC), andthe informationwas reportedto alocal traffickingtaskforce who
openedaninvestigation.
*Basedoncalls receivedby the National HumanTraffickingResource Center. Identifyingdetails
have beenchangedto protect confidentiality.
When does it become trafficking?
Stripping, nude dancing, andhostessingbecome sex traffickingwhenthe employer uses force, fraud,
and/or coercionto compel anadult worker to engage incommercial sex withclub patrons. If the
escort is under the age of 18, s/he is consideredavictimof sex traffickingregardless of the presence of
force, fraudor coercion. Situations of individuals beingcompelledto hostess, serve drinks, or dance in
these types of clubs are atype of labor trafficking, if force, fraud, or coercionis usedto induce the
individuals into performingsome formof "labor or services." Commonmeans of control include:
Force–Physical or sexual abuse;restrictions onmovement andcommunicationwithfriends and
family;constant surveillance.
Fraud–False promises of adifferent job;misrepresentationof the workingconditions, wages, and
immigrationbenefits of the job;alteredor bogus contracts;non-payment, underpayment or
confiscationof wages;visafraud.
Coercion –Exploitationof aforeignnational’s unfamiliarity withthe language, laws andcustoms of
the US;verbal andpsychological abuse;threats of harmto the victimor the victim’s family or friends;
threats of deportation;lack of control over aschedule;isolation;confiscationof passports andvisas;
Hostess/Strip Clubs - Labor
Trafficking
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