Austin News

Texas businesses are in the first phase of reopening after mass closures due to COVID-19. 

However, black market activities and trades – such as sex work and human trafficking – continued, and some are more likely to be exploited due to hardships that the pandemic creates. 

According to a study by the University of Texas at Austin Institute on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, around 313,000 people in Texas are victims of human trafficking. Resources normally used to help combat these statistics are stretched due to efforts to try to help members of the community to fight COVID-19.

“I think overall there’s been a huge economic impact. A lot of people are more vulnerable,” said James Caruthers, a senior staff attorney with Children at Risk. “I think we’re going to see an increase of the number of vulnerable people who are engaging in commercial sex because they feel like they don’t have any other choice. We need to do more to make sure that families have access to food.”

Illegal massage parlors are considered to be one of the places most likely to be vectors for the spread of the disease.

According to Texas Business Coalition, if these reopen, then there could be an increase in coronavirus cases. Texas has more than 700 of these businesses. 

Children at Risk supports the idea that businesses like these would not exist if it not for the people buying it. 

“Arrest efforts should really be focused on the men who are buying the sex, not the sellers, because in many cases the sellers aren’t going to have a meaningful choice. The men who are buying do have a choice. They have a choice not to do this," he said. 

Victims of human trafficking are facing difficulty finding help.

“Right now there are far more victims than places for them to stay. They can’t operate at full capacity because of executive orders," Caruthers said.