Sex trafficking is a growing epidemic in the United States, and businesses ranging from hotels and motels to truck stops and even airlines are aiding in the spread. Many of these businesses allow sex traffickers to operate on their premises, accepting bribes and even concealing sex trafficking operations to turn a profit. Any business who aids in or benefits from sex trafficking is subject to serious legal consequences. If you or someone you know has been the victim of sex trafficking, Napoli Shkolnik’s experienced sex trafficking attorneys can counsel you on what legal steps to take next to ensure these businesses are held responsible.

Call the National Trafficking Hotline

If you or anyone you know is currently being trafficked, get immediate help by calling the National Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888. You can also text HELP to BEFREE 233733 or email help@humantraffickinghotline.org.

Third-Party Complicit Businesses Should Be Held Accountable

These third-party businesses—such as hotels, airlines, or truck stops—who knowingly allow sex trafficking to occur on their premises can be charged for abetting criminal activity. By facilitating the continuation of sex trafficking operations, they subject themselves to serious legal and financial consequences. These businesses are considered complicit because they are responsible for reporting sex trafficking activities, or even signs of them, in order to put a stop to them. Unfortunately, many businesses, for the sake of earning a profit, turn a blind eye to these criminal activities and continue to provide sex traffickers with their goods and services. These businesses can therefore be charged with partial responsibility for the sexual exploitation of and gross traumas caused to the victims of sex trafficking.

How Napoli Shkolnik Can Help

No one should have to suffer from the atrocity that is sex trafficking, and in order to end this epidemic, justice must be served to all responsible parties. But in our current criminal justice system, the statute of limitations for sex-trafficking crimes is only one to five years. That means too many survivors’ traumatic experiences are being compounded by the fact that our justice system cannot deliver the justice these victims deserve. Civil laws, however, authorize sex-trafficking victims to sue third parties who benefited from their exploitation. Seeking damages from these complicit third-parties can help victims receive more adequate compensation for their suffering as well as ensure these companies cannot aid sex traffickers in the future.

Filing a Sex Trafficking Lawsuit

It’s very common that victims of sex trafficking don’t know their legal rights and therefore aren’t sure where to start in terms of filing a lawsuit. Napoli Shkolnik can help. Our job is to help explain your legal rights to you and the legal options you have to fight for the compensation you deserve. We will help you file a lawsuit and execute your rights every step of the way so that you can focus on healing from this atrocity committed against you while we work to get you justice. If you or someone you know has been a victim of sex trafficking, request a Free Case Evaluation with Napoli Shkolnic to get appropriate legal advice.