Joyce Prusak

Coffee County Child Advocacy Center Director Joyce Prusak

Every month, about 100 children in Tennessee are trafficked online for sex, and the highest rates of human trafficking in Tennessee occur in Coffee, Shelby, Davidson and Knox counties, according to a report, titled Human Trafficking in Tennessee. Some of the reports cited in this article were completed in 2013, with data from 2011. Child sexual abuse is a complex issue and sometimes it takes years to study its impacts. Hopefully, today’s numbers paint a more positive picture.

Sexual abuse is prevalent in our society, with one in 10 children experiencing sexual abuse before they turn 18. One of the forms of sexual abuse is commercial sexual exploitation. Human trafficking involves the exploitation of a person for the purposes of compelled labor or a commercial sex act through the use of force, fraud or coercion. Commercial sexual exploitation of children is any sexual activity involving a child for which something of value is promised or given. Such items of value include money, gifts, clothing, food and drugs. Things of value can also include a place to sleep or protection from threat.