Are the monetary benefits to traffickers large?
The United Nations estimates that trafficking in people generates US$7 billion per year. Trafficking is claimed to be the third largest source of profit for crime organizations, behind the sale of guns and drugs (iAbolish, 2007). Such a large estimate is given because after trafficking the victims, traffickers often exploit their victims labour for other criminal activities such as selling drugs. In Thailand, travel agents actively promote child sex tourism, fuelling demand for child prostitutes from tourists (iAbolish, 2007). As a result, brothels increase their demand for child prostitutes and are willing to pay a higher price for them. This leads to higher potential profits and hence higher expected utility for traffickers, attracting more traffickers to enter and continue in the trade. Are existing punishments for caught traffickers too lenient? Many countries impose jail terms ranging from five to twenty years on traffickers. However, it is possible that these penalties may be too
