Awaken recognizes, honors and celebrates Juneteenth, celebrating the commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. We also realize the work is far from over. Sadly, we have an up-close look at how women and girls of color are still targeted as victims in the commercial sex trade both nationally and in our own community.

The commercial sex trade, also known as Modern Day Slavery is highly gendered, causing a disproportionate amount of harm to women and girls. Modern day slavery also has strong racial biases disproportionally subjecting minority women and girls to sexual and physical violence and acts of racism.

BLACK GIRLS ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY AT-RISK

Studies report that Black girls become trafficked at younger ages compared to their racial counterparts. They are more likely to experience poverty, and consequently more likely to be disconnected from schools and other community supports. According to the FBI, Black children comprise 53% of all juvenile prostitution arrests—more than any other racial group.

Even in communities where a small percentage of the population is Black, Black girls are disproportionately trafficked. At Awaken, 48% of our participants report as a woman or girl of color: 13% or our participants identify as Black. However, in Washoe County just 2.8% of the population reports as Black. This discrepancy shows just how disproportionate women and girls of color are being targeted for sexual exploitation in our community.

One participant who wishes to remain anonymous, was brave enough to describe the racism and exploitation she experienced as a woman of color inside one of Nevada’s brothels. “I was humiliated when a staff member at the brothel told me to go to my room when certain racist men would enter the brothel so they wouldn’t have to see me. I can’t count the number of times I was called a big nigger. One client told me I was an old black horse that needed to be put down. Once a brothel staff member told me he wanted me to dress up like a slave and do a photo shoot with a man dressed in KKK attire standing above me. I faced racism like this on a regular basis during my 10 years on and off in the brothels.”

Awaken stands in solidarity with women and girls of color, recognizing the harms that have been coming to them for generations, and unfortunately continue to come to them in the form of Modern Day Slavery right here in our own community. At Awaken, we stand against racism and we stand against hate. We believe everyone deserves to be free, especially from Modern Day Slavery.

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