Lawsuit Alleges Link Between Nevada’s Prostitution Laws and Sex Trafficking

Numerous victims of sex trafficking have filed a lawsuit against the state of Nevada, naming the state’s governor as well as the state’s attorney general. The lawsuit alleges that Nevada’s prostitution laws violate the 13th amendment of the constitution, which prohibits slavery or involuntary servitude. The lawsuit, filed by the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) on behalf of sex trafficking victims, asks that Nevada’s prostitution laws be deemed unconstitutional.

Victims Are Subjected to Violence, Threats, and Other Forms of Control

The NCOSE claims that the plaintiffs in the lawsuit – sex trafficking victims – were subjected to “violence, threats, and other forms of control by sex trade profiteers,” and the 13th amendment forbids such conduct. The NCOSE believes that legal prostitution is linked to increased human trafficking, which typically involves sex. 

In the lawsuit, Nevada brothels are alleged to knowingly employ trafficking victims and keep many from leaving the brothel’s premises. Many sexual assault lawyers provide legal representation and guidance to victims of horrific abuse and trafficking. Legal action is often an excellent way to shine the light on an issue that is causing needless harm to so many victims.

How Nevada Has Become a Haven for Sex Traffickers

Nevada’s prostitution laws provide a means for sex traffickers to enter the state under the radar. The lawsuit filed by multiple sex trafficking victims alleges that the state of Nevada has financially benefited from illegal sex trafficking. The lawsuit relies on federal anti-trafficking laws to ensure the lawsuit applies to victims currently being trafficked, as victims are being brought across state lines into Nevada on a daily basis.

Traffickers are less worried about criminal exposure once they arrive in Nevada’s safe haven of legal prostitution. From the outside, what looks like legal prostitution may really be a coercive situation involving sex trafficking victims. State officials can easily turn a blind eye to suspected sex trafficking can explain away questionable conduct as nothing more than legal prostitution.

Sex Trafficking Commonly Occurs in Hotels

Sex trafficking in the hotel industry, including large-scale luxury hotels and motel chains, is an epidemic taking the country by storm. Unfortunately, a large sector of the country is unaware of how prevalent sex trafficking is within the hotel system. 

Popular hotels are secret havens for sex traffickers who subject victims to physical and mental pain and suffering. Many hotels and motels are the subjects of lawsuits as victims seek recovery of damages. Sex trafficking claims have become a mass tort in terms of the large volume of victims who have suffered similar injuries.

Hotels and motels are in a position to protect sex trafficking victims, and many have failed to do so, instead choosing to profit from the use of their premises for illegal and harmful conduct. The lawsuit Nevada is facing alleges the same conduct – that the state is profiting from illegal sex trafficking, which is taking place within the state’s borders. 

Nevada Lawsuit Raises Awareness of Prostitution Laws

As the state of Nevada faces a lawsuit that links legal prostitution to sex trafficking, the state of California has a proposed law that would decriminalize loitering for the purposes of soliciting prostitution. In Texas, the state has taken the opposite approach. 

Under Texas law, loitering for the purposes of soliciting prostitution is now a felony, which carries serious consequences. Whether Nevada will take action to restrict prostitution remains to be seen. Sex trafficking victims have opened the eyes of many across the country with the recent lawsuit against Nevada. Seeking justice in a court of law is a start to changing an industry that provides a home to illegal sex trafficking.

Contact Searcy Denney Today for a Free Consultation

If you are the victim of sex trafficking or sexual assault, you may have legal options for seeking to hold another party responsible for what you have gone through. At Searcy Denney, we represent victims of sexual assault, sexual abuse, and sex trafficking, among other sex crimes. Our sexual assault lawyers understand how sensitive your situation is and offer free, confidential consultations to clients. To speak with a member of our legal team, contact our office today by calling (800) 780-8607 or by completing a free case evaluation form on our website.