Sex trafficking and the Super Bowl: The surprising way sports fans can help end sex trafficking

'Real sports fans don't buy sex.'

The National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) joined 25 other anti-sex trafficking organizations to create a Super Bowl-themed awareness campaign called #TackleDemand.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - The campaign is based on the idea sex trafficking wouldn't be such a booming business if there weren't as many customers.

The main problems campaigners have discovered is a combination of a society who believes celebrating includes sex, some of which is purchased, and the buyer's lack of caring whether the person he or she purchases is involved willingly or not.

The following groups have joined as one to #TackleDemand:

• A Call to Men
• Brushfires Foundation
• Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation
• Coalition Against Trafficking in Women
• Coalition to Abolish Human Trafficking in the Inland Northwest
• Demand Abolition
• Elijah Rising
• Exodus Cry
• Freedom 7 Human Trafficking Task Force
• Global Center for Women & Justice from Vanguard University
• Global Centurion
• Illinois Family Institute
• In Our Backyard
• International Athletes' Abolition Mission
• Kalamazoo Anti-Human Trafficking Coalition
• Legal Momentum
• Museum of Modern Day Slavery
• Nexus
• One in Four
• Prayer for Freedom
• Porn Know
• Shared Hope International
• Texas Advocates United for Sexual Health
• U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking
• United Against Human Trafficking
• VCU United
• Wichita State University Center for Combating Human Trafficking
• National Center on Sexual Exploitation

Dawn Hawkins, the Executive Director of the National Center on Sexual Exploitation asked, "Why is sex trafficking at the Super Bowl a problem?"

She then provided the simple answer: "Because some of the men who travel to Houston this weekend will buy sex. We often like to think that sex trafficking is perpetuated by the traffickers, but the reality is that it's the demand - the sex buyer - that keeps the market going.

"Men who buy sex can be easily lost in a crowd. They can be judges, business owners, neighbors, colleagues, or sports enthusiasts. Often those in their lives have no idea that they occasionally, or regularly, buy sex.

"That is why the #TackleDemand awareness campaign is so vital, because you never know if someone you talk to or someone who's friends with you in Facebook might be considering buying sex. It's important to send the message that all sex buying perpetuates the marketplace for sex trafficking, and that typically sex buyers are unable or unwilling to recognize if a person is sexually trafficked.

"Moreover, any form of payment for sex in itself constitutes an act of sexual coercion, whether it takes place in connection with the Super Bowl, a NASCAR race, a bachelor's party, or for no special occasion at all.

The campaign encourages the slogan, "Real sports fans don't buy sex."

The site End Sexual Exploitation encourages men and women to "Join the Movement to Defend Human Dignity!" by raising awareness and stopping sex trafficking associated with large sports events.

Sadly, it is during large sporting events that the perfect environment for sex trafficking is created. People are celebrating "within a concentrated geographic area," visitors are gathering around, and suddenly there is an increased demand for buying sex.

Sex traffickers tend to increase their supply of people to be used as objects during this time, leading #TackleDemand to focus on stopping the detrimental practice.

To further their efforts, the site asks that people participate in a "virtual flashmob" to help raise awareness. Simply post "Reas sports fans don't buy sex. #TackleDemand for sex trafficking at #SB51" to your Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr accounts at the same time on the same day.

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