ANNOUNCER: THE GREAT EVIL OF SLAVERY DID NOT END WITH THE OFFICIAL ABOLITION OF THE PRACTICE IN THE BRITISH EMPIRE, NOR WITH THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR AND THE 13th AMENDMENT TO THE U.S. CONSTITUTION.

MODERN-DAY SEX TRAFFICKING AND OTHER FORMS OF COERCED LABOR NOT ONLY PERSIST IN THIS COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD BUT ARE CONTINUING TO GROW INTO ONE OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST LUCRATIVE BUSINESSES.

THE BEST CHRONICLERS OF THIS PHENOMENON CONCLUDE THAT THERE ARE MORE SLAVES TODAY THAN AT ANY TIME IN HUMAN HISTORY.

WHAT CAN BE DONE?

THIS EPISODE OF "THE WHOLE TRUTH" WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY...

THE MILL SPRING FOUNDATION, THE DORAN FAMILY FOUNDATION, AMETEK, AND BY... FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS IN ENGLISH-SPEAKING COURTROOMS AROUND THE WORLD, PEOPLE HAVE SWORN AN OATH TO TELL NOT ONLY THE TRUTH BUT RATHER THE WHOLE TRUTH.

THE OATH REFLECTS THE WISDOM THAT FAILING TO TELL ALL OF A STORY CAN BE AS EFFECTIVE AS LYING IF YOUR GOAL IS TO MAKE THE FACTS SUPPORT YOUR POINT OF VIEW.

IN THE COURTROOM, THE SEARCH FOR TRUTH ALSO RELIES ON ADVOCATES ADVANCING FIRM, CONTRADICTORY ARGUMENTS AND DOING SO WITH DECORUM.

ALL OF THESE APPLY TO THE COURT OF PUBLIC OPINION, WHAT JOHN STUART MILL CALLED "THE MARKETPLACE OF IDEAS."

THIS SERIES IS A PLACE IN WHICH THE COMPETING VOICES ON THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES OF OUR TIME ARE CHALLENGED AND SET INTO MEANINGFUL CONTEXT SO THAT VIEWERS LIKE YOU CAN DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES THE WHOLE TRUTH.

TODAY "THE WHOLE TRUTH" TURNS TO THE ISSUE OF MODERN SLAVERY.

AS YOU WATCH THIS, IN THIS COUNTRY AND THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, MILLIONS OF WOMEN, AND EVEN THE YOUNGEST GIRLS, ARE BEING HELD IN BONDAGE AND FORCED INTO UNSPEAKABLE LIVES OF PERMANENT RAPE, WHILE MILLIONS OF OTHERS, MEN AND WOMEN, ARE LEADING LIVES OF INVOLUNTARY AND INDENTURED SERVITUDE IN OTHER FORMS.

ON EVERY PRIOR EPISODE OF "THE WHOLE TRUTH," WE HAVE PRESENTED DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW ON THE SUBJECT.

WE HAVE COVERED PEOPLE IN FAVOR OF SOME PROPOSITIONS AND OTHERS OPPOSED.

NATURALLY, THIS EPISODE MUST BE DIFFERENT.

WHO WOULD SPEAK ON BEHALF OF SLAVERY?

OUR FOCUS WILL BE ON UNCOVERING THE CAUSES OF THE PHENOMENON OF MODERN SLAVERY AND EXAMINING THE WAYS IN WHICH THE ABOLITION OF SLAVERY CAN FINALLY WIN THE DAY.

HERE TO DISCUSS THIS ONGOING CRISIS WITH ME TODAY ARE: LISA COHEN, THE SENIOR SUPERVISING PRODUCER OF CNN's FREEDOM PROJECT, BRADLEY MYLES, CEO OF POLARIS, A LEADING NGO IN THE GLOBAL FIGHT TO ERADICATE MODERN SLAVERY, AND JULIE CORDUA, CEO OF THORN, DIGITAL DEFENDERS OF CHILDREN, AN INTERNATIONAL ANTI-HUMAN-TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATION, WHO IS JOINING US VIA SKYPE FROM LOS ANGELES.

I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN BY ADDRESSING A QUESTION, A GENERAL QUESTION FOR COMMENT WITH SEVERAL PARTS.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN WHEN YOU USE THE PHRASE "MODERN SLAVERY"?

HOW MANY PEOPLE-- WHAT IS THE DIMENSION OF THIS PROBLEM?

HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE WE TALKING ABOUT, WORLDWIDE, IN THE UNITED STATES?

HOW DOES THE PROBLEM DIVIDE BETWEEN COERCED WORKERS AND OTHER FORMS OF INVOLUNTARY SERVITUDE OR SEXUAL EXPLOITATION?

AND FINALLY, THE UNITED NATIONS HAS A PROTOCOL ON TRAFFICKING, AS I UNDERSTAND.

AND, SO, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TRAFFICKING, AND WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT SLAVERY.

WOULD YOU EQUATE THE TWO?

IN OTHER WORDS, ARE THESE SYNONYMS IN YOUR MIND?

WHAT DO YOU SAY ABOUT IT?

THE UNITED STATES HAS A FEDERAL LAW, THE TRAFFICKING VICTIMS PROTECTION ACT.

IT PASSED IN THE YEAR 2000, RIGHT AROUND THE SAME TIME THAT THAT UNITED NATIONS PROTOCOL PASSED IN THE YEAR 2000, AND THEY LARGELY MIRROR EACH OTHER.

IN OUR WORK, WE REALLY DO USE THE TWO TERMS HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND MODERN SLAVERY SYNONYMOUSLY AND INTERCHANGEABLY.

THERE ARE SOME OTHER GROUPS THAT REFER TO TRAFFICKING MORE AS THE MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE AND MODERN SLAVERY AS WHEN PEOPLE ARE SUBJECT TO FORCED LABOR OR BEING FORCED INTO THE SEX TRADE.

BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE FEDERAL LAW IN THE UNITED STATES, WHICH POLARIS RECOGNIZES AND WORKS WITH AND...

THE CRIME IS NOT LIMITED TO MOVEMENT.

THE CRIME REALLY IS ABOUT EXPLOITING PEOPLE AND FORCING THEM AGAINST THEIR WILL INTO WORK OR TO SOME PART OF THE SEX TRADE.

SO FOR US, MODERN SLAVERY AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING ARE SYNONYMS AND WE USE THEM INTERCHANGEABLY.

AND THE ESTIMATE REALLY IS AROUND 21 MILLION PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD WOULD MEET THAT DEFINITION OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING FORCE, FRAUD, OR COERCION TO THEN BE FORCED TO DO SOMETHING AGAINST THEIR WILL.

21 MILLION.

AND HOW WOULD YOU DIVIDE THAT BETWEEN SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND, SAY, WORK TRAFFICKING?

THE ROUGH WAY TO DIVIDE IT IS BASICALLY TWO-THIRDS/ONE-THIRD.

TWO/THIRDS INVOLVED IN FORCED LABOR, ONE-THIRD INVOLVED IN SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND THE SEX TRADE.

THERE'S ALSO-- IT FURTHER SUBDIVIDES INTO STATE-SANCTIONED FORCED LABOR, WHERE THE GOVERNMENT OF A COUNTRY ACTUALLY PARTICIPATES IN THE FORCED LABOR OF THEIR OWN CITIZENS.

AND SO THERE ARE CERTAIN COUNTRIES THAT WOULD BE COUNTED THERE, BUT THAT WOULD SUBSUME UNDER THE FORCED LABOR.

SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT IT, WE THINK OF IT AS TWO-THIRDS/ONE-THIRD SPLIT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE 21 MILLION NUMBER.

JULIE, HOW DOES THIS PROBLEM LOOK TO YOU?

AT THORN, WE LOOK SPECIFICALLY AT THE INTERSECTION OF TECHNOLOGY AND TRAFFICKING AND ACTUALLY, MORE CONCRETELY, HERE IN THE UNITED STATES WE LOOK AT CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING AND THE INTERSECTION OF TECHNOLOGY.

SO, FOR US, WE SEE THAT THE INTERNET IN PARTICULAR HAS REALLY FOC-- OR CONTRIBUTED TO THE GROWTH OF THIS CRIME.

SO, IT'S BASICALLY, WE SAID, KIND OF DEMOCRATIZED THE EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE OF CHILDREN.

NOW, ANYONE WHO IS INTERESTED OR HAS AN IDEA OF BEING ABLE TO GO OUT AND BUY SOMEONE FOR SEX CAN JUST OPEN THEIR COMPUTER AND DO THAT.

AND SO THAT REALLY LESSENS, I GUESS, KIND OF SOME OF THE GUARDS THAT MAY HAVE KEPT THE POPULATION SMALL.

WE ALSO SEE IN THE UNITED STATES THAT IN PARTICULAR WHEN IT COMES TO CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING THAT IT REALLY FOCUSES ON THE MOST VULNERABLE OF OUR CHILDREN IN THIS COUNTRY.

SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE MAJORITY OF THESE CHILDREN COMING OUT OF FOSTER CARE, BEING HOMELESS, RUNAWAY YOUTH WHO DON'T HAVE A SUPPORT SYSTEM, WHO ARE EASILY, UM, HAVE COERCED INTO THIS SITUATION AND THEN EXPLOITED BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A SAFETY NET.

AND--AND ONCE THEY'RE ACTUALLY IDENTIFIED, THEN, BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OR BY SOMEONE ELSE, THERE OFTEN IS NOT A PLACE FOR THEM TO GO BECAUSE THEY DID NOT COME FROM A SAFETY NET BEFORE.

SO, AS FAR AS SIZE OF THIS ISSUE IN PARTICULAR AND THIS PART OF THE BIGGER PROBLEM THAT BRAD ARTICULATED, IS THAT IT'S QUITE DIFFICULT TO MEASURE.

THIS IS A HIDDEN CRIME.

WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CHILDREN, OFTEN WHO ARE NOT MEASURED IN THE FIRST PLACE-- HOMELESS, RUNAWAY YOUTH, AND FOSTER YOUTH IN PARTICULAR, IT'S QUITE DIFFICULT TO THEN IDENTIFY HOW BIG IS THE PROBLEM WHEN IT'S A HIDDEN CRIME.

SO, THAT ESTIMATE IN THE UNITED STATES IS DIFFICULT TO MEASURE.

WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT THERE'S AROUND 150,000 ESCORT ADS POSTED EVERY SINGLE DAY IN THE UNITED STATES.

SOME PORTION OF THOSE ADS REPRESENT CHILDREN, AND WE KNOW THAT THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN ARE IDENTIFIED EVERY YEAR BY LAW ENFORCEMENT AND IN TOUCH WITH SURVIVOR ORGANIZATIONS.

BUT THAT'S JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG.

THAT'S ONLY THE ONES THAT ARE ACTUALLY IDENTIFIED.

SO, HOW DOES THIS PROBLEM LOOK TO YOU AS A JOURNALIST?

HOW BIG IS IT?

YOU'VE HEARD THE ESTIMATES.

HOW DO YOU COVER IT?

AND THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

WHEN--WHEN WE FIRST WERE INTRODUCED TO THIS ISSUE, WE FELT VERY STRONGLY THAT THIS WAS A HUGE PROBLEM, A HUGE ISSUE.

I MEAN, THE NUMBERS ARE STAGGERING.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MORE SLAVES IN THE WORLD TODAY THAN AT ANY OTHER TIME IN HUMAN HISTORY.

NARRATOR: ACROSS THE UNITED STATES LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS ARE FIGHTING AN INTERNATIONAL CRIME SAID TO BE WORTH $150 BILLION IN ILLEGAL PROFITS.

THE HIGH VOLUME, LOW COST BUSINESS.

WE'RE TOLD THE HIGHEST THEY CHARGE IS $35 FOR THAT 15 MINUTES OF TIME.

AND OFTENTIMES THE TRAFFICKER WILL COUNT OUT THE CONDOMS THAT HE GIVES THE GIRL AT NIGHT, AND THEY COUNT WHEN SHE COMES BACK HOW MANY ARE LEFT.

AND THEY DO EXPECT THEM TO SEE 20 AND 30 MEN A NIGHT.

NARRATOR: SUSAN COPPEDGE IS THE U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT'S NEW AMBASSADOR TO COMBAT HUMAN TRAFFICKING.

A FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR, COPPEDGE HAS SEEN A TROUBLING TREND.

AND THE BIG THING FOR US WAS, WE FELT LIKE IT WAS A FAR UNDER-REPORTED STORY FOR THE SIZE AND SCOPE OF IT.

AND THE EXECUTIVE VICE-PRESIDENT OF CNN INTERNATIONAL AT THE TIME FOUND OUT ABOUT THE ISSUE KIND OF IN A-- IT WAS A VERY INTERESTING STORY.

HE WAS DRIVING HIS SON TO COLLEGE THROUGH A RURAL PART OF GEORGIA, THE STATE OF GEORGIA, AND KEPT SEEING THESE BILLBOARDS FOR ADVERTISING FOR ASIAN MASSAGE PARLORS, WITH THESE HALF-NAKED WOMEN ON THEM.

AND HE WAS LIKE, WHAT IN THE WORLD WOULD BRING BEAUTIFUL YOUNG ASIAN WOMEN TO THE MIDDLE OF RURAL GEORGIA?

AND HE DROPPED HIS SON OFF AT SCHOOL, CAME BACK TO CNN IN ATLANTA, STARTED DOING SOME RESEARCH, AND LEARNED THAT MANY OF THEM ARE FRONTS FOR BROTHELS.

AND HE STARTED DIGGING AND LEARNED ALL OF THE NUMBERS THAT BRAD MENTIONED AND HE WAS FLABBERGASTED AND THOUGHT TO HIMSELF, IF I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THIS AND I RUN THE LARGEST INTERNATIONAL NEWS NETWORK IN THE WORLD, CHANCES ARE MOST OF OUR VIEWERS DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT EITHER.

AND WE HAVE A MORAL DUTY TO COVER THIS VALUE-BASED CAUSE AND TO REALLY TAKE A STAND AND COVER IT IN A CONSISTENT WAY WHERE WE STICK WITH IT.

ESSENTIALLY, SO THIS IS A HIDDEN CRIME.

SO THIS MUST INVOLVE A GREAT DEAL OF INVESTIGATIVE WORK ON YOUR PART.

IN OTHER WORDS, YOU'RE IN DARK CORNERS.

WHERE DO YOU GO FOR THIS?

IT'S EVERYWHERE.

IT'S IN EVERY COUNTRY ALL OVER THE WORLD.

IT'S IN OUR OWN BACKYARDS HERE IN THE UNITED STATES AS WELL.

AND WE PARTNERED VERY EARLY ON WITH-- WITH THORN, WITH POLARIS, WITH ALL OF THE MAJOR ANTI-TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATIONS HERE IN THE U.S. AND AROUND THE WORLD.

AND WE LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT WE WANTED TO WORK WITH THEM.

AND SO WE ALLOWED THOSE NGOs, THOSE ORGANIZATIONS, TO REALLY TAKE THE LEAD AND TO LEAD US TO WHERE THE PROBLEMS WERE, AND WE'VE BEEN EVERYWHERE.

WE'VE BEEN TO 60-70 COUNTRIES AT THE POINT ON ALL CONTINENTS.

AND WE'VE COVERED EVERY FORM OF MODERN DAY SLAVERY, NOT JUST SEX TRAFFICKING, BUT FORCED LABOR, DOMESTIC SERVITUDE, FORCED CHILD BEGGING, ORGAN TRAFFICKING, EVERY TYPE OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING THERE IS.

NOW, THAT BRINGS US KIND OF TO THE DARK SIDE OF THIS, AND THAT WOULD BE...

THERE IS A MARKET FOR THESE KINDS OF THINGS.

THERE IS A MARKET FOR SLAVE LABOR.

THERE'S A MARKET FOR CHILDREN TO BE EXPLOITED.

HOW WOULD YOU ASSESS THE MARKET FOR THIS THING?

WHAT--WHAT IS THAT PROBLEM?

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE FACT OF THE PROBLEM, THE SIZE OF IT.

WHAT IS THE CAUSE OF IT?

FABULOUS QUESTION, AND I THINK THAT IS THE WAY TO THINK ABOUT THIS ISSUE, IS THAT HUMAN TRAFFICKING IS A BUSINESS.

IT'S DIFFERENT THAN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, LET'S SAY, A CRIME OF POWER AND CONTROL.

IT'S DIFFERENT THAN SEXUAL ASSAULT.

THIS IS A PROFIT-MOTIVATED BUSINESS.

AND SO THOSE ENGAGED IN HUMAN TRAFFICKING, WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE FORCING PEOPLE ONTO FISHING BOATS OR THEY'RE FORCING PEOPLE TO BE LATE-NIGHT JANITORS OR THEY'RE FORCING CHILDREN TO BE IN THE SEX TRADE, THEY ARE IN IT FOR PROFIT, AND THEY KNOW THAT THERE'S A MARKET OUT THERE.

SO, A GROUP OF ECONOMISTS AND STATISTICIANS CAME UP WITH A GLOBAL ESTIMATE OF THE SIZE OF THE ILLICIT INDUSTRY BASED ON THAT 21 MILLION NUMBER, AND THE NUMBER THEY CAME UP WITH WAS 150 BILLION.

SO THAT CRIMINAL INDUSTRIES, CRIMINAL NETWORKS, AND EVEN INDIVIDUAL TRAFFICKERS COLLECTIVELY MAKE $150 BILLION A YEAR OFF THIS.

AND THAT'S A CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE, BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO ERR CONSERVATIVELY.

THAT'S THE MARKET.

RIGHT.

NOW, WHILE WE'RE ON THE SUBJECT OF THE MARKET, IS THAT GETTING BIGGER OR IS IT GETTING SMALLER?

GREAT QUESTION.

I THINK IT'S TOUGH TO SAY BECAUSE, UH, THE PREVALENCE ESTIMATES ARE CONSTANTLY BEING RE-EVALUATED AND REDONE.

SO NOW THERE'S EVEN SOME ESTIMATES SAYING THE 21 MILLION NUMBER MAY BE LOW.

YOU HAVE SOME OTHER GROUPS SAYING THE NUMBER MAY BE AS HIGH AS 45 MILLION.

THERE'S GONNA BE A NEW NUMBER THAT WE'RE ANTICIPATING COMING OUT THIS NOVEMBER AT A CONFERENCE IN ARGENTINA, WHERE THE GLOBAL SLAVERY INDEX, WHICH PUTS OUT A GLOBAL NUMBER, WILL COLLABORATE WITH THE INTERNATIONAL LABOR ORGANIZATION, THE ILO, AND THEY'LL PUT OUT A JOINT NUMBER.

SO IF THAT NUMBER IS BIGGER AND IT'S NOT THE 21 MILLION NUMBER, IT IS A 40 MILLION NUMBER, THE PROFIT ESTIMATE THAT DERIVES FROM THAT WILL BE MUCH BIGGER.

I CAN'T RESIST INTERJECTING THIS HERE.

THE ILO IS INVOLVED IN THIS MATTER.

THAT SAYS TO ME THAT THERE IS A LINE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN SLAVE LABOR AND LABOR.

AND THE ILO, THEN, WOULD HAVE AN INTEREST IN DEFINING THAT LINE.

HOW WOULD YOU ALL DEFINE THAT LINE?

HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE IT, LISA, AS SOMEBODY WHO'S BEEN STUDYING THIS AS A JOURNALIST?

AND FOR AN INTERNATIONAL COMPANY, BY THE WAY, WHICH WOULD HAVE...

I WOULD THINK A GREATER INTEREST THAN, SAY, A DOMESTIC COMPANY.

CNN EMPLOYS PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD.

FOR US IN OUR COVERAGE OF THE ISSUE OF FORCED LABOR, WE DRAW A DISTINCTION BETWEEN POOR LABOR PRACTICES AND GENUINE FORCED LABOR.

FORCED.

SO FORCED WOULD-- SO WE DRAW THAT DISTINCTION.

NOW, THERE ARE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE ILO OUT THERE WHO ARE--YOU KNOW, LOOK AT LABOR, UM, LABOR EXPLOITATION AS A WHOLE.

BUT OUR FOCUS, BECAUSE THE FREEDOM PROJECT COVERS STORIES SPECIFIC TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND MODERN-DAY SLAVERY, OUR FOCUS IS--WE REPORT STORIES WHERE THERE IS DEFINITE FORCED LABOR INVOLVED, LABOR TRAFFICKING.

SO, PEOPLE ARE FORCED TO WORK WITHOUT PAY, THEIR PASSPORTS IN SOME CASES, IF THEY'RE MIGRANT WORKERS, ARE TAKEN AWAY FROM THEM AND HELD BY THE EMPLOYER SO THEY PHYSICALLY CANNOT LEAVE.

THERE'S THREAT OF VIOLENCE, EITHER TO THEM OR TO THEIR FAMILIES BACK HOME IF THEY DON'T COMPLY.

ALL OF THOSE ISSUES-- ANY OF OR ALL OF THOSE ISSUES HAVE TO BE INVOLVED.

OR IF IT'S FORCED CHILD LABOR, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE A CHILD CAN'T CONSENT.

I'D LIKE TO THROW A QUESTION OUT FOR EVERYBODY.

JULIE AND LISA, BRAD, WHAT, UH, WHETHER STRATEGIES TO COMBAT TRAFFICKING WOULD BE THE SAME FOR SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AS WELL AS LABOR EXPLOITATION.

DO YOU SEE THE PROBLEM AS ESSENTIALLY ONE THAT METHODOLOGICALLY IS SIMILAR, OR DO YOU HAVE VERY RADICALLY DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO THESE TWO PROBLEMS?

THERE ARE DIFFERENT APPROACHES, DEFINITELY, BUT THERE IS ONE COMMON THEME THAT I THINK GOES ACROSS ALL OF THAT, AND THAT IS DEMAND REDUCTION.

AND THAT TAKES FORM DIFFERENTLY WHEN YOU'RE TACKLING DIFFERENT KINDS OF TRAFFICKING AND SLAVERY, BUT SOME COMMON THEMES IN THAT ARE, ONE, YOU KNOW, EDUCATING PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT TRAFFICKING IS SO THAT THEY AREN'T UNKNOWINGLY PARTICIPATING IN IT.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A CULTURE WHERE IT IS OK TO BUY PEOPLE BY THE HOUR FOR SEX.

AND WE NEED TO SHIFT THAT CULTURE WHERE MEN AND BOYS WHO GROW UP DON'T BELIEVE THAT THAT IS OK ANYMORE.

AND WHEN THAT DEMAND IS REDUCED, THERE WON'T BE A MARKET.

PEOPLE WON'T BE ABLE TO MAKE MONEY OFF BUYING AND SELLING PEOPLE.

WHAT'S THE FEELING ABOUT, UH, THERE'S A MOVEMENT TO LEGALIZE DRUGS.

WHAT'S THE FEELING ABOUT THE SEX TRADE?

MY REACTION TO THIS IS THAT THE SEX TRADE, YOU HAVE TO THINK OF IT AS A TRIANGLE.

YOU HAVE TO THINK OF IT AS 3 SEPARATE ACTORS.

THE PERSON FACILITATING, OR THE PIMP, OR THE TRAFFICKER, IS ONE PART OF THE TRIANGLE.

THE BUYER IS ANOTHER PART OF THE TRIANGLE.

AND THE PERSON BEING SOLD FOR THE SEX ACT IS THE THIRD PART OF THE TRIANGLE.

AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT POLICY IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, YOU ASK YOURSELF, ARE YOU CREATING POLICIES THAT APPLY TO ALL 3 PARTS OF THE TRIANGLE OR ONLY A FEW?

SO, IN AMSTERDAM, FOR EXAMPLE, THE APPROACH WAS, LET'S LEGALIZE ALL 3 PARTS OF THE TRIANGLE.

SO IT'S LEGAL TO BE A PIMP, LEGAL TO BUY SEX, AND LEGAL TO SELL SEX.

BUT THERE'S AN AGREEMENT THAT IT'S ILLEGAL IF IT'S A CHILD OR ILLEGAL IF THERE'S FORCE.

BUT AS LONG AS THERE'S NO CHILDREN AND THERE'S NO FORCE, IT'S LEGAL FOR ALL 3 ACTORS.

IN THE UNITED STATES, THE APPROACH IS, IT'S ILLEGAL FOR ALL 3 ACTORS.

ILLEGAL TO BE A PIMP, ILLEGAL TO BUY, ILLEGAL TO SELL.

WHAT THESE NORDIC COUNTRIES DID, IN SWEDEN, NORWAY, ICELAND, THEY DECIDED TO SUBDIVIDE THE TRIANGLE.

AND THEY SAID LET'S CREATE A NEW MODEL WHERE IT IS ILLEGAL TO BE A PIMP AND ILLEGAL TO BUY, BUT IT IS DECRIMINALIZED TO SELL.

RECOGNIZING THAT THE PIMPS AND THE BUYERS GENERALLY HAVE MORE PRIVILEGE AND MORE POWER, MORE CHOICE, AND THEY COULD CREATE DIFFERENTIAL OPTIONS, RIGHT?

SO WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT BLANKET DECRIMINALIZATION FOR ALL ACTORS, OR BLANKET CRIMINALIZATION FOR ALL ACTORS.

IT'S A MORE NUANCED APPROACH.

YOU'RE LOOKING AT HOW THIS SITUATION IS HANDLED INTERNATIONALLY.

MANY DIFFERENT APPROACHES, I WOULD SAY, TO THE PROBLEM.

YEAH, I MEAN, THERE ARE DIFFERENT LAWS IN EVERY COUNTRY AND DIFFERENT APPROACHES EVERYWHERE.

I MEAN, BRAD TOUCHED ON A FEW, BUT EVERY COUNTRY IS DIFFERENT.

I THINK THAT OUR APPROACH MIRRORS A LOT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT APPROACH IN CERTAIN COUNTRIES WHERE THE VICTIMS ARE SEEN TRULY AS VICTIMS AND ARE TREATED AS SUCH.

AND, UM, AND SO WE TREAT THEM THAT WAY, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH A LOT OF SENSITIVITY AND CARE WHEN WE INTERVIEW SURVIVORS, WHEN WE SPEAK WITH THEM, WHEN WE--WHEN THEY SHARE THEIR STORIES WITH US.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM ALL OF THEM IS HOW THEY WERE TREATED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT.

YOU KNOW, HOW THEY WERE TREATED WHEN THEY WERE RECOVERED AND-- I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE-- THERE'S A CERTAIN-- THERE'S A CERTAIN VEIN OF ARTICLES AND LITERATURE THAT SUGGESTS THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT TECHNIQUES ARE-- CAN BE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE IN THIS AREA.

IN OTHER WORDS, SOMETIMES IT CAN INVOLVE VERY SENSITIVE QUESTIONS.

JULIE, FROM A DIGITAL POINT OF VIEW, THAT IS ALSO-- SHOULD PROVIDE YOU WITH A VERY VIVID INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE.

YOU KNOW, ONE THING TO THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU DECRIMINALIZE THE PERSON WHO IS SELLING, IT OPENS UP THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT PERSON TO, UM, RECEIVE KIND OF RESOURCES AND SPEAK UP FOR THEMSELVES.

I THINK ONE THING THAT WE SEE IN THE UNITED STATES AND IN OTHER COUNTRIES WHERE IT'S ILLEGAL IS THAT IF SOMEONE IS BEING FORCED INTO THE SITUATION AND IT IS A CRIME FOR THEM TO BE IN THAT SITUATION, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO REACH OUT FOR HELP.

AND SO THAT'S AN INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT POSITION IF YOU RAISE YOUR HAND AND SAY "I NEED HELP" AND THEN YOU'RE GOING TO GET ARRESTED, THAT IS NOT A GREAT POSITION.

SO THE NORDIC MODEL DOES PRESENT AN INTERESTING OPPORTUNITY, OBVIOUSLY.

YOU KNOW, EVERY COUNTRY IS DIFFERENT, SO WHETHER THAT POLICY WILL WORK IN ALL COUNTRIES IS A QUESTION.

BUT I KNOW, YOU KNOW, IN THE UNITED STATES WE ARE TRYING TO MOVE TO THAT--TO THAT PLACE WHERE, ESPECIALLY WITH CHILDREN, WE STILL HAVE, YOU KNOW, TRAINING TO DO WITH MANY FRONTLINE OFFICERS, BUT THERE IS A LOT OF PROGRESS THERE WHERE WHEN A CHILD IS IDENTIFIED, NO CHILD CAN CONSENT.

IN FACT, THEY SHOULD NOT BE ARRESTED.

AND WE KNOW THAT THAT'S THE MOVEMENT HERE IN THE STATES.

BUT THAT GIVES THEM SOME OPPORTUNITY FOR VICTIMS TO KIND OF REACH OUT AND SAY, YOU KNOW, "I NEED HELP.

I NEED--" OR "I NEED RESOURCES."

OR JUST SIMPLY, YOU KNOW, STAND FOR THEMSELVES, HAVE MORE OF A POSITION OF STRENGTH IN THEIR CHOICES.

I HAVE A SORT OF A CONCLUDING QUESTION.

IT HAS TO DO WITH WHAT CAN BE DONE.

WHAT CAN A VICTIM, HIMSELF OR HERSELF, DO?

BRAD?

I MEAN, THIS IS WHY THE NATIONAL HOTLINE EXISTS.

THIS IS WHY PEOPLE HAVE LAUNCHED APPS ON THEIR PHONES.

WE LAUNCHED THE BEFREE TEXTLINE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THORN, WHERE PEOPLE CAN TEXT IN.

IF THEY TEXT 233733 ON THEIR PHONE, THEY'RE TEXTING BACK AND FORTH WITH SOMEONE AT POLARIS.

BUT THE GOVERNMENT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT VICTIM IDENTIFICATION.

VICTIMS HAVE A PHONE IN THEIR POCKET, AND SO HOW CAN THEY CALL?

SO THE NATIONAL HOTLINE-- IT'S A 1-888 NUMBER-- 1-888-373-7888.

WHEN SOMEONE DIALS THAT NUMBER ON THEIR PHONE, THEY'RE GONNA GET SOMEONE AT POLARIS AWAKE 24/7 TAKING THAT CALL.

AND SO FAR, WE'VE HAD OVER 7,000 SURVIVORS CALL IN DIRECTLY.

WE'VE TAKEN OVER 140,000 CALLS.

SO, WE'RE ENCOURAGING FOLKS THAT IF THEY'RE IN A SITUATION OF SLAVERY RIGHT NOW-- FORCED TO WORK AS A DOMESTIC WORKER, FORCED TO WORK AS A KID SELLING MAGAZINES DOOR TO DOOR, SOMEONE FORCED TO WORK AT AN ELDER CARE HOME AS A LATE-NIGHT CLEAN THE BEDPANS KIND OF JANITOR, SOMEONE FORCED INTO THE SEX TRADE-- WE ARE HOPING THAT THROUGH INCREASED MEDIA COVERAGE AND THROUGH MARKETING, PEOPLE WILL KNOW THAT HOTLINE NUMBER AND KNOW THAT THAT'S YOUR LIFELINE.

THAT'S THE NUMBER THAT YOU CALL.

LISA, BRAD, AND JULIE, I CANNOT BEGIN TO THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR THIS VERY ENLIGHTENING DISCUSSION.

THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A, UH, A PROBLEM WHICH IS DIFFICULT TO TRACK, DIFFICULT TO MEASURE.

BUT WE ALL INTUIT THAT THERE IS A-- THAT THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF SUFFERING OUT THERE AND THAT THINGS HAVE TO BE DONE, BY ALL OF US.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

"ONE DEATH IS A TRAGEDY.

A MILLION DEATHS IS A STATISTIC."

SOMETIMES SEEKING THE WHOLE TRUTH OF A SUBJECT, ONE IS BEST TO FOCUS ON A PARTICULARLY COMPELLING ILLUSTRATION IF A WIDE-SCALE PROBLEM ON WHICH THE MOST IMPORTANT TRUTH MIGHT BE LOST IF THE ARGUMENT IS MADE IN TERMS OF BIG NUMBERS ALONE.

SO THE PROBLEM OF MODERN DAY SLAVERY CAN SEEM OVERWHELMINGLY LARGE, AND WE CAN COMFORT OURSELVES TO SOME EXTENT WITH THE IDEA THAT IT HAS FAR-FLUNG AND EXOTIC LOCALES.

BUT THEN, ONE LEARNS SOMETHING LIKE THIS SIMPLE STORY.

IN A TYPICAL ROADSIDE MOTEL IN A SOLIDLY MIDDLE-CLASS PART OF PHILADELPHIA, THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN WHICH THE CREATOR OF "THE WHOLE TRUTH" GREW UP AND A GENERATION AGO HELD HIS BAR MITZVAH RECEPTION FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS, AT THIS SAME MOTEL, THE PHILADELPHIA POLICE HAVE RECENTLY BROKEN UP A HUMAN TRAFFICKING RING WHICH HAD ENSLAVED GIRLS AS YOUNG AS 14.

THEY WERE RAPED THERE, HUNDREDS, PERHAPS THOUSANDS OF TIMES OVER MONTHS, EVEN YEARS.

THIS PROBLEM MAY NOT BE SO EXOTIC OR FAR AWAY, AND THE FUNDAMENTAL TRUTH OF THE MATTER AS I SEE IT IS THAT DEMAND BEGETS SUPPLY.

I WOULD ASK EACH OF YOU WATCHING TO TRY TO ACT ON THAT TRUTH TO THE FULLEST AND THE BEST EXTENT THAT YOU CAN.

FOR "THE WHOLE TRUTH," I'M DAVID EISENHOWER.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

ANNOUNCER: THIS EPISODE OF "THE WHOLE TRUTH" WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY...

THE MILL SPRING FOUNDATION, THE DORAN FAMILY FOUNDATION, AMETEK, AND BY... AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.