South Carolina Sex & Human Trafficking Lawyer

Also referred to as “modern slavery,” human trafficking is the illegal trade of individuals through abduction or recruitment by force, fraud, or coercion. From forced labor and debt bondage to sexual exploitation, over 24.9 million people are believed to be victimized by trafficking.

The U.S. National Human Trafficking Resource Center reports that trafficking is currently occurring in every state. From hotels, casinos, resorts, and nightclubs to online websites and massage parlors, human trafficking is a growing epidemic in the United States, especially among young, helpless girls and boys used for sex trafficking.

If you or a loved one is a victim of human/sex trafficking, we may be able to help. Contact our offices today at 834-804-0428 to schedule a free, confidential consultation to learn how we seek to hold companies and businesses financially accountable for enabling this modern-day slavery.

What is Human Trafficking and Sex Trafficking?

Human trafficking is the illegal use by force or other methods of controlling the lives of others for the purpose of making money through the victims, typically through forced labor, sexual slavery, or commercial sexual exploitation. Those subjected to forced labor are often treated like slaves; being forced to work as much as possible in sub-human conditions while being fed only the bare minimum to survive.

When done through sexual slavery or commercial sexual exploitation, it is often referred to as sex trafficking. Prostitution is an example of sex trafficking when the victims who are forced to perform sex acts are controlled by others (the sex traffickers).

Each year, tens of thousands of victims are abducted, tricked, or forced from their homes into prostitution, many of whom are children. At Mickelsen Dalton, we relentlessly pursue justice for the victims of sex trafficking, including adults and children, from perpetrators and those who try to turn a blind eye to sex trafficking occurring on their property in order to increase profits.

If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, we urge you to call our office to schedule a free case evaluation. We will listen to the facts of your case, explain your legal options, and tenaciously fight for the justice and compensation you deserve. As sex trafficking lawyers, we are relentless in seeking to hold businesses accountable for enabling this despicable industry. Let us fight for you!

How Are Victims Coerced into Human Trafficking and Sex Trafficking?

Human trafficking is a lucrative industry that generates approximately $150 billion in illegal profits each year, encouraging perpetrators to use whatever means necessary to gain access to victims. Traffickers use a variety of coercive methods to control victims, including:

Threatening or using violence
Getting victims addicted to drugs so that they will not want to leave
Luring victims with false promises of economic opportunity
Demanding repayment of the actual or alleged debt
Paying little or not paying at all for work
Monitoring of surveilling the activities of a victim
Withholding work authorizations, identification, or travel documents
Threatening harm to children or other family members

Over 4.8 million individuals are trafficked for sexual exploitation, over 1 million of which are children who are forced into the commercial sex industry.

What Types of Sex Trafficking Cases Does Mickelsen Dalton Handle?

At Mickelsen Dalton, we believe human trafficking victims should be fully compensated for the mental, physical, and emotional pain they have suffered. We also firmly believe that the best approach to addressing this widespread epidemic is to go after the big players in the human trafficking scene, the businesses who profit most from perpetuating the trade of humans or looking the other way while innocent children are sold for sex. For these reasons, we specifically target businesses with deep pockets, such as hotels, motels, casinos, and nightclubs.

Because we only take on high-stakes cases (often involving millions of dollars in compensation), we often face fierce opposition, as big businesses and insurance companies do not want to pay exorbitant damages or admit involvement (or that they are complicit) in illegal sex trafficking.

Knowing the defendants we face will put up a well-funded fight, we always thoroughly investigate each matter and dedicate ourselves to building a compelling case for trial from the outset. As human trafficking attorneys with years of experience, we relentlessly pursue maximum compensation for victims, regardless of what we are up against!

What Types of Compensation Can Sex Trafficking Victims Recover?

Sex trafficking is a crime that dehumanizes its victims while generating profits for greedy businesses and traffickers. Simply put, this industry is built on the suffering of others.

In the aftermath of someone’s trafficking, there can be lifelong physical, emotional, and mental ramifications. While money cannot right a wrong, it can help victims create a better, more stable future. Common damages in sex trafficking lawsuits include:

Medical expenses, including treatment for trauma
Pain and suffering (including psychological pain and suffering)
Punitive damages
Other damages, depending upon the specific circumstances of a case.

What Is the Difference Between Criminal and Civil Prosecution?

Human trafficking and sex trafficking are serious crimes, and traffickers can be severely punished through criminal prosecution. However, criminal charges do not include compensation for those who have been wronged. This is where civil lawsuits become critical, as civil law allows for human trafficking and sex trafficking victims to pursue compensation.

How is Compensation Obtained for the Victims of Sex Trafficking?

Often, those who are involved in sex trafficking feel that a case for obtaining compensation may be hopeless, as those who are primarily involved in sex trafficking – the perpetrators and the “customers” – may be in prison. However, seeking damages from these individuals is not the end of the case for justice.

Businesses in the hospitality industry are prime locations for sex traffickers, as they offer privacy and anonymity. When businesses look away and ignore what is happening on their premises, this negligent behavior enables traffickers to continue sexually exploiting victims.

These hotels, motels, theme parks, cruise ships, resorts, nightclubs, and other establishments need to be held accountable. This is where we can help. We tenaciously fight to hold businesses that enable sex trafficking accountable and seek the maximum compensation possible for victims.

Successfully holding these businesses liable for sex trafficking requires legal experience, dedication, and painstaking efforts to bring a case for liability. As sex trafficking lawyers, we have the experience and the tenacity to bring cases against “big businesses” and we are unafraid to take on corporations and their teams of lawyers.

Call Us for a Free Consultation to Learn How We Can Help You

At Mickelsen Dalton, we want to see sex trafficking end. One way that we can help accomplish this goal is by showing complicit businesses that they can no longer turn a blind eye to this type of modern slavery and holding them financially accountable. However, we cannot face this growing epidemic alone.

If you or a loved one has been a victim of sex trafficking, we invite you to step forward and contact us so we can fight for your rights and stop others from being victimized. When you hire our firm, we will work for you on a contingency fee basis, meaning that we are only entitled to a fee if compensation is obtained for you. Further, we will advance all of the litigation expenses and costs for your case while it is ongoing so that you will not need to come out-of-pocket for these expenses and costs. We look forward to speaking with you and learning about your case. Contact us online today!