[1] There are no specific laws against human trafficking, but any criminal offence that includes ‘commerce in women or children’ requires sentencing to be increased by 30%.
[6] After the civil war, the demands of the increased military presence in San Salvador caused the number of prostitutes to double to 19,000.
[3] One of their aims is to change the way Salvadorian society, including the country's government, views sex workers and reduce discrimination against them.
[3] HIV/AIDS in El Salvador has a less than 1 percent prevalence of the adult population reported to be HIV-positive, and therefore is a low-HIV-prevalence country, but the virus remains a significant threat in high-risk communities including commercial sex workers.
[10] Compounding these issues are stigma and discrimination toward HIV-infected individuals and at-risk groups, which can deter people from getting tested and receiving adequate support if they have the disease.
Women, men, and children are exploited in sex trafficking within the country; LGBTI persons, especially transgender individuals, are at particular risk.
Salvadoran men, women, and children are subjected to sex trafficking in Guatemala, Mexico, Belize, and the United States.
Some Latin American migrants transit El Salvador to Guatemala and North America, where they are exploited in sex trafficking.