In addition, the living conditions, poverty, and gang violence are the reason as to why a lot of people have been coerced into sex trafficking.
According to the United Nation's report, about 80% of the sex trafficking victims in Central America are women and girls.
[2] In addition, children are coerced into sex trafficking because of the lack of education, illiteracy, training skills, gang participation, homelessness and physical abuse.
[5] Many of the countries in Central America, such as El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, suffer from poverty.
[8] When it comes to smuggling people into the United States, the sex traffickers are quite aware of the immigration policies and practices.
Although certain things they do are illegal, the border patrols and police officers are incapable of stopping them because of the lack of personnel, training, information, and corruption.
[2] To fight against sex trafficking, the Central American countries are working together with the United States government.
El Salvador, Honduras, and Panama are ranked as Tier 2, meaning that although they don't meet the standards to stop sex trafficking, the countries are making an effort.
[10] Secondly, Guatemala and Nicaragua are on Tier 2 Watch list, meaning that they are making an effort to stop sex trafficking, but the country shows that they lack the amount of investigations they are doing.
In addition, the DHS (Department of Homeland Security) has been working with El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras to develop a proposal that will allow them to make laws regarding gangs and sex trafficking.
The Polaris project provides a National Human Trafficking hotline that allows victims and survivors to reach out when in need of help.
Lastly, The Polaris Project partners with the law enforcement and government to put things into action that will help combat sex and labor trafficking[11]