Illegal Traffic in Women: A Civil Rico Proposal

Abstract

For thousands of years, it has been regulated, reviled, and criminalized, yet it remains a deeply entrenched and pervasive institution in our society. Despite its ubiquitous presence, prostitution and the problems associated with it—the violence, abuse, and degradation of women—remain invisible to and low priorities for the nation's law enforcement agencies. Invisibility, paradoxically, is even more pronounced in cases of forced prostitution. This Note first examines the nature of forced prostitution and the illegal traffic in women for this purpose. It then describes how a private right of action under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) can enable women in prostitution to fight the problems that the government can or will not.