The growth of the technology industry in Seattle has funded the growth of sex trafficking as well, but it's done so at a disproportional and alarming rate. 

According to a 2014 study, Seattle's sex trade economy has increased about 120 percent. In most other big cities, sex trade has actually declined or remained steady.

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The main customer base in sex work is white collar males, who are also the main workforce for tech companies. Filling the city with middle- and upper-class men who grew up in a culture where women are extremely sexualized is essentially what's to blame.

Human trafficking is a horrifying truth that faces us, even when we don't always know it's there. There are more people enslaved today than ever have been during human history, and many are forced into sex work.

Learn more about campaigns like Not For Sale that combat sexual slavery; it's important to stay informed.

The full article on Seattle's sex trade can be found on Crosscut.

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