Question 1

Write about your inquiry. What made you interested in this question? Briefly, tell the story of
your own experience with your chosen topic. (If you did the pre-writing before the research
proposal, you may have most of this written already.)

Answer:
I chose this subject as a victim of sexual assault and an avid proponent of human rights. Sex
trafficking in the United States is much more pervasive than many realize and I wanted to bring
this injustice to light. The thought of anyone being subject to the egregious acts of emotional and
physical violence and manipulation that come packaged with the crime of sex trafficking is
utterly appalling to me and I wanted to discover more about how young girls and women find
themselves in this position, why they stay, and how we as individuals, as communities, and as a
nation can help to rescue them.

Question 2
Why is your question important? Who else would want to know about what you are inquiring
into? How many people are affected by your topic? Why should anyone care about this?

Answer:
The question of how we can eradicate sex trafficking in the United States is important because
we are a beacon of hope. Beyond hope, we are an institution dedicated to the freedom of man
and that freedom has been tread upon for far too long. I believe that everyone should know about
the reality of sex trafficking and its prevalence at home as exposing the crime will make it more
difficult to commit. Along with the estimated 100,000 victims currently being circulated in the
commercial sex market, there are countless survivors who have not received sufficient support.
Really, everyone is affected by this crime. Whether you realize it or not, sex trafficking is
everywhere. It's in every city, no matter the size, and touches countless people and their families.

Question 3
In your search, who has made a significant contribution to the conversation on this topic? What
have they said, and how does that relate to your inquiry question? What important questions do
these other voices raise for you?

Answer:
The most important and surprisingly recurring figure in my research was Sheriff Tom Dart of
Cook County, Illinois. For over a decade Dart has been pioneering the fight against sex
trafficking through legislation and founding task forces across the nation dedicated to
apprehending sex traffickers and pimps. He has made his position clear in saying that sex
trafficking is an evil that has no place in our country and that aligns well with my research.
People like Sheriff Dart are who I wish to encourage with my research as he has taken every
approach available to lessen instances of the crime both in Cook County and across the nation.

Question 4
What was the most pervasive and convincing answer to your inquiry question? In the end, whose
voice was the most convincing? What might you add to the conversation? What do you want to
say?

Answer:
I'd say that the voices of our congress were the most helpful in my research and helped me
understand what I wanted to see happen in terms of change. Both the 111th and 115th congresses
whom I used in my research sought to offer relief to victims and put more effort into getting to
the source of where these victims come from. In our current climate it is often the victim who
faces punishment, only to be replaced by another in no time at all. What I hope to add to the
conversation is another voice of conviction. I cannot bear the idea of this crime continuing a day
longer and I know that the solution is not one to be achieved overnight, however, action is
necessary and in many cases it is absent. I want to persuade individuals to enter fields where they
can help. I want to persuade donations to foundations dedicated to the cause. I want to see
funding, legislation, indictments.

Question 5
What have you come to understand about the topic that you didn't fully appreciate when you
began your inquiry? What difference will the discoveries you made about your question make in
your life? In the lives of others (potential audience)?

Answer:
I did not fully understand the victims when I began this project. I knew coercion, manipulation,
and abuse were involved but not to what degree. To compare the treatment of these girls and
women to that of animals would not do their pain justice. The victims of this crime are often
teenagers who come from bad homes. They're offered drugs, clothing, a place to sleep that they
consider safe. One family of three sisters said they were first sold for sex at 11, 13, and 14 and
stayed for over a decade because they were fed on request, something they could not be
guaranteed anywhere else. The difference this understanding has made is infinite. I am filled
with compassion and determination to save these victims and to bring justice; I hope others are
filled with the same.

Question 6
What do you remain curious about? What questions remain unresolved? What directions would
more inquiry take if you were to continue? What new questions were raised by this inquiry?
Answer:
The question still remains of how exactly we go about pulling this weed from backyards. Sexual
exploitation exists online more than ever, it exists on the streets, and at times it exists in our
homes. How do we eradicate something that seems bigger than us? Something that appears to be
everywhere? My research has shown that it's not as easy as taking down an online ad or arresting
someone involved in prostitution. We must allow victims an escape, one where they are welcome
and not persecuted for their actions. We must look further into the crimes for those instigating
them, not those who are held hostage within it. We must give children homes where they feel the
love, attention, and guidance that they may not receive elsewhere. The question remains through
it all, how? How do we improve outreach? How do we identify children at risk of entering the
field? How do we fund task forces and shelters? This will be the next leg of my research as I
continue it throughout my life and my career as an advocate for human rights and fair treatment.