While the use of women from destitute and impoverished countries has been commonplace for thousands of years and can be traced back to the early 15th century, contemporary sex slave trade gained much of its popularity during the Vietnam War. In Japan, poor women of the occupied villages, known as “comfort women” would perform sexual favors on American soldiers for as little as ten cents. After the troops returned home, the demand for prostitutes greatly increased in the United States and women were being kidnapped and illegally trafficked to work as sex slaves. The distinction is important; these women did not work for paychecks or any monetary incentive and often lived in cramped and disgusting conditions with little hope of every seeing their family again. (5)

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