Sex Trafficking and Pornography: From Casting Couch to Creator Platforms (1960-2025)
Sex trafficking and pornography have long existed in uncomfortable proximity. They are linked by overlapping networks of exploitation, profit, and technological adaptation.
What began as underground rings and exploitative casting calls has now morphed into a sprawling digital marketplace, where streaming platforms, AI, and decentralized payment systems fuel a modern trafficking ecosystem.
As the adult industry evolves, so too do the tactics of traffickers—shifting from sleazy producers to coercive partners, and from physical threats to algorithmic deception.
In this blog posts we will:
Review the link between trafficking and pornography over the last 60 years
Understand what sex trafficking looks like in 2025
Take actionable steps to stop supporting the trafficking industry
Let’s get started
Porn and Trafficking: A Timeline of Exploitation and Tech Evolution
Exploitation and pornography have been linked since pornography has made money. Our timeline starts in the 60s when pornography took off.
No longer relegated to the shadows, after the 60s pornography took off. Alongside it, sex trafficking. An exploitative practice that took advantage of vulnerable people. Women and children were the most likely victims.
Lets take a look at the 60 year connection between porn and sex trafficking:
As you can see, even in the modern day sex trafficking still exists. It seems to be almost impossible to get away from.
Porn and Sex Trafficking by the Numbers
Statistics on sex trafficking and pornography are jarring. They tell a story of incredible monetary flow, victimization, and exploitation:
Human trafficking generates an estimated $150 billion annually, of which sexual exploitation accounts for roughly 79% (≈$118.5 billion).
Global pornography industry revenue is variously estimated at $12 billion to $97 billion per year
By comparison, the broader sexual‑exploitation share of trafficking suggests that trafficked content exceeds mainstream porn revenues.
Even if only 10% of that exploitation-sector revenue came from recorded porn, it would still translate into billions of minutes of trafficked videos.
According to the ILO’s 2017 Global Estimates, 3.8 million adults were victims of forced sexual exploitation and 1.0 million children of commercial sexual exploitation worldwide.
A content‑analysis update of 50 best‑selling porn films (304 total scenes) found 88.2% depicted physical violence and 48.7% verbal aggression. Violence does not directly imply trafficking, however, it is a strong indicator of exploitation.
In broader sampling, nearly one in three pornographic videos contains violent physical aggression.
The U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline’s second‑most‑common trafficking call concerns incidents linked to pornography. This underscores how frequently victims’ images and recruitment for porn intersect with trafficking.
The Alarming State of Sex Trafficking and Porn in 2025
In 2025, sex trafficking is still alive and well. Creator driven platforms promised to negate these effects but they only stand to deepen them. Exploitation expands beyond the slimy producers of the porn industry.
Husbands, business partners, and even parents (Yikes) take advantage. The direct-to-fan model offers autonomy and a larger revenue share. This opens the door for exploitation with a larger share of the pie.
Women and children are exploited on creator driven platforms as much as anywhere else. These platforms lack robust verification measures to protect against trafficking. Oftentimes underage content and coercion sneak by undetected by the protective systems in place.
Despite pledges for zero-tolerance approaches to trafficking content, it still sneaks in. Requiring external sources to report content rather than putting up the appropriate barriers.
No amount of AI-assisted monitoring tools and partnership with law enforcement can change it. The system is flawed and traffickers take advantage.
Coercive Pornography on Creator Platforms. How Exploitation Persists
Just like the transition from image based coercion to the “casting couch”, trafficking now takes a new form. Large pornographic labels are losing their hold on the market. Leaving amateurs to take up space.
This means an increase in domestic coercion, grooming, and abuse. Partners and parents may be strapped for cash, frustrated by their social standing, or just see the opportunity.
Coercive pornography is driven by two main things: Money and Power.
They say “money is the root of all evil”, It really depends what you do with it and for it. The promise of major income can entice people to do horrible things. Treating their partners like objects and forcing them to do sexual acts on camera.
Power can also be another driver. People who have felt small or stepped on in life force others to work for them. This level of manipulation feels like some form of power. Giving them some twisted satisfaction.
Coercion and trafficking happen behind the camera. While the performer looks happy and willing, that might not be the case. The person behind the camera is often in control.
Child Exploitation on Porn Platforms
Seems like all kids are growing up in front of the camera. Unfortunately, some naked, some not.
Creator driven platforms invest in machine learning and AI to spot unaged content. However, it is to no avail. The platforms have become lucrative projects for traffickers.
Underaged pornography often goes undetected on these platforms. Often requiring external reporting to take any action.
This is often at no fault of the platform, they do everything they can but high volumes make it difficult. Sexual exploitation is a product of the porn industry itself.
As societal norms become more accepting of sex work, it becomes harder to moderate. Kids spend all their time getting external approval on social media. It’s just one step away from modern day sex work.
So, gone are the days of the sleazy producer convincing beautiful women that this is their big break. In, are the isolated, tortured, and compelled to produce content. Further blurring the line between consensual sex work and trafficking.
How Technology Fuels Modern Day Sex Trafficking?
With new technology comes new opportunities for exploitation. Traffickers are creative and leverage all paths to make a dollar.
The Rise of AI‑Generated and Deepfake Pornography
In 2025, there is a new beast to deal with in the sex work community, AI.
Artificial intelligence and deepfake tools have dramatically lowered the barrier to producing convincing non‑consensual pornographic content, increasing exploitation risks.
Traffickers are using new technology to create pornographic content of non-consenting adults. If you have pictures on the internet, you can be targeted. Convincing, fake material can be made without your consent.
Traffickers use deepfake porn for blackmail, threatening victims with distribution unless they comply with abusive demands.
The U.S. Take It Down Act makes publishing deepfake intimate imagery without consent a federal offense, imposing removal deadlines and fines. A slap on the wrist for disturbing behavior.
At least 14 U.S. states have enacted laws specifically criminalizing non‑consensual deepfake pornography as of early 2025. This patchy regulation leaves plenty of loopholes for sex traffickers.
What about Decentralized & Encrypted Channels?
In a push to increase privacy, many apps now include encrypted chat channels.
Encrypted messaging apps such as Telegram host private channels where traffickers traffic child pornography. Cryptocurrencies and privacy coins like Monero are employed to launder profits and anonymize payments. Acting as the new cash for shady activity.
As these new mediums and technologies evolve, the landscape of trafficking will shift. It seems that one thing is certain though, sex trafficking will evolve with pornography.
They are two sides of the same coin.
Actionable Steps to Fight Sex Trafficking and Porn Exploitation
This has painted a rather grim picture of trafficking and porn use. On a lighter note, there are things that you can do to help those who are exploited.
Stop Using Porn
The simplest way to put an end to sex trafficking in the porn industry is to stop using porn. The supply is driven by demand. If there is no demand, there’s no reason for trafficking.
If the demand for pornography were to dip, then so would sex trafficking in the industry. If traffickers cannot make money exploiting others, they will stop doing so.
There are more mindful approaches to masturbation that are much more fulfilling than porn use. Your “Porn Brain” will thank you for the reset.
While quitting porn is certainly hard, it is the most direct way to make a difference. On top of that, you get a ton of benefits as well:
Your perception of women becomes more real. You no longer view them as objects
It can cure your Erectile Dysfunction, especially if you are a young man.
You can focus on building a business or spending time with your family
Among many other benefits. Quitting porn is often one of the best choices you can make.
Make Ethical Porn Consumption Choices
If you do choose to continue watching, find ethical sources for content.
Most trafficking occurs from unethical and unreliable sources. When it is free for content creators to be on a platform, the trafficking risk goes up.
There are some key ways to know if you are watching ethical porn:
You know who is behind the camera
Seek out Fair-Trade Adult content
Find verified creators that are consenting
Educate yourself and others on safe consumption practices.
Report And Advocate
If you see content that appears suspicious, report it to the platform. You can also use hotline numbers like:
It is also your responsibility as a consumer to make ethical decisions on where you consume.
There are also ways that you can advocate for change. Major payment processors have the ability to slow down trafficking transactions. Making it more difficult for traffickers to make a profit on nasty behavior.
Support groups lobbying for stronger adult content restrictions. Age verification is a key component to having a safe adult industry. Another is consent checks, making sure performers are not being coerced into creating content.
If you’re interested in supporting more transparent data and safer industry practices, consider advocating for:
Mandatory performer verification and third‑party audits on major platforms.
Stronger reporting requirements for any suspicion of trafficking in pornographic content.
Funding research into on‑set conditions and post‑production distribution of adult content..
Awareness is the first step to real change. In order to bring awareness to the issue, data has to be transparent.
The Fight Ahead: What’s Next for Stopping Sex Trafficking in Porn
There is still a lot of work to be done to fully understand the link. There’s multiple gaps that still need to be filled:
No rigorous count exists for the percentage of porn videos made by trafficking victims or the share of industry revenue derived from those videos.
Proxy indicators (violence in scenes, hotline calls, forced‑exploitation victim counts) underscore the magnitude of the issue but cannot yield precise figures.
Better data collection. e.g., mandatory reporting of on‑set consent checks, third‑party audits, and platform disclosures. It is urgently needed to quantify and curb exploitation in pornography.
The only true way to avoid sex trafficking is through avoiding porn altogether. If you’re interested in quitting porn for your own health, your partner, or all the women and children exploited, we can help.
Mito Coaching has created the Porn-Free Formula as a dynamic way to quit pornography. Not only do we help you stop watching porn, we help you rebuild your life from the ground up. Saving your relationship, your family, and making you a better version of yourself. Check it out today.
