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A common question about victim workers posed by those unfamiliar with the Illicit Massage Industry (IMI) is “Why don’t they just leave?” When answering this question, it is essential to understand the layers and forms of force, fraud and coercion used by IMI traffickers, including appropriate cultural contexts, and the extent to which victim workers are often dependent on others after arrival in the U.S., increasing their vulnerability to trafficking networks.
“Why don’t the women just leave?” When answering this question, it is critical to understand the nuances of force, fraud, and coercion that traffickers use to exploit workers in the illicit massage industry.