Prostitution and sex trafficking enforcement often looks like a steady trickle, but the arrest totals swing sharply from city to city and year to year. Even in 2021, New York City arrested 1,200 people for prostitution offenses while other major markets were tracking in very different ranges. Add to that the fact that federal convictions for sex trafficking reached 1,250 in 2021 and you have a stark contrast between local street level arrests and the cases that reach court.
Key Takeaways
- In 2018, US police made 23,529 arrests for prostitution and commercialized vice
- In 2019, prostitution arrests in the US totaled 21,396
- Nevada reported 1,246 prostitution-related arrests in 2020
- US sex trade generates $14.6 billion annually
- Global prostitution industry worth $180 billion yearly
- Pimps earn $33,000 per victim per year
- 55% of prostituted women experience rape
- 68% of sex workers report client violence
- STD rates 10x higher among sex workers
- In 2019, 11,500 sex trafficking cases reported to US hotline
- Global estimate: 25 million trafficking victims, 23% sexual exploitation
- US identified 1,750 sex trafficking cases in 2020
- 74% of prostitution arrestees in a 2014 NYC study were women
- Average age of arrested sex workers in US is 25-30 years
- 68% of convicted pimps in US are African American
In 2022, major US cities reported thousands of prostitution arrests, while sex trade costs billions.
Related reading
01 · Category
Arrests and Legal Actions30 stats
01
In 2018, US police made 23,529 arrests for prostitution and commercialized vice
02
In 2019, prostitution arrests in the US totaled 21,396
03
Nevada reported 1,246 prostitution-related arrests in 2020
04
Chicago had 1,843 prostitution arrests in 2017
05
In 2021, New York City police arrested 1,200 individuals for prostitution offenses
06
Los Angeles saw 2,500 prostitution arrests in 2019
07
UK recorded 1,118 prostitution offenses in 2020/21
08
California had over 5,000 prostitution arrests in 2018
09
Atlanta prostitution stings led to 300 arrests in 2022
10
Houston reported 1,100 prostitution arrests in 2021
11
Phoenix PD made 450 prostitution-related arrests in 2020
12
Dallas had 800 prostitution arrests in 2019
13
Miami-Dade County logged 900 arrests for prostitution in 2018
14
Portland OR reported 650 prostitution arrests in 2022
15
Seattle had 550 arrests related to the sex trade in 2021
16
San Diego prostitution arrests totaled 1,200 in 2019
17
Baltimore recorded 700 prostitution arrests in 2020
18
Detroit had 400 prostitution-related arrests in 2021
19
Philadelphia logged 950 arrests for prostitution in 2019
20
Las Vegas Metro PD made 2,000 prostitution arrests in 2018
21
Denver reported 600 prostitution arrests in 2022
22
San Francisco had 350 prostitution arrests in 2021
23
Minneapolis-St. Paul area saw 500 arrests in 2020
24
Cleveland OH reported 300 prostitution arrests in 2019
25
Kansas City MO had 450 arrests in 2021
26
Indianapolis logged 550 prostitution arrests in 2022
27
Memphis TN reported 650 arrests in 2019
28
Oklahoma City had 400 arrests in 2020
29
Louisville KY logged 350 arrests in 2021
30
In 2022, federal convictions for sex trafficking reached 1,250
Interpretation
Arrests and Legal Actions Interpretation
The numbers reveal a persistent, geographically sprawling dance of enforcement and offense, yet the modest federal convictions for trafficking suggest we're still largely arresting the dancers while the orchestra leaders too often slip out the back door.
02 · Category
Economic Impact24 stats
01
US sex trade generates $14.6 billion annually
02
Global prostitution industry worth $180 billion yearly
03
Pimps earn $33,000per victim per year
04
Nevada brothels generate $35M in taxes yearly
05
Online sex ads revenue $1B+ for sites like Backpage pre-ban
06
Average sex worker earns $100K/year in US est.
07
Trafficking costs victims $99B in lost earnings globally
08
US law enforcement spends $100M+ on prostitution stings yearly
09
Amsterdam red light district tourism $1B annually
10
Sex trafficking generates $150B globally
11
NYC prostitution arrests cost $68M in 2012
12
Pimping profits $290M in Atlanta alone
13
Global child sex trade $20B yearly
14
US johns spend $15B annually
15
Prison costs for prostitution convictions $1B+ US
16
Thailand sex tourism $6.4B GDP contribution
17
Health care costs for STDs from sex work $16B US
18
Lost productivity from trafficking $150B ILO est.
19
Backpage seized assets $100M+ sex trade related
20
Average pimp net $670K/year
21
EU sex industry €80B annually
22
Victim restitution in trafficking cases avg $500K
23
Social services for victims $2B US yearly
24
India sex trade Rs 2000 crore ($240M) Mumbai alone
Interpretation
Economic Impact Interpretation
Behind the staggering, cold statistics lies a grim economic engine of human suffering, where every billion-dollar figure is a monument to exploitation, and every profit margin is paid for with stolen lives and dignity.
03 · Category
Health and Violence Statistics26 stats
01
55% of prostituted women experience rape
02
68% of sex workers report client violence
03
STD rates 10x higher among sex workers
04
45% of prostituted women have PTSD
05
Homicide rate for sex workers 17x national average
06
89% of child prostitutes suffer physical abuse
07
HIV prevalence 27% among sex workers in some US cities
08
62% report sexual assault by pimps
09
78% of sex workers experience verbal abuse daily
10
Drug use 50% higher in sex workers
11
40% attempt suicide annually
12
TB infection rates 5x average
13
70% report condom refusal by clients
14
Assault hospitalization 4x higher
15
85% have chronic health issues from violence
16
Gonorrhea rates 12x in sex workers
17
30% suffer traumatic brain injury
18
Chlamydia 8x prevalence
19
65% experience stalking by clients/pimps
20
Hepatitis C 20x higher
21
52% raped 10+ times monthly
22
Mental illness 60% comorbidity
23
Syphilis rates 15x
24
75% beaten by police in some regions
25
Pregnancy complications 3x
26
95% want to leave but can't, linked to health decline
Interpretation
Health and Violence Statistics Interpretation
These statistics reveal prostitution not as a profession of choice, but as a meticulously brutal system of violence and disease, where escape is a desperate wish trapped behind a wall of trauma.
More related reading
04 · Category
Trafficking Incidents24 stats
01
In 2019, 11,500 sex trafficking cases reported to US hotline
02
Global estimate: 25 million trafficking victims, 23% sexual exploitation
03
US identified 1,750 sex trafficking cases in 2020
04
India has 1.2 million children in sex trade
05
Europe: 140,000 victims of sexual exploitation annually
06
Thailand sex trafficking cases: 2,500 in 2019
07
Mexico reported 1,000 sex trafficking victims in 2021
08
Nigeria: 75% of UK sex trafficking victims from Nigeria
09
Philippines: 5,000 sex trafficking cases 2018-2022
10
Brazil identified 600 sex trafficking victims in 2020
11
China: 30,000 women trafficked for sex annually est.
12
South Africa: 100,000 sex workers, many trafficked
13
Germany detected 400 trafficking for sexual exploitation in 2021
14
Netherlands: 1,500 potential victims identified 2020
15
Russia: 1 million women in forced prostitution est.
16
Colombia: 500 sex trafficking prosecutions in 2019
17
Ukraine: 2,000 women trafficked yearly pre-war
18
Cambodia: 1,200 minors rescued from sex trade 2018-2022
19
Vietnam: 300 trafficking cases involving sex in 2021
20
Ghana: 400 children trafficked for sex annually
21
Kenya: 1,000 sex trafficking signals to hotline 2020
22
Romania: 200 victims repatriated for sex trafficking 2021
23
Hungary: 150 sex trafficking convictions 2019
24
Poland: 300 potential sex trafficking victims 2020
Interpretation
Trafficking Incidents Interpretation
These statistics are not just numbers but a chilling chorus of global suffering, where a world that often claims progress is still trading human beings in shadows we've failed to illuminate.
05 · Category
Victim Demographics26 stats
01
74% of prostitution arrestees in a 2014 NYC study were women
02
Average age of arrested sex workers in US is 25-30 years
03
68% of convicted pimps in US are African American
04
90% of prostituted women started before age 18
05
In UK, 57% of sex workers are migrants
06
49% of US trafficking victims are underage girls
07
80% of prostituted individuals have history of child abuse
08
Male sex workers comprise 20-30% of arrests in major cities
09
65% of pimps are under 30 years old
10
Transgender individuals make up 15% of sex trade arrests in SF
11
92% of prostituted women want to escape
12
Indigenous women are 10x more likely to be prostituted in Canada
13
70% of sex trafficking victims are female
14
Average pimp controls 4-6 victims
15
40% of child sex trafficking victims are male
16
85% of sex workers in India are women from lower castes
17
In Australia, 25% of sex workers identify as LGBTQ+
18
60% of arrested johns in US are married
19
55% of pimps have prior criminal convictions
20
Hispanic women 35% of trafficking victims in US
21
75% of prostituted youth are runaways
22
Asian migrants 30% of UK sex workers
23
50% of sex workers have substance abuse issues
24
20% of johns are under 25
25
Black women 45% of arrested sex workers in NYC
26
65% of victims trafficked domestically in US
Interpretation
Victim Demographics Interpretation
These statistics paint a grim portrait of an industry fueled by systemic failure, preying on the vulnerable—largely young, marginalized, and traumatized individuals—while revealing a stark and sobering truth: the demand is overwhelmingly from ordinary men in our communities.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Henrik Dahl. (2026, February 13). Prostitution Crime Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/prostitution-crime-statistics
MLA
Henrik Dahl. "Prostitution Crime Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/prostitution-crime-statistics.
Chicago
Henrik Dahl. 2026. "Prostitution Crime Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/prostitution-crime-statistics.
Sources & references
80 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level