For many women, because of poverty and lack of alternatives, prostitution has been their only option, yet the system targets Black women for punishment. The laws against prostitution are enforced disproportionately against women of color. Although 20 to 30% of prostitutes are women of color, the vast majority of those sentenced to jail time are women of color. 

The traffickers in street based commercial sex situations are often individual traffickers, more commonly known as “pimps”. These traffickers may vary in their relationship to the victim but are similar in the tactics they employ to recruit, control and exploit their victims. Some traffickers may only be exploiting one or a couple victims, while others maintain control over a larger group of adults or minors. 

Traffickers in street based commercial sex seek to make their victims dependent on them by creating a false sense of romantic relationship or become a caretaker or father-figure. When multiple victims are working for the same controller, a sense of family becomes critical in the maintenance of the exploitative relationship. Traffickers use these relationship bonds to compel victims into providing commercial sex.

Traffickers in street-based commercial sex settings often create extreme systems of behavioral expectations with harsh and often unpredictable punishments. For example, victims may not be allowed to walk on the sidewalks, but instead walk along the street. They may not be allowed to look other traffickers in the eye or may be required to take on a completely new persona and identity. Punishments have been reported to be extremely harsh, including physical beatings, sexual assault or torture techniques.