The Superbowl Sex Trafficking Panic

Every year the media reports, falsely, that the Superbowl produces a precipitous rise in sex trafficking. Every year the statistics just don’t bear that out. A number of studies have debunked the myth that large sporting events like the Superbowl see a sharp rise in sex trafficking, but the myth seems to live on.

Michael Hobbes at Huffington Post has a piece on the topic that’s an excellent read, including his supporting links. I highly recommend it.

Hobbes writing is more than just an investigation into the annual Superbowl hype, he digs into the broader cultural sex trafficking panic that has gripped the nation for years, one that the New Republic’s Melissa Mira Grant argues, convincingly, has contributed to the rise of the Qanon conspiracy theory.

So if you’re watching the Superbowl today you needn’t worry that you’re somehow, indirectly, supporting human/sex trafficking. Turns out the worst thing about the Superbowl is the strong possibility of a shitty game and a lackluster halftime show.