Sold in America is a stunning six-part docuseries that delves deep into the dark world of sex trafficking in the United States. It premiered on November 27, 2018, on the premium cable network, Epix, and quickly garnered attention and critical acclaim. The series is the brainchild of journalist, producer, and author, Elizabeth Smart, who was abducted and held captive for nine months as a teenager. Smart is now an advocate for victims of trafficking and sexual abuse, and Sold in America is her latest endeavor to shed light on this heinous crime that is happening right under our noses.
Each episode of the series follows Smart as she travels to different parts of the country, uncovering the shocking realities of sex trafficking. From the streets of Atlanta to the strip clubs of Las Vegas, Smart talks to survivors, law enforcement officials, advocates, and even traffickers themselves, to understand the scope and complexity of the problem.
The first episode, titled "The Track," introduces us to the world of sex trafficking in Chicago. Smart interviews a survivor named Brenda Myers-Powell, who was forced into prostitution at the age of 14 and spent the next 25 years on the streets. Myers-Powell now works as an advocate for other survivors, and her story is both heartbreaking and inspiring. We also meet Detective Dan Steele of the Chicago Police Department, who has made it his mission to help get women off of the streets and prosecute their traffickers.
The second episode, "Sugar Baby/Sugar Daddy," takes us to Las Vegas, where Smart explores the growing trend of young women entering into relationships with wealthy older men for money. While not all of these relationships are abusive or involve sex work, Smart discovers that many sugar babies are being coerced into sexual acts and are at risk of being trafficked.
In episode three, "Trafficker, USA," Smart goes undercover with Bravo, a pimp who runs a network of traffickers in Atlanta. This episode is particularly difficult to watch, as we see the brutal tactics that traffickers use to control their victims and the psychological abuse that these women endure. Smart also interviews a man who was once a sex trafficker himself and is now trying to make amends for his past actions.
The fourth episode, "Blackout," explores the intersection of sex trafficking and drug addiction in Seattle. Smart interviews women who have been lured into trafficking by promises of drugs and then held captive by their traffickers. We also see how law enforcement and the criminal justice system often fail these women, instead punishing them for drug-related crimes rather than treating them as victims of trafficking.
In episode five, "Deadly Business," Smart investigates the murders of four Mexican women who were working at massage parlors in Florida. While the police initially dismissed the murders as a botched robbery, Smart discovers that the women were actually victims of trafficking who were being forced to perform sexual acts for clients.
The final episode, "The Survivor's Story," features interviews with survivors of sex trafficking who have since been able to get out of the life and rebuild their lives. Smart talks to women who were trafficked as children and young adults and who are now working as advocates for other survivors. This episode ends on a hopeful note, showing that there is a way out of the darkness of sex trafficking.
Overall, Sold in America is a powerful and important series that shines a light on one of the biggest human rights issues of our time. Smart's approach is both empathetic and hard-hitting, and she doesn't shy away from showing the realities of trafficking, even when it's difficult to watch. If you're interested in learning more about sex trafficking in the US and what you can do to help, this series is a must-watch.
Sold in America is a series that ran for 1 seasons (3 episodes) between February 22, 2018 and on