Notes

Severing the Connection Between Sex Trafficking and U.S. Military Bases Overseas

November 2, 2019

The sex trafficking of women and girls by U.S. military men remains an issue plaguing U.S. military bases overseas. While the U.S. government has offered several solutions to combat this specific niche of sex trafficking, the legislation and policy put forth are insufficient to eradicate the problem. After assessing the intersection of sex trafficking and overseas U.S. military bases, this Note both discusses why and proposes how, through the use of Status of Forces Agreements (SOFAs), all U.S. military bases abroad can and must commit to the prevention of this egregious human rights violation. Because SOFAs grant wide latitude to set terms and foster cooperation between the United States and a host country, this Note proposes a framework for utilizing SOFAs as a channel for stricter guidelines and greater enforceability of sex trafficking laws, specifically through the inclusion of a new sex trafficking provision.

November 2019

No. 2