Iran's Big Little Secret

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Prostitution in the Persian Gulf has skyrocketed recently, and the number in Iran is staggering. In Tehran alone, there are an estimated 84,000 prostitutes, and an estimated 250 brothels. However, sexual slavery in Iran has become an international endeavour, so to speak—thousands more women are sold into sexual slavery abroad.

Most of the women and girls who are sold into prostitution are from rural areas, and are often sold by their parents to support drug habits (look at the post below this one). What's particularly sickening is that quite often, these young women are then bought at auctions. There are also scams in which Pakistani men will marry young, poor girls, then take them across the border into Pakistan and sell them to brothels.

Because prostitution is so lucrative for the ones who run it, many of whom are corrupt politicians or connected to them, it will be hard to quell the growing tide of human trafficking within and going out of Iran. In a country that outlaws pornography, one can still own slaves.