As far as US law goes, bear in mind that it would only take one court case, if the Supreme Court were so inclined. I’ve long thought that the recognition of a right to private sexual conduct in Lawrence v. Texas would mean that laws criminalizing the sale of sex would be struck down, much as the recognition of a right to use birth control in Griswold led to laws criminalizing the sale of birth control being struck down.
The government has, for a long time, granted itself the right to regulate the buying and selling of stuff. If it can outlaw the selling of marijuana, then why not prostitution as well?
It is pretty clear most of the ‘numbers’ about trafficking have barely any relation to reality. Here in Holland they tried multiple times to get evidence (as in giving girls the chance to quit, offering help, etc.). This never leads to anything… after which they say, that this indicates how ‘scared’ the girls are. Most of politics and ‘public opinion’ is based on very little, and still there has been put a hold on the stricter regulations regarding prostitution (much to the happiness of some working girls - translate the dutch ‘zondares blog’ for a girl’s opinion).
Yet ‘trafficking’ is abundant (Germany at least), I don’t need numbers, I know because I talk to these girls. Very little organized about this, just girls coming to Germany with their boyfriends. A lot of guys making money without doing anything. You mostly hear about this when girls ‘change’ clubs (and suddenly have a new tattoo covering that name of her former ‘lover’), so they can make money for themselves. Then there are the girls that are introduced to the clubs by sisters, nieces etc. Don’t expect anything to be less than very complex.