The estimated average life expectancy after entering commercial sex trafficking is around

• A. Approximately 7 years
• B. 5 years
• C. 10 years
• D. 15 years

Answer: (A)

The question is about how drastically life expectancy drops for someone who has entered commercial sex trafficking. This outcome reflects the cumulative harm from repeated violence, severe physical and mental health issues, infectious diseases, substance use, malnutrition, and barriers to timely medical care and safety.

The most widely cited estimate is about seven years. This figure captures the reality that survivors face, on average, a much shorter lifespan due to ongoing exposure to harm, chronic stress, and limited access to preventive and acute healthcare. While individual experiences vary, seven years is the commonly referenced ballpark in research and advocacy materials, making it the best-supported choice.

The other numbers don’t align as closely with the broader understanding of the risk. Five years is possible for some individuals but is less often used as the standard average. Ten or fifteen years would suggest a less severe impact than what is typically documented across studies, given the extreme health and safety risks involved.