Karaoke Bar Sex Trafficking Lawsuit

Understanding Sex Trafficking

Although often referred to as sex trafficking, the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain labor or commercial sex act is human trafficking. Men and women alike of any age, race, nationality, etc. can be victims of human trafficking. Traffickers use many different methods to lure victims, methods may include romantic relationships, manipulation, violence, or false promises of well-paying jobs or other help.

In many cases, traffickers target vulnerable individuals. These may be people illegally in the country, with a fear of law enforcement, the inability to speak the language to seek help, etc. Victims may be facing economic hardships, instability due to immigration status (or recent arrival to the country), a lack of family, etc.

Human trafficking is more common than we might think. Many times, we encounter victims of human trafficking without even knowing it.

Consider some past examples of human trafficking:

• Olivet University Students – Multiple students brought forth a lawsuit against Olivet University, a religious private college. Allegedly, the college brought students to the country with student visas. When students arrived to the campus, they were put to work to pay off their debt. The four students that filed a lawsuit claimed that they were confined, surveilled, and forced to work for over 40-hours a week when they were supposed to be studying. The lawsuit claims that students were promised full scholarships and visas.
• Holiday Karaoke Club Sex Trafficking – this is a situation that happened over a decade ago in the Northen Mariana Islands, a U.S. territory. According to a press release made available by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Districts of Guam & the Northern Mariana Islands, a federal jury convicted Chang Ru Men Backman of sex trafficking. Reportedly, Backman coerced vulnerable Chinese women into having sex with customers of her karaoke club. She targeted women from China who were promised legitimate work when they arrived to Saipan. Once the women arrived, she manipulated them with their debt, immigration status, and inability to speak English to force them to engage in commercial sex acts at her club. She would drive the women to and from her karaoke bar so that they would have sex with men at her business.

Ultimately, traffickers identify vulnerable individuals, gain their trust, and manipulate them into sex work. Some traffickers abduct victims and use violence to force victims to engage in sex work.

Damages Resulting from Sex Trafficking

Without a doubt, victims of sex trafficking can suffer extensive physical injuries, especially if their traffickers use force or violence to get victims to cooperate. Sex trafficking can also result in extensive psychological injuries. Survivors of sex trafficking, even after being freed from the trafficking situation may experience post-traumatic stress, depression, anxiety, fear, panic, and more.

Understanding Liability for Sex Trafficking – How Karaoke Bar Owners can be Responsible

Can Karaoke Bar owners be responsible for sex trafficking that occurs on their premises? Yes, karaoke bar owners can be liable. In general, karaoke bar owners have the duty to ensure that their guests, and everyone else on their premises, are safe while on the premises. Of course, if a karaoke bar owner is bringing women into their property and forcing them to offer sex work to clients, the karaoke bar owner could be liable. However, in cases where women are brought into the property by others, the bar owner could be liable for failing to identify warning signs or for ignoring clear signs of sex trafficking. In other words, if property owners knew or should have known that there was sex trafficking in their businesses, they could be liable and could be sued by victims; they could also face criminal charges.

For more information about liability for sex trafficking at karaoke bars, please do not hesitate to reach out to our karaoke bar sex trafficking lawyers as soon as possible. Our legal team is ready to guide you every step of the way.

A Recent Incident

Last year, Daekon Cho, a well-known man in Koreatown, was arrested and charged with over 55 counts, which include extortion, attempted extortion, and carjacking. According to a federal trial, Cho, a gangster, extorted karaoke bar owners and doumi drivers for years. Doumi drivers transported “party girls” or “doumi” dressed in bikini tops, short skirts, and skin-tight dresses. They were dropped off by doumi drivers in vans outside Koreatown karaoke bars. Reportedly, these drivers would make $40 an hour per each girl that was hired to “party” with the customers at these karaoke bars. Each month, drivers would have to pay a portion of their profits to Cho.

Although this case only involves the drivers and karaoke bar owners, the girls that were being transported to these karaoke bars were likely victims of human trafficking.

Compensation for My Karaoke Bar Sex Trafficking Lawsuit

How much can I recover if my karaoke bar sex trafficking lawsuit is successful? Some of the different categories of compensation available for recovery could include medical costs, lost income, pain and suffering, punitive damages, legal fees, and more. These cases can be worth anywhere from $150,000 to $1.5 million – and sometimes even more. To ensure that you have a thorough understanding of the possible value of your claim, contact us today. Our team is ready to fight for your right to recover the maximum payout available.

Contact the Downtown L.A. Law Group Today

Were you the victim of sex trafficking at a karaoke bar? In addition to having the right to pursue criminal charges against the traffickers, you could also have grounds to file a civil lawsuit against the owner of the karaoke bar. Here at the Downtown L.A. Law Group, our experts are fully committed to fighting to protect the rights of victims and holding negligent parties accountable for their actions. If you are ready to explore your right to file a Karaoke bar sex trafficking lawsuit, contact us today.

Free Case Reviews: our legal team offers free case evaluations, which include free consultations and free second opinions. During these free legal services, our lawyers will be available to answer your questions, address your concerns, and ensure that you have access to all the information that you need to either begin or continue your claim. Our team can help you even if you have already started your claim with another firm. Contact us today to schedule a free case evaluation and learn more about the legal options available to you.

Zero-Fee Guarantee: you will never be required to pay any upfront legal costs for any of our legal services. In addition, our firm works on a strict contingency basis, so you will not be responsible for paying any legal costs whatsoever.

Contact us today to learn more about the legal options available to you. Our team is ready to help you file your karaoke bar sex trafficking lawsuit.

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