TONIGHT.
TONIGHT. >>> GOOD EVENING, A 12 NEWS I
TEAM EXCLUSIVE.
TEAM EXCLUSIVE. IS THE WORLD'S OLDEST POSSESSION
-- PROFESSION ON THE RISE?
>> WE ARE UNCOVERING THE REASONS
SEX WORKERS ARE TAKING TO THE
STREETS.
STREETS.
STREETS. >> WE ARE LIVE TO REVEAL THE
VALLEYS TOP HOOKER HOTSPOTS.
>> Reporter: TWO SEX
TRAFFICKING SURVIVORS DRIVING
ACROSS THE VALLEY WITH US,
POINTING OUT THE PLACES THEY
USED TO WORK.
THAT COULD SEE A RESURGENCE.
IT IS THURSDAY NIGHT, JUST
AFTER 11 PM.
WHEN MOST OF THE VALLEY IS
ASLEEP, 27th AVENUE BETWEEN
INDIAN SCHOOL AND NORTHERN.
STARTS TO COME ALIVE.
DOZENS OF WOMEN WALKING THE
STREETS, SELLING SEX FOR MONEY.
THEY TOOK NO TIME AT ALL TO SEE
ACTIVITY AND IN A 30 MINUTES
BAN, OUR CAMERAS CAPTURED
PHOENIX POLICE OFFICERS
QUESTIONING TWO WOMEN ON
SUSPICION OF PROSTITUTION.
THEY FIND OUT THIS GIRL IS JUST
17.
17.
17. SO
17. SO THEY HOLD HER UNTIL SHE IS
PICKED UP BY A RELATIVE.
THIS WOMAN CLAIMING TO BE
VISITING FROM OUT OF TOWN.
THE STORY THEY HAVE HEARD
SEVERAL TIMES OVER.
WITH NO EVIDENCE OF A CRIME
COMMITTED, THEY LET HER GO.
SHE GOES BACK TO WALKING UP AND
DOWN THE TRACK.
>> ANY STRETCH OF ROAD THAT YOU
HAVE GIRLS WORKING ON, IS A
TRACK.
TRACK.
TRACK. >>
TRACK. >> Reporter: THIS ROUTINE IS
FAMILIAR FOR TWO YOUNG WOMEN.
>> I KNOW THE SIDEWALKS BY
HEART.
HEART.
HEART. >>
HEART. >> Reporter: SEX TRAFFICKING
SURVIVORS.
SURVIVORS. >> I WOULD COME OUT AT 7 PM,
MAYBE 8 PM AND I WOULD BE OUT
HERE UNTIL 6 AM.
>> ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF
PEOPLE FROM ALL DIFFERENT
ECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS.
ECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS. >> NO WAY TO ANTICIPATE WHAT
YOUR DAY WOULD LOOK LIKE AND
WHO YOU WOULD SPEND IT WITH.
>> Reporter: 27th AVENUE, FAR
FROM THE ONLY PLACE THESE WOMEN
WOULD WORK.
WOULD WORK. ANOTHER BUSY SPOT, 51st AVENUE
AND McDOWELL.
AND McDOWELL. >> A LOT OF THESE HOTELS WOULD
HAVE TRICKS STAY IN THEM.
>> A COUPLE BLOCKS FROM THERE,
THE TRUCKSTOP SOUTH OF THE 10.
>> I WOULD TRY MY HARDEST TO
MAKE ENOUGH MONEY TO NOT GO TO
THE TRUCKSTOP.
THE TRUCKSTOP. >> Reporter: THE PROBLEM, NIGHT
-- NOT ISOLATED.
THEY OFTENTIMES FIND THEMSELVES
EAST IN THE VALLEY SUBURBS.
IN MESA, ON MAIN STREET.
>> ANY PART OF TOWN THAT YOU GO
IN, THERE WILL BE SOMEWHERE
WHERE THIS IS GOING ON.
>> Reporter: IN CHANDLER ON
ARIZONA AVENUE.
ARIZONA AVENUE. >> I WAS SCARED, I GUESS I HAD
TO DO IT OR I THOUGHT I HAD TO
DO IT.
DO IT.
DO IT. >>
DO IT. >> Reporter: IN THE CASE OF
NEARLY EVERY SEX TRAFFICKING
VICTIM, THEY ARE WORKING UNDER
THE CONTROL OF A PIMP.
ACCORDING TO THE SURVIVORS, IT
WAS ALMOST ALWAYS CLOSE BY.
LINGERING AT A BAR OR GAS
STATION.
STATION.
STATION. >> AS SOON IT WAS DONE, HE
WOULD PICK UP THE MONEY.
>> Reporter: IN ONE CASE,
FORCING DRUGS AND SELLING THEM
TO THE MEN PAYING HER.
>> HE IS ON ECSTASY A LOT.
>> Reporter: WOMEN TRAFFICKED
ALSO SAID TO THE SCOTSDALE'S
ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT.
ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT. >> A LOT OF THE CLUBS AND BARS
WOULD BE A RELEVANT PLACE TO GO.
>> Reporter: ANOTHER SPOT, MILL
AVENUE.
AVENUE.
AVENUE. >> THE FEAR OF THEY ARE AROUND
MY AGE.
MY AGE.
MY AGE. WHAT IF I RUN INTO THEM AT
SOMETHING ELSE.
SOMETHING ELSE. >> Reporter: STRIP CLUBS ACROSS
THE VALLEY.
THE VALLEY. >> SOME OF THE GIRLS HAVE PIMPS.
>> Reporter: THE MAJORITY OF
THEIR WORK, CAME FROM
BACKPAGE.COM.
BACKPAGE.COM. IN FACT, THEY PREFERRED MEETING
MEN VIA THE WEBSITE.
>> IT IS EASIER TO SAY -- STAY
UNDER THE RADAR.
>> Reporter: BACKPAGE HAS BEEN
SHUT DOWN BY THE FEDS.
BUT AS THIS VIDEO TAKEN BY US
SHOWS, IT HAS AND PUT A STOP TO
THE PROBLEM.
THE PROBLEM. WOMEN WHO BOOKED THEIR CLIENTS
ONLINE, NOW HAVING TO GO BACK
ON THE STREETS.
>> THE MEN THAT PAY FOR SEX --
>> Reporter: THEY SAY THE ONLY
WAY TO SOLVE THE WIDESPREAD
PROBLEM IS TO TAKE AWAY THE
DEMAND.
DEMAND.
DEMAND. >> THIS IS A HUGE SUCCESS
STORY, ONE HAS FINISHED HER
FIRST YEAR OF COLLEGE AND THE
OTHER IS HOPING TO PURSUE A
DEGREE IN PSYCHOLOGY TO TRY TO
FIGURE OUT WHY PEOPLE FEEL THE
NEED TO PAY FOR SEX.
IF YOU OR