In the article, the author stresses that human trafficking has become a worldwide concern and should be viewed as a global industry not merely an organized crime activity. Defined as a social system, the global sex industry is made up of various subsystems, of which organized criminal activity is one. The industry takes place in a context of economic globalization, international migration, and other economic and social factors, such as poverty and unemployment and supply and demand. Using Israel as an example, the author reveals the multifaceted levels and complex makeup of the global sex industry and stresses that national efforts to combat human trafficking have to take international aspects into account. Current efforts in Israel focus on penal punishment within the country and must incorporate a wider view of the issue if effective measures are going to be undertaken. Endnotes and references