At the dawn of the 21st century, one of the most pressing issues facing the international community is the transnational trafficking of human beings. The focus of most research and policy on human trafficking is on the trafficking of women and girls for sexual exploitation. The authors attribute this heightened focus on sex trafficking to the convergence of two social reform movements: the anti-slavery movement and the anti-White slavery movement. Prior to the 1990’s, sex trafficking was generally concentrated in Southeast Asia and Asia, but by the mid- to late-1990’s, sex trafficking had become a global social problem. The articles contained in this journal edition all offer unique perspectives on the transnational problem of sex trafficking. All but one article focuses on the trafficking of persons from the former Soviet Republics and Eastern and Southeastern Europe into Western Europe and beyond. Efforts to combat sex trafficking have taken various forms, including strategies aimed at increasing border security, education campaigns warning women of the danger, and job development initiatives in countries of origin. The clandestine nature of sex trafficking makes empirical research challenging and, as such, both researchers and policymakers have had to apply their best guesses based on the knowledge that has been collected. The studies collected in this edition provide the groundwork for future research and provide important insights into many of the multifaceted issues involved with transnational sex trafficking. Notes, references