Trafficking

“Human Trafficking” Tammy Hansen Kristy Kobzeff Vionte Smith BS/HS 302-Introduction to Human Services August 13, 2011 Human Trafficking One social issue facing people all over the world is human trafficking. Human trafficking consists of illegally trading human beings strictly for the use of slavery. The types of human trafficking may include sexual exploitation and forced labor. People who are subjected to human trafficking are often treated like property rather than people. Because slavery is the forcing of services without compensation, the majority of people who are subjected to human trafficking are being held against their will. Slavery exists throughout the world, even in today’s society. Most of the time when human trafficking is mentioned one thinks of foreign countries; however, slavery also occurs in the United States. Human trafficking is most often linked to the prostitution of women and children for sex industries. The prostituting of women and children may also lead to forced marriage. Often, people confuse human trafficking with people smuggling; however, they are not the same. Human trafficking involves being taken against one’s will or being forced to perform a service without compensation. People smuggling entails hiring someone to help smuggle people from one location to another. With people smuggling, the person usually hires another to help them. Human Trafficking is an issue that is being addressed but due to the high numbers of those being trafficked, stopping human trafficking is very difficult. The fact that these individuals sometimes initially go at their own will, makes it even more difficult to address the trafficking. Individuals that are trafficked are often tricked into going, thinking they will be provided with a better life. Slavery was abolished in 1865; however, it is very much still in full effect. During the enslavement of Africans, there were less African slaves trafficked each year in comparison to the trafficking and enslavement of individuals right now. It is estimated that 14,500 to 17,500 slaves are trafficked into the United States to be prostitutes or to work in illegal sweatshops each year. Sex slaves and forced laborers arrive in the United States every day. The conditions that they are held in are inhumane and deplorable. They are often forced to take drugs so that they do not try to escape and to force them to become dependent on the traffickers. It is also estimated that internationally 600 to 800 million slaves are trafficked every year. (http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/current-social-issue-modern-human-trafficking-and-slavery-795225.htm) Human Trafficking involves: forced labor, bonded labor, involuntary domestic servitude, child exploitation and sex trafficking. A child being forced into soldiering is also a huge epidemic in Africa. Children are forced to walk around with AK-47’s and often forced to rape individuals in their society or even in their own families. It is estimated that in 2000, 13 million children were displaced due to the wars which put them at an increased risk of being trafficked. (Dill, 2011) The most common trafficking groups are: * International Criminals: drug and gun smugglers * Local Criminals: street gangs * Family operations working together internationally * Independent business owners that provide laborers * Loosely based organizations * Individuals, pimps and bar owners Families that are poor are also among these groups. Although their intention is not to traffick their child, due to their lack of knowledge and being poverty stricken they often are persuaded into “allowing their child a chance at a better life.” When in actuality they are selling their child to someone who plans on destroying their life. In essence, whether in poverty or not, the child is better off with the family. Because of the vulnerability of the family they are often targeted by human traffickers. (Dill, 2011) Slavery, child labor, forced soldiering and forced prostitution are but a few ways adults and children are trafficked. Although there are laws against forced enslavement, many individuals are naïve in their beliefs that slavery does not exist. Modern day slavery is very much alive in many different areas of the world. In some areas, an individual is forced into modern slavery every day. The sad part is that due to being poverty stricken some individuals are not forced to go with human traffickers but believe they will be provided with a better life. There are many organizations that are a part of the fight to end human trafficking: * Trafficking Victims Protection Act * Palermo Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and punish Trafficking Persons * National Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime * Child Soldiers Protection Act of 2008 While there are protocols in place, there is still much that needs to be done to stop human trafficking. There is such a large number of individuals that are being trafficked right now that the fight will be endless. However, even if officials are able to save five people a day from being trafficked, it will make a huge difference in the lives of those five. Human Trafficking is the world’s 3rd largest illegal business, 27 million people are being held captive by human traffickers for sex and prostitution. Woman and children are the most vulnerable to be sold into this type of slavery. The average age of entry for women in this industry is anywhere between ages 12 and 14, with some young girls starting as early as 9 years old. Human Trafficking is a business that has been going on for centuries. Human trafficking is modern day slavery, since as early as the 1700’s young girls and children have been sold into a horrible nightmare void of hope. Human trafficking was first legally recognized as “white slavery” the British were among the first to make a law and treaty against slavery in 1807. Many slaves were bought and sold by counties such as Sudan, India, and South Asia. The poorest states and countries saw the largest increase in human trafficking population. “Being poor doesn’t make you a slave but it makes you more vulnerable to being a slave” (Peggy Callahan). Once buying a slave and “owning them” an obscene amount of rape and beatings take place, young girls that owned passports were quickly forced to give them away. These passports were often destroyed or sold to keep their victims from escaping and to keep the identity of the victim unknown. Many women that are sold into slavery are told that there will be jobs for them they are promised nanny jobs, exotic dancing jobs, acting, and waitress jobs only to find out that it isn’t true. Woman in slavery are conditioned by their traffickers by confinement, starvation, forced drug use and gang rape. Many traffickers threaten to tell victims’ families about their shameful acts and exploit them in public. Children and woman can be sold by their own family members including boyfriends and a child’s own parents. When the TVPA Trafficking Victims Protection Act was enforced it made sex trafficking a serious violation of federal law. This law made it easier for victims to acquire refugee status in the states and flee the slave trade. Redemption of slaves was starting to take place in many countries to try and save the youngest of children but in some countries the redemption of slaves turned into a huge scam operation. “A lot of these people are not even slaves; it’s like paying a burglar for the TV set they just stole” (Bales). Young women who are lured into prostitution have higher death rates than men or children. In 1948 the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was put into place. This law says that “no one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms”. Many critics of slave redemption say that it causes more harm than good and that it only encourages more slave taking. Supporters suggest that not trying to free the children that are in bondage would be unconscionable. In 2003 President Bush addressed the US assembly about slavery and trafficking, he gave a substantial speech about ways to fight trafficking. “There is a special evil in the abuse and exploitation of the most innocent and vulnerable”. (George Bush) Human trafficking has been called the greatest humanitarian problem in the 21st century. The United States and other countries continue to renew efforts to fight slavery and trafficking. It essential to remember that children and woman are dying in this slave trade and without continuous amounts of support and laws that provide protection death will be the ultimate leading consequence. References Current Social Issue: Modern Human Trafficking and Slavery [Poverty Is the Factor in the Global Economy That Leads to Suffering and Slavery]. (2007, November 21). Retrieved August 12, 2011, from http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/current-social-issue- modern-human-trafficking-and-slavery-795225.htm Dill, S. E. (2011, July). Human Trafficking: A Decade’s Track Record, Plus Techniques for Prosecutors and Police Moving Forward. Criminal Justice, 26(1), 18-26. Tina Fendt, “Enslaved in America: Sex trafficking in the United States” Copyright (2004). Mary H. Cooper, David Masci, William Triplett, Sara Glazer, David Hatch, Tom Price, Jane Tamer, CQ Press, Division of congressional. Copyright (2004),“Human Trafficking and Slavery”.