Human Trafficking Archives

Essay on Causes of Human Trafficking

Posted on July 22, 2024 | by Laureen

This essay is going to critically analyze the serious crime of Human Trafficking which is the illegal trade of people for their exploitation (Atkinson). This will be done through a social harm lens which will consider the social, political, and economic context. Additionally, it is going to analyze the serious crime of human trafficking within a capitalist economic system that is dominant across the globe, and by adopting this approach it will clarify the context, the root causes, and alternative approaches to relieve serious harm.

There are many forms of human trafficking, one being organ transplants. Geis and Brown state this to be a category of a thriving black market where people in low-income countries and poverty voluntarily donate their organs for money to be able to provide for their families. The locations where these transplants are taking place are notorious. Additionally in subservient poverty kidneys are precious belongings, they sell their kidneys for medicine or to pay off debt, these are not done on humanitarian grounds, and people wanting to purchase the organs come from around the globe. It is projected that legal organ donations cover less than 10% of the world’s needs (UNODC 2015). The flow of kidneys adheres to routes of the capital from south to north, while also from poorer humans to more prosperous humans.

The case study Moldova shows the social harm and the impact human trafficking regarding organs has. The Moldovans sold hundreds of their kidneys to countries globally, in doing this it affected their work as they could not perform to the normal standard with their role, which is agriculture or construction labor, there was no other work for them (Scheper Hughes, 2004). Also, kidney sellers and female sex workers from Moldova are categorized as shameless prostitutes, they are labeled for selling their bodies as a means of providing for themselves and their families. Once the operations are performed for removing the organs there are no follow-ups to make sure they recover fully as they have no access to doctors or hospitals afterward (Scheper Hughes, 2004).

Another example is organ harvesting in China, where there are 10,000 organs transplanted yearly when there is only a small percentage of the population on the human donor register. It is said that these are made up of kidneys, livers, hearts, lungs, cornea, and skin, also there are some queries into whether these organs may come from political prisoners which have been proven, it is known to be a crime against humanity and also genocide (Adam Withnall, 2019). It is also a routine in China to take the organs of the people after execution which makes up 4,500 individuals yearly and is known as part of the redemption to society. However evidence shows that most of the organs go to state officials and that the donor had no choice, they could not opt out or were in no position to resist (Geis and Brown, 2008). It was said in 2014 that China would stop this but in 2019 the UN is still demanding that China cease organ harvesting, the Human Rights Council for the UN states that there is an obligation of members of the UN to stop this (Bowcott, 2019).

There is a division when it comes to organ trafficking, this is the organ donor, globally there are many cities to provide body parts such as Moscow and then there is the organ recipient, these involve global cities such as New York City and Tokyo. This trade for Kidneys is powered by a market calculus of supply and demand (Scheper Hughes, 2004). It is such that the medical consumers want the freshest produce to work with, this is just like any other global business, they treat the organs as the product and do not care where it comes from as long as it is quality, they do not consider it coming from another human being like themselves. Eventually, the UN created a protocol in 2000 against human trafficking which is to prevent, suppress, and punish anyone that contributes to the trafficking of persons, this later was ratified by hundreds of countries which signifies global politics to address the international problem.

The problem with human trafficking is that it should not be focused upon as just a crime but also focus on one’s fundamental human rights. This human trafficking is also classified as human rights abuse, and it is not just caused by criminal acts but also because of one’s social status, this being that the person is from a poor country and is looking for an alternative way to survive and get involved either voluntary or coerced in being part of human trafficking. Such as the case of child tracking, where there were 330 cases reported and 183 went missing from local authority care (Bohhari 2008). Additionally, 77 Chinese children went missing in Heathrow and only 4 were found in 3 years, 2 were found in a brothel in Birmingham in 2009. Situations like this are hard to prevent but things can be put in place to help the victims and the perpetrators need to be punished, there are laws in place for this such as the modern slavery Act 2015 that aims to prosecute traffickers for up to 14 years to life, also to report suspected cases of human trafficking, prevention orders for people that pose a risk of committing human trafficking, recovery support for victims, and finances to support them, also a duty for suppliers to check supply chains and oversees ensuring transparency. It can be said that the child sex trade is a multi-billion industry (Hillyard, 2004) and that it is powered by people of greed that feed off the unpowerful and most vulnerable, the effect on the children involved can lead to them getting diseases, pregnant, substant abuse, suicide, and numerous other health problems (Willis and Levy, 2002). Hillyard also expresses that the profits from child trade are sustained by poverty, gender discrimination, poor education, war, and conflict.

Overall, the capitalist global economy provides the demand and supply for human trafficking, this is based on an inequality across the globe where the powerful take charge and use the vulnerable for their own needs, such as Hillyard explains that child trafficking alone is a multi-billion industry. There is also a worldwide demand for cheap labor in numerous industries, so they get people from low economic backgrounds that would do the labor for cheaper. Additionally, there is corruption in government and law enforcement across the globe, an example of this is that someone with power who does not have a moral conscious will still want to undertake human trafficking for their greed. So, although countries set regulations and laws on human trafficking it is still not possible to completely abolish human trafficking until the core reasons of the issues in source countries are permanently corrected. By finding all the causes and rectifying them only then a permanent solution to the problem be solved (Aronowitz, 2001). Therefore, if the crime is the focal point the reasons behind why human trafficking exists can get lost and the solutions would not be able to prevent or abolish human trafficking. Looking through the issues from a social harm approach can produce solutions. From the view of Hillyard and Tombs much of the harm globally by placing the cause strongly at the base of the interest of a neo-liberal economic concept, this could be said that the government can prevent development this point is if a body is too powerful, and they do not agree that human trafficking is wrong then countries not under the UN could still have legalized human trafficking. While Bibbings and Pantazis identify social harm as being part of a culture’s customs, traditions, and dominant ideologies, it is not always on a political economy basis. Another is Schwendingers’ (1975) approach which utilized an innovative social harm approach to identify state crime as the interference of human rights, such as racism, sexism, and economic exploitation as being some categories of the approach. This shows that there are numerous issues behind human trafficking, and some can be hard to distinguish, and the solutions can be hard to find.

The Effects Of Media On Human Trafficking

Posted on July 22, 2024 | by Laureen

The Effects Of Media On Human Trafficking

“It was something like a movie you would see that you didn’t think was real, but that was her life and that of so many others who haven’t come to our office.” These are the words of a Catholic Charities caseworker, Rosa Alamo, regarding her newfound friend, Flor Turcio, a human trafficking survivor who lived through two decades of abuse, two kidnappings, one escape and almost getting killed. According to the Human Trafficking Hotline, since 2007, more than 49,000 cases of human trafficking in the United States have been reported, which receives an average of 150 calls per day. Each year, an estimated 600,000 to 800,000 men, women, and children are trafficked across international borders, and the trade is growing (US Department of Justice, 2004). In society today, with human trafficking happening so much, and to such a wide range of people, it is important to realize what is being done, how to help, how to be aware, and how to prevent yourself or someone close to you from getting into these situations. The media and the news outlets are just a couple of places that people around the world can go to look at so they can view different topics of the news. These outlets ensure that people are aware of what is going on in the world, their own country, their own state, and their own surrounding communities, including awareness about human trafficking. The importance of immense reliability and factual information that the media portrays is important when discussing serious topics including human trafficking. What is concerning is the lack of media coverage when it comes to human trafficking. There’s an outstanding amount of cases of human trafficking in the United States but the thing is, not all of them are reported, which makes it hard for there to be accurately recorded data from the previous years. In addition to the lack of data, human trafficking is a very dark topic to talk about in general and the media hesitates to make some stories public because of the general rights of the victims. The amount of cases reported on the media does not compare at all to the actual number of cases that happen each day. Information is important and increased education about an issue such as human trafficking will eventually help promote awareness.

There are three common areas of human trafficking which include: sex trafficking, forced labor, and debt bondage. Although these are different, they are all linked to each other in some way or another. Sex trafficking is a multi-billion dollar industry that is sustained by power and money, is facilitated through sex and cheap labor, and is popularly constructed as a romanticized spectacle and scandal, rather than as a human rights issue (Feder, 2015). In 2018, over half (51.6%) of the criminal human trafficking cases active in the United States were sex trafficking cases involving only children (White, 2019). Reports have indicated that a large number of child sex trafficking survivors in the United States were at one time in the foster care system. Women and children are typically used for sexual exploitation, while when are more likely to be used for forced labor (Forbed, 2017). Forced labor is closely related to the term slavery. These individuals are trafficked and forced to provide labor and services. Debt bondage is closely related to forced labor. However, the services that are being done are to repay a debt that they may have. Debt bondage labor may consist of whatever the debt holder decides and however long the debt holder decides. It does not matter who you are, what your age is, what your gender is, what your race is, it could happen to anyone and it does happen to a wide variety of people. During trafficking, the traffickers take full control of their victims, including multiple types of abuse, horrendous threats, and complete isolation.

Sex trafficking is on the rise in the 21st century due to the slow process of governments creating, signing, and then enforcing laws again (Martinelli, 2012). Human trafficking often gets put on the back burner due to many reasons. While there’s a limited understanding of trafficking, in-part, due to misrepresentations and assumptions of the intersection of race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status and gender within a global context, can ultimately hinder how services provide resources to those who have been trafficked (Hodge, 2008; Lange, 2010; Lee, 2013; Wilson & Dalton, 2008). The United States has a system that is used for reporting trafficking that is designed to collect all accessible information regarding human trafficking cases in the United States. It is called the Human Trafficking Reporting System (HTRS). To be confirmed as human trafficking, the case must have led to an arrest and been subsequently confirmed by law enforcement, or the victims in the case must 1) have had a “continuing presence” requested on their behalf, or 2) have received an endorsement for a T or U visa application (Banks & Kyckelhahm, 2011). There are many ways that the United States government could work to prevent human trafficking and to better our security. Some ways include: using sanctions to apply a travel ban and assets freeze on human traffickers; pursue charges against Islamic State affiliates of sexual slavery and other forms of human trafficking; encourage troop-contributing countries to hold accountable peacekeepers who perpetrate sexual exploitation; collect intelligence on human trafficking in locations where it already tracks drugs and arms trafficking; and lead by example by ensuring that its politics on migration and asylum disincentivize trafficking and support its victims (Bigio & Vogelstein, 2019). Other ways that the United States could potentially help this cause and slow down human trafficking would be focusing on anti-trafficking measures, prevention, anti-terrorism, anti-crime, and peacebuilding efforts while also making sure it is prioritized to check the identification of armed groups and also have awareness of certain groups that promote trafficking in general.

When linking together human trafficking and the media, it is important to realize how many people use news outlets such as newspapers, radio, and television but also social media. When someone is missing and there is an amber alert that goes out, the word travels fast through social media. This is where people see reports of people missing, they share it in hopes that someone will spot that person and they will be found but despite the growing awareness about this crime, human trafficking continues to go underreported because of its’ covert nature, misconceptions about its definition, and a lack of awareness about its’ indicators. The current information is published to the public does not compare to the number of cases there really are. According to the Pew Research Center, today around seven-in-ten Americans use social media to connect with one another, engage with news content, share information and entertain themselves (Pew Research Center, June 2019). Human traffickers use social media as a way to recruit their targets of human trafficking. Popular examples of this would be older men and women preying on younger adults or children over social media so that they are, in other words, blind-sided and they are unaware of what they’re dealing with. In addition to that, social media makes it very easy to disguise age and pose as a completely different person than you really are. Human trafficking includes the recruitment, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection towards involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery (Department of State, US, June 2019). The general public does not have a real awareness of the magnitude of the problem. Whether it’s labor trafficking or sex trafficking, the number of victims is staggering, yet many of them remain hidden in plain sight (Koch, 2017). In May of 2005, statistics state that only 5% of the United States Population of adults use at least one social media site in comparison to February of 2019 when statistics have changed to show us a wide increase to 72% of the United States population of adults uses at least one form of social media. Breaking it down by age groups that use one form of social media shows that 90% of 18-29-year-old’s, 82% of 30-49 year old’s, 69% of 50-64 year old’s and 40% of 65 years and older use one form of social media or another (Pew Research Center, June 2019).

In 2016, the United Nations detected close to twenty-five thousand victims of human trafficking, though this figure hides many unreported cases (Bigio & Vogelstein, 2019). The media has the ability to shape the general public’s awareness and understanding of human trafficking, so it is crucial that journalism on the topic is well executed. Unfortunately, many news outlets prioritize sensationalist stories over nuanced coverage of trafficking (Paglia, 2017). Just as any other topic, the media informs people of a topic and provides an understanding for them. With this, there is usually always something that is left out. According to the UNODC, journalists often leave out some details about modern slavery simply failing to show the reality of the problem along with the public’s complicity of the particular issue as well. In addition to the lack of details in a report, another problem is the lack of data. Because of the numerous amount of human trafficking cases that are not documented each year, journalists run into a problem when trying to cover stories. Another reason why the media shows little attention towards trafficking is because they take into consideration the rights of the women, children, and other individuals who are victims. Furthermore, academic research, capital funding, NGOs and nonprofit efforts, and media awareness all have to come together to work collectively and educate the public (Forbes, 2017).

In 2018, the Polaris Project was involved in approximately 10,949 human trafficking cases in the United States that were specifically reported to the Polaris-operated United States National Human Trafficking Hotline. Of these cases, involved were 23,078 human trafficking survivors, around 5,860 traffickers, and almost 2,000 trafficking businesses. Although these are outstanding numbers, they are only a numbered portion of the actual cases of human trafficking in the United States (Polaris, 2020). While the news outlets lack to publish information about human trafficking cases or awareness, there are many outlets that are always available for information including the National Human Trafficking Hotline, the Polaris Project, Slavery Footprint, the Human Trafficking Foundation, Truckers Against Trafficking, Safe Horizon and many, many more. It is our job as civilians to do our part and report malicious activity if it’s suspected by any means. According to the United Nations, human trafficking affects every country in the world, but it’s not talked about enough. We need to start talking about it. Recognizing key indicators of human trafficking is the first step in identifying victims and can help save a life. Trafficking happens 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, in every zip code (Forbes, 2017).

Human Trafficking: A Growing Epidemic and the Urgent Need for Awareness

Posted on July 17, 2024 | by Laureen

Human Trafficking: A Growing Epidemic and the Urgent Need for Awareness

Introduction

Human trafficking is the new age version of slavery. It involves forcefully taking a person using fraud, lies, and coercion to get some work (labor) or sexual activity in return. Human trafficking does not discriminate against race, ethnicity, male, female, thin, fat, old, or young. There is no concern about one’s religion, income, or social status. Absolutely anyone can be a victim of human trafficking; there is no known way to avoid it.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, millions fall victim to this horrible crime in all countries around the world, including right here in the United States of America. It even occurs right here in our home state of Georgia. Atlanta has had many arrested for participating in sex trafficking (a form of human trafficking) crimes. There have been many sting operations over the years to catch those involved, including sheriffs, deputies, clergy, doctors, professionals, and those out to make a buck the ‘easy’ way. During Super Bowl LIII, there was an 11-day sting operation arresting as many as 169 people involved in sex trafficking. (Porter 2019)

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The Face of Modern Slavery

Human trafficking is known as an invisible crime, as it cannot be seen until it is brought to someone’s attention. This is due in part to the victim(s) being of other nationalities and does not know the language of where they are being held captive. The victims are afraid of their captors, or they are in fear of law enforcement. This fear gives the traffickers a considerable advantage when they take someone. Traffickers will use fraud, force, and coercion to lure the victims to them to take them. The traffickers will then move their victims out of the familiar territory and to an unknown area so they can then force them into labor or acts of sexual exploitation.

The Veiled Nature of Trafficking

Human traffickers look for those who are isolated from others and are susceptible in many areas, such as: depressed, alone, young, and easy to prey upon. The ones preying on these victims look for those who appear to be emotionally or psychologically vulnerable in economic hardship. Looking for those who do not have a social safety net (loners), victims of natural disasters, political instability, and teens or young children that are by themselves without an adult figure nearby.

Victims are usually depressed due to a lack of work resulting in not having enough money to pay bills. This is when the trafficker sees an opportunity to take advantage of this by using the bait of a high-paying job with a ‘quick return.’ Knowing all the while, there is no job, money, or anything similar except for taking the person and forcing them into slavery or sexual exploitation. This is the hook used to get the person into their ‘claws for the kill.’ This can result in trauma that is so horrible to the victim that they forget who they are and where they come from and are unable to speak to anyone when they are out in public to ask for help.

Vulnerable Targets and Their Exploitation

Human trafficking is a lucrative worldwide business. It attracts those who are looking for a high dollar and quick payoff. Human trafficking takes honest and professional individuals and turns them into evil beings. This crime generates over 150 billion per year. Out of the 150 billion, 99 billion are due to sexual exploitation, including prostitution. Some predict that human trafficking will produce higher income than that of drugs and weapons. (Farr, 2005; Shelley, 2005).

Drugs and weapons on a finite use, whereas humans are being sold over and over again, making a profit every time they are sold. Selling a human generates income for many years, depending on how many times that person is sold. This is not a new problem; it has occurred for many centuries. The exploitation of humans, including mass transporting humans from Africa to the Americas in the 18th century, has an extended rich history in the United States. (Bales, 2005; Gozdziak & Collett 2005).

Law enforcement finds it difficult to identify victims of human trafficking. This results in making it more lucrative to those criminals who choose to participate in the tax-free reward with little chance of being caught. There are more sting/undercover operations occurring to help rescue those who have been taken for exploitation. This is starting to make a difference, along with more education and awareness to the general public. Reports of missing people are being taken more seriously and are more thoroughly investigated. The U.S. is just one of many countries that are taking legislative action against those who commit this crime.

As a major world power, the U.S. has helped push others to take a stand against criminals. U.S. laws are not without fault nor criticism, but they are moving forward to make a difference. Some contend that the law is not victim-centered but that it re-victimizes those who have suffered through the slavery/sexual exploitation of being sold and exploited. (Beeks & Amir 2006). Victims are required to go through a certification process to be able to get any help for mental health, medical, or employment assistance.

The Urgent Call for Awareness and Action

Human trafficking is one of the oldest and most unforgivable crimes in the world. It is starting to grow and become more popular due to the high payout with little chance of being caught. Millions of men, women, and children have become victims of this type of crime every year around the world in all countries. It is a non-discriminatory crime, but it favors women and children. They are easier to fall victim to predators. It has become a more prevalent crime that is hitting closer and closer to home. It leaves one, especially a teenager, feeling unsafe outside of their home or school.

When you cannot go for a walk, a high school football game, to the neighborhood park, or hang out outside in the neighborhood without looking over your shoulder looking for the unknown vehicle and being in fear of someone trying to lure you into a car by offering a job for lots of money. When all they intend to do is take you far away from familiar known areas to force slavery and sexual exploitation upon the victim. Human trafficking is quickly becoming an epidemic, yet the media are hiding it as they do not report missing persons.

Conclusion

Therefore, this makes it even more appealing to those taking and luring children, men, and women into the victimization of human trafficking. This should be brought to the headlines to educate and bring awareness to all citizens of the world. Teach men, women, and children to be alert and aware of their surroundings at all times. Report suspicious cars and people who are not known in the neighborhood. This will encourage law enforcement to be more alert and patrol these areas more often, which will, in turn, discourage these predators from moving on and going elsewhere to keep from being caught and punished.

References

“The Natashas: Inside the New Global Sex Trade” by Victor Malarek
“Not for Sale: The Return of the Global Slave Trade—and How We Can Fight It” by David Batstone
“The Slave Next Door: Human Trafficking and Slavery in America Today” by Kevin Bales and Ron Soodalter

Unraveling the Complex Web of Human Trafficking: A Call for Deeper Research

Posted on July 17, 2024 | by Laureen

Unraveling the Complex Web of Human Trafficking: A Call for Deeper Research

Introduction

Most investigations on human and drug trafficking arguments have taken a narrow or just focus on a specific country or have a very loose deep approach. Many researchers have focused on Europe, basically in the Middle East. They focus on an inclusive region for its use of first-hand data collection on human and drug smugglers, from fieldwork in the Middle –East, rather than alternate data use, and its methodological depth in general.

In my opinion, in order to gain a better sense of human and drug trafficking activities in the wider context of the Middle East, many researchers try to rely on primary data they might be able to obtain through face-to-face interviews with smugglers and traffickers. These types of interviews, face-to-face or statements, are all acted at various stages of the illegal process, assuming different supporting functions.

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A Narrow Focus: A Limitation in Understanding

Some findings on human and drug smuggling in the Middle East differ noticeably from other studies conducted in other parts of the world. Researchers argue that in order to gain and obtain a better understanding of the cause and effects and the magnitude, it is necessary to realize that the traffickers do not constitute an enclosed criminal organization. Even though they have no support from an enclosed organizational system, traffickers, in whatever way, run their operations effectively, with modern technology which allows them to communicate quickly and globally to exchange information without any trace.

The Complex Nature of Trafficking Networks

Nevertheless, human and drug trafficking requires attention to how criminals operate within their networks. Some researchers are trying to obtain that information, but some have gained it due to not having a high-quality micro-level study. Here is where we as a society ask ourselves, what has not been done by researchers? According to Ronald Weitzer (2014), this kind of research is quite challenging, which explains why there are so few high-quality studies to date. (p.20).

Furthermore, we all know it is very difficult to gain access or trust in participants who were involved in illegal enterprises after they had left the trade. Researchers have not had a breakthrough with ex-human and drug traffickers due to being afraid of being targeted and or killed because of repercussions. If the researcher had a face-to-face with these illegal enterprises, it would help address some fundamental questions about the difficult dynamics of human and drug trafficking. Such research can and will provide a high-quality micro-level empirical study, which can provide evidence-foundation of human and drug trafficking in the Middle East.

Conclusion

Finally, researchers need to gain confidence and go into deep analysis of this topic. Try to conduct interviews with ex-members of these enterprises, to better understand or analyze their functions and reasons why? There is a need for careful and systematic analysis of the transnational crime phenomena in a transnational marketplace. Research can play an important role in better understanding and appreciating the actions of traffickers by mobilizing mythologies that directly engage with traffickers and by carefully reviewing their activities (Surtees, 2008).

References

“Human Trafficking: A Global Perspective” by Louise Shelley
“Trafficking and Prostitution Reconsidered: New Perspectives on Migration, Sex Work, and Human Rights” edited by Kamala Kempadoo

Addressing the Urgent Need to Combat Human Trafficking

Posted on July 17, 2024 | by Laureen

Addressing the Urgent Need to Combat Human Trafficking

Introduction

Human trafficking is when someone is forced into sexual behaviors. Human trafficking is known as “white slavery.” Human trafficking should be prohibited in the world, and traffickers should serve a reasonable time in jail. No one should ever get used for sex against their own will if they don’t feel comfortable doing it. It seems to happen very often, and they still can’t find a way to stop it from happening. Have you ever wondered what caused human trafficking?

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History

Human trafficking was first started in the 1200s and was a common form of everyday life. Back then, they considered it modern-day slavery. It started in the European slave trading in Africa, with the Portuguese transporting people from Africa to Portugal and using them as slaves. Britain joined the Slavery trade in Africa in the 1950s. Human trafficking is the trade of humans for the purpose of forcing Labour and sexual slavery. (Cited by Wikipedia).

Who is affected by Human Trafficking

According to( MHeffern 2013), Victims from at least 127 countries have been exploited in 137 states. They target women, men, and young children. They targeted more women and young children for sex, and the men used them for more labor and work without pay. About 2/3 of the people affected by human trafficking were women. And a large majority and exploited traffickers were males. (MHeffern2013).

My purpose for writing about human trafficking is I’m trying to be another voice in the world to fight against it. I think this is something that should be banned from happening. I think the people who are conducting this human trafficking should get time in jail. The people that they are targeting, I feel, are people who can’t defend or protect themselves. Something really needs to be done about this horrible act.

Wide-Ranging Impact on Victims

I want my audience to know the real meaning of human trafficking. Understand what it can do to your mind and your physical. It can potentially make you feel very self-conscious about yourself. Human trafficking might even make you feel like you can’t trust everyone, and you might even feel as if the world is against you all the time.
It’s very sad, and no one really has control over this horrible act. This is considered a very big issue in the country. This is estimated by the International Labor Organization that there are 21 million people enslaved today. (Paragraph 2). Which is very sad because it’s only getting worse by the day.

The year 2000 is when they decided to make human trafficking punishable by law with victims of trafficking and violence Protection Act. After they decided to pass this law, surprisingly, it made crime increase. I feel it made crime increase. People a lot more people felt free-willed to say no to the horrible act of nonsense. The most common sex trafficking happens with children at a very young age.

Legal Framework and Challenges

The crime rate suddenly went up because they passed the law on human trafficking and violence protection. The TVPA was first passed by the U.S congress and then signed by President Clinton. The law was then reauthorized by President Bush and President Obama. They passed the law hoping it was going to minimize human trafficking all around.

After they passed the TPVA law, crime suddenly increased. Past research on human trafficking frames in print media revealed that portrayals of human trafficking were, for the most part, oversimplified and inaccurate in terms of human trafficking. (Austin 2016)

After doing all my research and reading everything, I just feel like this is just getting worst as I keep reading up on it. I’m still just in disbelief about this entire act. I just still don’t understand how they can’t find out how to stop it or even come up with a way to stop it completely. It’s just really sad, and no one should have to go through this.

Importance of Further Investigation

Human trafficking is the fastest-growing illegal trade and a major threat to national and human security. Federal efforts have increased the protection of human trafficking survivors and the prosecution of human traffickers. However, human trafficking continues to have significant impacts on local communities. Cited by (Christoffersen, 2013).

My purpose for this argument is to let people know this kind of act is not okay and needs to be put to a complete stop. When I have been doing all my research on human trafficking, they state that this horrible act is something that they still currently cannot figure out how to put a complete stop to it. News reports say that human trafficking is at its all-time highest right now, with no estimated time when they will be able to follow up with any results. I feel human trafficking is at a high level because their no issue to stop it.

I put myself in the shoes of the individuals who are affected and really getting abused. I just want to be another voice in the world to try my hardest to put a stop to this. In my local state right now, as of 2019, my local news just had a report of our local news talking about sex trafficking. The article talks about recognizing the individuals who have been through human trafficking and giving them a chance to
talk about what they have been through.

Personal Motivation for Advocacy

They gave these individuals an opportunity to give advice to people who are currently going through this. On my local news, they said they brought this topic back up because they are starting to hear about a lot of unsolved cases. I don’t want anyone to go through human trafficking. I think it’s very terrible that little children are even forced to do sexual activities that they don’t even know about. I look at the people that are doing this to anyone sick in the head and need to serve jail time because of it.

I feel further investigation needs to be done regarding human trafficking so we won’t keep having all of these unsolved cases. I absolutely hate this and wish they would do something about it. Depending on the human trafficking case will determine the amount of jail time you will get after reading an article ( Buckley, 2017). Three women were accused of forcing a teenager into prostitution and will not serve any jail time.

Human trafficking is a violation of human rights as a form of slavery (Natsir2017). Based on the law of Number 21, in the year 2007, sexual exploitation (prostitution), child trafficking as workers, and child trafficking through adoption. Victims of human trafficking are mostly children and women. This is related to the basic nature of women and children who have special characteristics that can be exploited, which might facilitate the perpetrator of organized crime. (Natsir2017).

Analysis of Literature

According to Irena Omelaniuk (2005), the protocols serve many purposes: they provide the basis for policies to protect and assist victims of crimes related to sexual exploitation and prostitution, they require countries to take action against traffickers, and they help prevent human trafficking.

The people who are most vulnerable to human trafficking are homeless people and runaways. This can also mean people who are just put on the streets selling drugs or just out on the streets. They used and abused these people for sex to get money to sell their bodies.

According to the anti-trafficking organization The Polaris Project, traffickers (both labor and sex trafficking) can be lone individuals or extensive criminal networks. Pimps, gangs, family members, labor brokers, employers of domestic servants, small business owners, and large factory owners have all been found guilty of human trafficking. Their common thread is a willingness to exploit other human beings for profit.

I currently know a lady who works downtown in my local city who deals with a lot of cases. I currently reached out to her. I reached out to her to see if she could give me some information regarding sex trafficking. We went to her office, and she showed me all the cases that they had for human trafficking. Human trafficking is something that my local city has brought back up. The news just had a report talking about victims who had suffered from sex trafficking before. They gave them opportunities to talk about what happened and gave them the opportunity to express how they felt about what happened.

I look at the people that are doing this to anyone sick in the head and need to serve jail time because of it. I feel further investigation needs to be done regarding sex trafficking so we won’t keep having all of these unsolved cases. I absolutely hate this and wish they would do something about it. Depending on the human trafficking case will determine the amount of jail time you will get. After reading a article by( Buckley 2017)

Three women were accused of forcing a teenager into prostitution and will not serve any jail time. Instead of jail time, they gave the girls in-home detention and probation to serve for the act of forcing a lady into prostitution to get money. The jury didn’t make these ladies do any jail time because they agreed to a level four felony.

Conclusion

In conclusion, to my human trafficking argument, I just really want this to stop. I don’t like it; I don’t believe in it and want it to come to a complete end. They need to further enforce the law to end it. I think they need to look up cases that are going on now and also look back at later cases that have been going on so they can come up with a reasonable punishment for the traffickers who are putting the individuals through this. I feel they should make the traffickers suffer in jail, or they should put them through this same punishment they made these very innocent people and children and even babies through.

It’s just not fair. It hurts my heart. I wish there was a way I could put a stop to this myself. No one and I mean absolutely no one, deserves this treatment, no matter the case or situation. I call this getting taken advantage of. I have a very big heart and don’t like it. I had bad things happen to me in my childhood days, so I know all about it. I wasn’t a victim of sex trafficking, but I was personally a victim of rape. It’s not the same situation, but it’s still just as bad. I used multiple references throughout my paper. I didn’t include any on a separate paper; I cited a few sources as well. I really hope my paper brings attention to people. Maybe your voice can also be heard to stop human trafficking.

References

Austin, R. (2016). Human trafficking in the media: A content analysis on human trafficking frames in documentaries, movies, and television episodes (Order No. 10102338). ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. Retrieved from https://prx-herzing.lirn.net/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/1785851613?accountid=167104
Natsir, M., & Natsir, N. I. (2017). Legal arrangement in the criminal act of human trafficking. Journal of Legal, Ethical and Regulatory Issues, 20(1), 1-9. Retrieved from https://prx-herzing.lirn.net/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/1987371125?accountid=167104
Kamalu, N. C. (2013). Human trafficking. In P. L. Mason (Ed.), Encyclopedia of race and racism (2nd ed.). Farmington, MI: Gale. Retrieved from https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/galerace/human_trafficking/0
Fight the New Drug. (n.d.). Who Are Sex Traffickers? Retrieved from https://fightthenewdrug.org/who-are-sex-traffickers/
Buckley, M. (2017, March 16). No jail time in human sex trafficking case. Indianapolis Star. Retrieved from https://prx-herzing.lirn.net/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/1877716013?accountid=167104

Human Trafficking: Risk Factors and Ethical Responsibilities

Posted on July 17, 2024 | by Laureen

Human Trafficking: Risk Factors and Ethical Responsibilities

Introduction

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (USDHS, n.d.) defines human trafficking as “modern-day slavery and involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act” (p.1). Millions of people are said to suffer from being in forced labor. (Zimmerman and Kiss, 2017, p. 1) It is found that child workers, migrants, and minorities are more at risk of being trafficked. (Zimmerman and Kiss, 2017, p. 7)

One protective factor for people is the Palermo Protocol which has several methods enacted: prosecute traffickers, programs for prevention, and protection of victims. (Orme and Sheriff, 2015, p. 289) The National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics (NASW, 2015) says that “social workers pursue change, particularly with and on behalf of vulnerable and oppressed individuals and groups of people” to challenge social injustices (p. 5). Human trafficking is a huge problem that social workers can work on and hopefully change for the better.

Keywords: human trafficking, forced labor, risk factors, protective factors

Body

Human Trafficking Around the World

Millions of people all over the world suffer from a social justice problem that is not thought about often enough, human trafficking. Anyone is at risk of being trafficked; it affects every race, gender, class, or age.

Almost anyone can agree that any child or adult being forced into something against their will is horrible. But oftentimes, it’s people that won’t be missed or at least for a long period of time. Because of this, the traffickers are able to take them and use them for whatever they want. This is a horrendous aggrievance that all countries need to unite and fix.

Definition and Statistics

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (USDHS, n.d.) defines human trafficking as “modern-day slavery and involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act” (p.1). Human trafficking is reportedly earning more than 31 billion United States dollars. (Alvarez and Alessi, 2012, p. 142) It encompasses more than just sex work, which is what most assume. While that is a big part of the industry, there are other things people are used for. Victims are taken and used in industries such as coffee, cocoa, and gems. (Alvarez and Alessi, 2012, p. 143)

In fact, according to the Journal of Women and social work, “more than half the trafficked adults in the United Kingdom who were referred for post-trafficking services from April 2009 to June 2011 were forced to work in industries other than sex work”. (p. 143) Because of the strict focus on sex and prostitution exploitation, it can affect those in the other industries from being acknowledged and helped, especially boys and men. (Alvarez and Alessi, 2012, p. 143)

There are numerous myths thought about human trafficking. Some of them, according to DHS, are: human trafficking is only sex trafficking; it does not occur in the United States; only in foreign countries; people must be forced into commercial sex acts, victims will attempt to seek help in public, and human trafficking and smuggling are the same. Human trafficking exists all over the world and can happen in every country. People do not have to be forced into an act to be considered a victim. Victims will not always come forward when away from a trafficker, either from fear for themselves from the abuser or fear for their family or they could be from another country. Smuggling is moving someone to another location with a person’s consent to avoid laws. Trafficking is against someone’s will and does not have to include another location.

In 2017 the latest numbers were that 40.3 million people around the world were impacted, with 29.4 million considered to be in a forced labor situation. (Zimmerman and Kiss, 2017, p. 1) In the United States, the National Human Trafficking Hotline says there were around 5,147 trafficking cases reported in 2018. (NHTH, 2018) Most cases come from California, with 760. (NHTH, 2018) The highest type of trafficking was sex trafficking. But we must remember that other industries are underreported. (NHTH, 2018) Females were the top gender involved. US citizens and foreign nationals (based on citizenship) were almost tied, which says a lot. (NHTH, 2018) These numbers are down from 2017, with 8,524 cases reported in the US. (NHTH, 2017) All the other things remained number one in their category. (NHTH, 2017)

Risk and Protective Factors

Human trafficking can be a risk for anyone in any country. But there are certain things that have been identified as higher risks for people. According to Zimmerman and Kiss reports that child workers, minorities, and irregular migrants have a particularly higher chance of being trafficked. (p. 7) Minorities and marginalized populations are found to be in some of the most dangerous labors, like leather tanning. (Zimmerman and Kiss, 2017, p.7) Different areas of trafficking are at more risk for certain genders, like females are recruited more for sex, marriage, and domestic work. Where males are used more for trade work. (Zimmerman and Kiss, 2017, p.7)

There are several demographic factors that can increase someone’s risk of being trafficked. The National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments (NCSSLE, 2019) says lack of personal safety, isolation, homelessness, poverty, substance abuse, child sexual abuse, and mental health are just some of the few. Homeless youth are at extremely high risk of trafficking. (NCSSLE, 2019) Research shows between 33 and 90% of commercial child exploitation have experienced some type of abuse previously. (NCSSLE, 2019)

For human trafficking, there are several programs and organizations in place to help protect people. One is the Palermo Protocol which was adopted by the United Nations in 2000. “This protocol established three primary methods of fighting trafficking, known as the three P’s: (1) prosecution of traffickers, (2) prevention programming, and (3) protection of trafficking victims,” says Orme and Sheriff (2015). (p. 289) Another is the prohibitionist approach.

This makes prostitution illegal, and it is used in 39 countries. (Orme and Sheriff, 2015, p. 289) But, the enforcement of these laws is not always done, and places let it slide. A third is the actual legalization of prostitution. (Orme and Sheriff, 2015, p. 289) Advocates say that sexual violence is often lowered or stopped when women and men can stand up for themselves in an industry that is legal. It is legal in 49 countries. (Orme and Sheriff, 2015, p. 289)

Ethics

The NASW Code of Ethics says that “social workers pursue change, particularly with and on behalf of vulnerable and oppressed individuals and groups of people” to challenge social injustices (p. 5). We, as social workers, have a responsibility to stand up for people when they aren’t able to do it for themselves. Human Trafficking is a horrible injustice that is happening all over the world. Social workers have a voice and opportunity to implement and use laws and organizations to prevent and stop trafficking.

Conclusion

Human Trafficking is a humongous problem all over in so many countries. People are at risk due to non-demographic and demographic reasons, either due to their race or living in poverty, among dozens of other things. With millions of people being victims of this tragedy, social workers and others need to stand up and do what they can to save the human race.

References

Alvarez, M. B., & Alessi, E. J. (2012). Human trafficking is more than sex trafficking and prostitution: Implications for social work. AFFILIATE: Journal of Women and Social Work, 27(2), 142–152. https://doi-org.proxy.library.vcu.edu/10.1177/0886109912443763
Department of Homeland Security. (2019). What is Human Trafficking? Retrieved from https://www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign/what-human-traffickin
National Association of Social Workers (2015). Code of ethics of the national association of social workers. Retrieved from: http://www.socialworkers.org/pubs/code/code.as
National Center of Safe Supportive Learning Environments. (2019). Risk Factors and Indicators | Safe Supportive Learning. Retrieved from https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/human-trafficking-americas-schools/risk-factors-and-indicator
National Human Trafficking Hotline. (2018). Hotline Statistics. Retrieved from https://humantraffickinghotline.org/states
Orme, J., & Ross-Sheriff, F. (2015). Sex trafficking: Policies, programs, and services. Social Work, 60(4), 287–294. https://doi-org.proxy.library.vcu.edu/10.1093/sw/swv031
Zimmerman, C., & Kiss, L. (2017, November 22). Human trafficking and exploitation: A global health concern. Retrieved from https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1002437

Addressing the Urgent Need to Combat Human Trafficking

Posted on July 17, 2024 | by Laureen

Addressing the Urgent Need to Combat Human Trafficking

Introduction

Body

History

Who is affected by Human Trafficking

Wide-Ranging Impact on Victims

Legal Framework and Challenges

Importance of Further Investigation

Personal Motivation for Advocacy

Analysis of Literature

Conclusion

References

Austin, R. (2016). Human trafficking in the media: A content analysis on human trafficking frames in documentaries, movies, and television episodes (Order No. 10102338). ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. Retrieved from https://prx-herzing.lirn.net/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/1785851613?accountid=167104
Natsir, M., & Natsir, N. I. (2017). Legal arrangement in the criminal act of human trafficking. Journal of Legal, Ethical and Regulatory Issues, 20(1), 1-9. Retrieved from https://prx-herzing.lirn.net/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/1987371125?accountid=167104
Kamalu, N. C. (2013). Human trafficking. In P. L. Mason (Ed.), Encyclopedia of race and racism (2nd ed.). Farmington, MI: Gale. Retrieved from https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/galerace/human_trafficking/0
Fight the New Drug. (n.d.). Who Are Sex Traffickers? Retrieved from https://fightthenewdrug.org/who-are-sex-traffickers/
Buckley, M. (2017, March 16). No jail time in human sex trafficking case. Indianapolis Star. Retrieved from https://prx-herzing.lirn.net/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/1877716013?accountid=167104

Human Trafficking: Risk Factors and Ethical Responsibilities

Posted on July 17, 2024 | by Laureen

Human Trafficking: Risk Factors and Ethical Responsibilities

Introduction

Keywords: human trafficking, forced labor, risk factors, protective factors

Body

Human Trafficking Around the World

Definition and Statistics

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (USDHS, n.d.) defines human trafficking as “modern-day slavery and involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act” (p.1). Human trafficking is reportedly earning more than 31 billion United States dollars. (Alvarez and Alessi, 2012, p. 142) It encompasses more than just sex work, which is what most assume. While that is a big part of the industry, there are other things people are used for. Victims are taken and used in industries such as coffee, cocoa, and gems. (Alvarez and Alessi, 2012, p. 143)

Risk and Protective Factors

Ethics

Conclusion

References

Alvarez, M. B., & Alessi, E. J. (2012). Human trafficking is more than sex trafficking and prostitution: Implications for social work. AFFILIATE: Journal of Women and Social Work, 27(2), 142–152. https://doi-org.proxy.library.vcu.edu/10.1177/0886109912443763
Department of Homeland Security. (2019). What is Human Trafficking? Retrieved from https://www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign/what-human-traffickin
National Association of Social Workers (2015). Code of ethics of the national association of social workers. Retrieved from: http://www.socialworkers.org/pubs/code/code.as
National Center of Safe Supportive Learning Environments. (2019). Risk Factors and Indicators | Safe Supportive Learning. Retrieved from https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/human-trafficking-americas-schools/risk-factors-and-indicator
National Human Trafficking Hotline. (2018). Hotline Statistics. Retrieved from https://humantraffickinghotline.org/states
Orme, J., & Ross-Sheriff, F. (2015). Sex trafficking: Policies, programs, and services. Social Work, 60(4), 287–294. https://doi-org.proxy.library.vcu.edu/10.1093/sw/swv031
Zimmerman, C., & Kiss, L. (2017, November 22). Human trafficking and exploitation: A global health concern. Retrieved from https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1002437

The Dual Role of Technology in Combating and Facilitating Human Trafficking

Posted on July 17, 2024 | by Laureen

The Dual Role of Technology in Combating and Facilitating Human Trafficking

Introduction

Did you know sex trafficking is one of the fastest-growing criminal enterprises in the world? Many of us are blind to the fact that sex trafficking goes on in our society every day, and many of us have little knowledge of what sex trafficking and human trafficking are. Sex trafficking is the illegal business of recruiting, transporting, obtaining, or providing a person and especially a minor, for sex. Many of us mistake sex trafficking as something that only happens from one country to another, but it happens within the same country that we live in.

The United States is one of the worst countries where human trafficking happens, and it is known that about 79% of human trafficking in the United States is primarily for sexual exploitation. Technology plays a huge role in how sex trafficking is happening so fast across the world, but it can also help with the act of combatting sex trafficking. Technology will continue to play a positive and negative role in sex trafficking, and digital devices will continue to be used to sexually exploit children and protect them from sex trafficking as well.

Technology as a Weapon Against Traffickers

Today, the internet has become a big factor in sex trafficking which can be negative in combatting sex trafficking. Johns and pimps ideally enjoy the fact that internet speeds are at a record high rate and that accessing the internet has become an easier task to do. Pimps have access to computers that help them exploit women and children at a faster rate. Johns can easily set up false profiles on Facebook and other websites to talk to young girls and females.

According to Maras, “the internet, computers, and related technologies have facilitated prostitution and human sex trafficking through the trading, buying, selling, and renting and even advertising of human beings online for the engagement in sexual activities” (17). Predators have all kinds of sources, VPN servers, sites, and devices to use in hunting for women and children. The predators use the special features of their equipment so that they can be hidden well and so that they can seem innocent. Sex trafficking will continue to be at a disadvantage if predators have access to technology that can camouflage them.

Technology does not always impact sex trafficking in a negative way, but it can also impact it in a positive way. Sex trafficking has a relatively long history that was followed before the Internet existed, so sex trafficking was a problem before the internet became a factor. Since the internet is an important resource today, it can be used as a way to stop sex trafficking. Police can set up fake advertisements online to lure in clients searching for sex from women and minors. This helps the police to find and arrest people who are sexually exploiting women, which in turn reduces the demand for sex trafficking. Technology can be used against pimps and johns rather than allowing them to use technology against victims.

The Vulnerability of Minors

The act of stopping minors from being sex trafficked is at a disadvantage because digital tools give children easy access to sex trafficking websites. Digital tools such as phones, laptops, tablets, and other devices are used every day by children across the world. According to a 2010 survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation, “most teens- 85% of those aged 14 to 17- have cell phones. So do 69% of 11-14-year-olds and 31% of kids aged 8-10” (Davis 1). Assuming these numbers have increased from 8 years ago, more children are being exposed to the dangers of sex trafficking every day when they are on the internet.

Gamble quotes, “It is estimated that 50,000 sexual predators are online at any given time and that 50% of sex crimes committed against a minor involve a predator obtaining information and/or pictures from social media sites” (7). Children who have little experience and knowledge of the dangers of the internet are at great risk of becoming a victim of sex trafficking. Predators tend to seek friendship online with children by asking them questions and using it as a weakness against the child. Pimps are usually persuasive and can get a child to send pictures in an inappropriate manner.

The location services that have been enabled on social media sites, apps, and devices have made it easier to kidnap a child by their location. The pimps usually use digital devices to post pictures of the children on websites and gain money for their online graphics. In all, digital devices can be negative in the exploitation of children because of their advanced ability and social pages.

Conclusion

Internet danger comes in many forms, and human trafficking is one of the most serious forms of internet danger. Children are being abducted every day, and they are being forced into what is one of the biggest modern-day slavery issues. Sex trafficking is a very serious matter, and it will continue to be. The world must stand up against sex trafficking with the use of technology and other techniques to end it. Many people believe sex trafficking is just a form of prostitution and that people are willingly giving themselves away for money. Many of these people who are “willingly” giving themselves away were forced into sex trafficking and have not been able to escape from it.

Many prostitutes are not able to escape from their pimps, so a lot of times, they cope with it just so that they can get by in life because they have nowhere to go if they are to escape. Children are at great risk every day because they are in danger of online predators who seek to harm them. We must continue to advance technology in a safe and positive manner so that we can guarantee the safety of children on websites and devices so that minors do not fall into traps. We must also execute and combat sex trafficking by eliminating the negative impact technology has on it.

References

“The Slave Next Door: Human Trafficking and Slavery in America Today” by Kevin Bales and Ron Soodalter
“Human Trafficking: A Global Perspective” by Louise Shelley
“Cybercrime and Digital Forensics: An Introduction” by Thomas J. Holt and Adam M. Bossler
“Technocreep: The Surrender of Privacy and the Capitalization of Intimacy” by Thomas P. Keenan

The Complex Reality of Human Trafficking in Southeast Asia

Posted on July 17, 2024 | by Laureen

The Complex Reality of Human Trafficking in Southeast Asia

Battling Complex Human Trafficking Threats

When it comes to security, it no longer revolves around traditional threats such as military confrontations or territorial disputes. The present world’s threats arise from modern, non-traditional threats such as natural disasters and transnational crimes. In the case of transnational crimes, human trafficking is seemed to be one of the most challenging. Human trafficking is a serious crime that has slowly been recognized as one of the most expensive, challenging, and gross violations of human rights that is affecting the international community. Until today, not a single country is immune to this phenomenon. Especially in the Southeast Asia region, trafficking in human beings is a complicated business that leaves no country untouched.

Human trafficking is a complicated struggle. There are various types of human trafficking, but the most common is the trafficking of women for sexual exploitation and trafficking for forced labor. These two are the most popular trafficking in human beings within countries in Southeast Asia. In writing by Emmers (2004) recorded that the majority of illegal immigrants that entered a country, especially women, often ended up in the sex industry. In terms of women trafficking for sexual exploitation, the countries in Southeast Asia played different roles as the transit and receiving states.

Sources, Routes, and Drivers

The Philippines and Indonesia are countries that became the source of women that is to be smuggled. In fact, Emmers (2004) stated that the government of the Philippines encouraged its citizen, specifically women, to work abroad. This is where the women became sex slaves when they did not realize they actually fell into the hands of irresponsible traffickers that forced them to work in the sex industry. On the other hand, Cambodia, too, is the source country, but it has slowly become the transit and receiving country. Thousands of Vietnamese girls were taken to Cambodia to become sex slaves and supply the sex trade and industry.

The same goes for Thailand, the source, transit, and receiving country. Women from Laos, Myanmar, or China were smuggled to Thailand, and they served as sex slaves to people in Thailand. Besides being the receiving state, thousands of women were first smuggled to Thailand for some time before being sent to other parts of the world, such as Japan, Europe, Australia, and Malaysia. Moving on to the reasons that are feeding the human trafficking machine, according to Yang (2016), factors such as poverty, corruption, and globalization fairly contributed to it. However, for countries in Southeast Asia, poverty is perhaps the most basic reason this issue happened. The poverty suffered by the population in that region leaves people extremely desperate and exposed to the trafficking of human beings.

From Trafficking to Forced Labor in Southeast Asia

Suphanchaimat, Pudpong, and Tangcharoensathien (2017) in their work stated that Southeast Asia is believed to be one of the regions with the highest rates of population mobility due to worker migration. However, the high rate of mobility is indeed a result of human trafficking. Apart from the trafficking of human beings for sexual exploitation, countries in Southeast Asia took advantage of smuggling the victims for forced or slave labor. There are differences between labor migration and human trafficking for forced labor, but in recent years, a complex relationship between these two has emerged in which many of the migrated laborers were forced to become laborers due to them being tricked by the recruiters.

Many children and women were exploited for the purpose of forced labor. Some girls were initially trafficked for sexual exploitation, but those who did not meet the beauty standard or were too young were marketed to domestic labor or factories. Rafferty (2007) wrote that some children as young as three years old have been trafficked to Thailand to peel and sort fish in the fishing industry. Due to the rising demand for fish by the global community, an increased need for physical labor occurred. Southeast Asian countries like Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam, which are the world’s largest producers of seafood, these countries often take their labor workers from neighboring countries such as Myanmar and the Philippines. Most of the time, those trafficked victims were tricked into working on the vessels with little pay or no pay at all.

References:

Emmers, R. (2004). Human trafficking in Southeast Asia: A dark side of globalization. Singapore: Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies.
Yang, S. (2016). Factors contributing to human trafficking in Southeast Asia: A comprehensive review. Journal of Southeast Asian Human Rights, 1(1), 45-63.
Suphanchaimat, R., Pudpong, N., & Tangcharoensathien, V. (2017). Population mobility and human trafficking in Southeast Asia: Exploring the complex relationship. Asian Journal of Social Science, 45(6), 678-697.
Rafferty, Y. (2007). Child and forced labor in Southeast Asia: A critical review of current literature. International Journal of Comparative Sociology, 48(2-3), 189-207.