humantrafficking

=  = ** Human Trafficking **  ** Lost Innocence ** ** Table of Contents ** 
 * 1) Proof
 * 2) __Causes__
 * 3) Effects
 * 4) Future
 * 5) Facts About Human Trafficking
 * 6) Recent Public Media

**Proof **

Each year, 60,000 to 80,000 people become human trafficking victims worldwide (“Problem”). Ninety-two percent of those victims are women whom over half are cheated and forced into the sex industry (Bauer). Women are constantly being cheated into the business of sexual trafficking internationally. The trafficking businesses take advantage of the vulnerability of women—economic problems, money needs, and typical physical weakness—to deviously lure them into the industry (Hodge). Sexual trafficking of women is unfortunately a successful, persevering business worldwide.

Human trafficking sadly exists all around the world. Around 600,000 to 800,000 human trafficking victims are transported across international borders yearly (Hodge). The women trafficked, reported by Hodge, “tend to be recruited prominently from Asian, the former Soviet Union, Africa, Eastern Europe, and to a lesser extent, Latin America.” It seems as if the women of human trafficking are residents of countries with poor government and unstable environmental factors; ergo, it is easier to transport and recruit the women around the world (Hodge). In these poorly-governed nations, the society is feeble, so national officials could be bought off, and needed traveling documents, such as passports, could be accessed without much trouble (Hodge). Transportation and harboring of poor women in the unstable nations requires almost no effort; human traffickers seem almost unstoppable. Sexual trafficking of women seems as if it is a helpless matter since the countries involved in the crime are in need of money and are able to gain something out of the business. The organized crime is a growing business, sucking more people in because of its ability to make money quickly.

The business of sexual trafficking is truly sick-minded and disgusting, yet people participate because of the fast money-making. Traffickers work in pathetic ways for the money, fooling women in devious ways, knowing their weaknesses and taking advantage of them. How human traffickers obtain their laborers is heartless. Perkins stated, “Traffickers prey on the most vulnerable members of society: people burdened with poverty, disabilities, and discrimination.” Women can be weak, defenseless people, whom strong, armed people, especially men working in huge organized crimes, can easily dominate over. This crime is something only selfish, careless, money-loving people can participate in.

Women are abducted and fooled into the business of prostitution. Human traffickers use many ways to lure women into their business: Employment, modeling, and marriage agencies are used to attract potential victims. These organizations, which may or may not have a legitimate dimension, promise young women a better life in richer nations such as the United States. Some marriage agencies, for instance, have posted pictures of girls as young as 10 or 12 years old on the Internet (Hodge).

The agencies act as if they are going to give the women a better life in a richer country, but sadly, the traffickers fool them into forced sexual labor (Hodge). Other than approaching women in poverty or in need of a service directed towards females, human traffickers also approach women already involved in sexual exploitati on, such as working in night clubs and prostitution. Women are approached, being promised a richer life for working in different countries, but are actually going to be forced to work as sex slaves. If women reject the agencies or deny the offers of sexually exploiting themselves in richer countries for higher pay, they will consequently be abducted (Hodge). People involved in this organized crime are completely focused on making money and will do whatever it takes to continue on with their business.

Human traffickers are able to recruit many women into their business. Knowing that women living in poverty need money and are willing to do whatever to survive, traffickers are heartless and selfish enough to use their vulnerability to recruit more women. Traffickers actually approach families living in poverty, asking to purchase women of the family. Families are selling women of their family to human traffickers in hope of their wife or daughters living a better and richer life in a more developed nation. Some families have no idea they are selling the women of their family into a business that will physically hurt and emotionally scar them (Hodge). Other families believe that they are selling the women into a glamorous life because of the media glorifying prostitution, for example, the movie //Pretty Women// (Hodge). What these families do not know is that forced sexual slavery is a horrible thing, affecting the mental and physical health of women:

Once in the hands of traffickers, women may be subjected to various forms of emotional, psychological, and physical abuse. The purpose is to gradually induce a state in which the victim is dependent on the trafficker for her psychological and physical well-being. By establishing some degree of control over victims, traffickers are better able to exploit women in the sex industry (Hodge).

Human traffickers are taking advantage of the obliviousness and vulnerability of women and their families. This business surely is full of evil-minded, money-loving convicts.

Sex-trafficking is a worldwide phenomenon (Hodge). This area of organized crime is growing and developing persistently. Human trafficking is the worst business worldwide, taking advantage of the most vulnerable people for fast money-making purposes. They are completely careless to the fact that they are permanently scarring millions of people physically and emotionally. Sexual trafficking among women is an extremely large business, quickly increasing worldwide—it must be stopped.

media type="youtube" key="VZTN0TbsRYA" height="344" width="425" align="center"

Top of Page **Causes **

Human trafficking can be defined as individuals or groups taken captive by selected people and forced into slavery, prostitution, and smuggled to receive access into the United Stares. It is one of the leading and fastest growing industries in our society today. The main factor of human trafficking is money because the owners sell the individuals to work in harsh conditions. Many that are taken from their homes are poor, innocent, powerless women.

For example, the film __Taken__ explains how an innocent girl is forced into prostitution and drugged heavily. It shows it can happen to anyone, anywhere in the world but mainly females. It explains to parents to be more eye-opened of their surroundings and protect their children. Wealthy individuals spend hundred and maybe even thousands of dollars auctioning innocent girls for pleasure. United Nations estimates unlawful sex trafficking generates approximately $5,000,000,000 a year revenues ( // Unknown // ). Due to the age of variations the girls who are smuggled, they are absolutely limitless to what they can do to protect themselves.

Slavery in the world really have never stopped, completely that is. Such heartless people kidnap, lie to, and even trick women i nto slavery. There are more than 27 million slaves in the world today. More than at the height of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. ( // Unknown // ). Putting them to work in harsh conditions mentally and emotionally disables the minds of these girls. According to Thomas Melito: The United Nations estimates that over two million women and girls are taken from their homeland into other countries under false pretenses for the purposes of forced labor, domestic servitude or sexual exploitation. Although the media has not made this subject a big deal, it has been impacting the lives of the smuggled women''s families and their loved ones.

It's remarkable how people would spend thousands of dollars to smuggle stolen women into America, illegally. All they are concerned about are getting these women into either their jobs or into prostituting to make their money. Melito educated the readers with the number of people trafficked all over the globe. The U.S. Government estimates that 600,000 to 800,000 person are trafficked across international borders annually. However, such estimates of global human trafficking are questionable. The accuracy of the estimates is in doubt because of methodological weaknesses, gaps in data, and numerical discrepancies. Notice this is global, not just the United States. No government is absolutely sure about how many individuals are trafficked, but estimates are only recorded.

Human trafficking is not a joke, but a serious issue. The owners of these industries will always have this kind of mind set. Although they will be punished, the cruelty will always be inevitable to the,. Research states that human trafficking will be extremely hard to completely stop, or maybe never will.

Top of Page = = = = = Effects =

Sex trafficking is a serious problem that affects many people. It has detrimental effects on the victims. The families also feel the effects of this growing problem. The traffickers themselves are also affected during the trafficking process. The people who feel the effects the most are the victims. It has detrimental effects on the victims. Victims are drawn into the trafficker’s trap through lures such as new jobs and new places. “Miya” was taken in by an offer to take up a modeling job. The article said, “Taken in by the idea of modeling and making extra money, Miya agreed…” (Teen). Debbie, another trafficked teenager, lived in horrible conditions and was treated like an animal while she was held captive. She was wrongly violated day in and day out at all hours of the days according to ABC News’ article on the story (Teen). The aftereffects of being trafficked are also really bad. Another trafficked victim, Anna, contracted a serious STD according to an MSNBC story;

“After our interview, Anna was diagnosed with human papillomavirus, a sexually transmitted disease that can lead to cervical and other cancers.”(Ciralsky and Hansen)

These trafficked girls also may have lost their innocence. If they have lost their virginity, they will never get it back. The victims are not the only group that is negatively affected. The families also feel the effects of this growing problem. They definitely do not feel what the victims have to go through, but they do feel the effects. They feel the stress and the worry of searching for missing loved ones. Families and friends also go through a lot of that stress and a lot in general trying to find their missing loved one. Miya’s family got the police’s help and put up flyers around their city in an attempt to find Miya, who was being forced into prostitution (Teen). The people responsible for everything are also affected, but nowhere near as bad. The traffickers themselves also may be affected during the trafficking process. The trafficker is mainly affect by one way only, and that way is money. The traffickers make a lot of money by trafficking women (Victims). The article states, “The trafficking-in-persons industry has been estimated to generate $5 [billion] to $9 billion per year worldwide,” (Victims). It is also possible for some traffickers to feel remorse for their victims. It’s extremely rare and probably unheard of, but there is always a chance. If a trafficker is caught however, he/she is in some serious trouble. ABC News’ article says;

“This report has been revised to clarify that the man Miya says lured her into prostitution was charged with pimping and pandering only in connection with a minor with whom he was traveling,” (Teen)  ** So many people feel the effects of sex trafficking. ** Sex trafficking is a fast growing problem that has spread worldwide. It affects victims and their families in a really bad way, with the victims feeling the worst of it. Traffickers lose all respect for human life and become empty shells just making money on the misery of others. Sex trafficking needs to be stopped to eliminate so many of these negative effects on society and people overall.

Top of Page = Future =

Human trafficking is a threat to many people in many countries. If this is so, why do we not hear about human trafficking as much as we do about other crimes? People are still oblivious about this illicit market. In some cases, by the time they find out, it is too late. Society needs to be educated and aware in order to create a safer future for themselves and their children by joining the movement against modern-day slavery. This industry has a history of continuous prosperity, and it will continue to do so in the future unless people take a stand against human trafficking. Trafficking for modern-slavery has many forms and can happen anywhere at any time. The first step to protection against trafficking is knowing what it is and knowing that slavery still exists. The Polaris Project, an organization for the movement, states the definition of human trafficking: Human trafficking is the modern day practice of slavery. Also known as trafficking in persons, human trafficking comprises the fastest growing criminal industry in the world, based on the recruitment, harboring, and transportation of people solely for the purpose of exploitation. Every year traffickers generate billions of dollars in profits at the expense of victimizing millions of people around the world (Polaris). This black market industry is affecting a number of countries, including ours. A very high number of victims who are trafficked into the industry are brought to the United States, Alaska, and other parts of Europe. Worldwide, human trafficking generates $9.5 billion, ahead of the arms trade and second among illegal trading only to drugs (Johnson). It is the second largest growing illicit market in the whole world with a yearly income of about $32 billion and counting (Shah). <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Victims of human trafficking are forced or coerced into labor or sexual exploitation. The struggle of this experience can take away a person’s dignity, pride, and ability to feel safe. It not only is a tussle to experience, but it stays with the victim for the rest of his or her life. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">One can only imagine the physical and mental abuse a trafficking victim goes through. Traffickers usually target women and children. About 46% of trafficking is used for prostitution, and 50% of people who are trafficked into the United States each year are children (Stanford). Traffickers treat the victims as property. The people who are owned by a trafficker are forced to endure beatings and unfair conditions. A survivor of human trafficking told the Polaris Project Action Center about her experiences while being owned. Only a portion of her horrible experiences are as follows: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">He said that every day I had to give him $500, no matter how many clients I would serve. He was so violent. It was a continuous hell. Each day I served around 30 to 40 clients. I was not able to move or think. It went on for weeks. I was living between clients and tears. That was the rhythm of my life. I could not even realize what they wanted from me. The intensity of the process lasted for a couple of weeks. One day I got terribly sick. He left me alone and sent another Armenian woman to visit me. That day I understood that it was an organized enterprise and that there were many women from many countries who shared the same fate. I had no right to speak or express my concern, everybody knew him well for his cruelty. I did not receive any money from him. He did not even buy food. It all depended on the client’s will. I was resold four times (Armenia). <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Many women are tricked into the industry by being promised good opportunities or a job if they go to the place needed, but that is not exactly what the women find when they get there. This unjust industry has continued to deprive women, and even children, of their voice and rights as human beings. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Statistics will continue to rise if people do not join together to take a stand against human trafficking. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There are many organizations that fight for the freedom of women and children in countries where trafficking is very abundant. Though these organizations exist, many of them rely on donations to continue their work around the world. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Coalition Against Trafficking in Women, also known as CATW, is one of the organizations that relies on donations to promote women’s human rights by working internationally to combat sexual exploitations in all its forms. Donations to these types of coalitions can save someone’s life and give someone a voice. Another group is the Polaris Project. This organization gives people a chance to report human trafficking through international hotlines located in different countries. People within the Polaris Project community encourage individuals of diverse backgrounds and ages to take meaningful action against human trafficking through public outreach and communication. All of these organizations believe that women have the right to sexual integrity and autonomy. Many countries are also noticing the scary rise of human trafficking. A new proclamation has been made by President of the U.S. Barack Obama stating: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Fighting modern slavery and human trafficking is a shared responsibility. This month, I urge all Americans to educate themselves about all forms of modern slavery and the signs and consequences of human trafficking. Together, we can and must end this most serious, ongoing criminal civil rights violation <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(Obama). <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In an article about a scientific way to trace missing children, Emilio Godoy informs that <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Spain aims to fight human trafficking by means of genetic identification of victims and their families, especially children (Godoy). Fighting against a crime that has blown up to such a proportion is a collaborative task. Without doing so, no one can guarantee how much less safer the world may or may not be in the future. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">According to the history of the constant thriving of the sex trade industry, it will continue to soar unless more is done about it. There are many organizations in which people can get involved with or make donations to. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">More countries can enforce a zero tolerance policy for the human trafficking industry, causing the statistics to lower. People should be educated and cautioned of what is out there so that they do not end up in a situation within the sex slave trade. If more people do not become involved in the movement against this global issue, it may become more common in more areas and widespread into other countries. The traffickers within the industry have no mercy for their victims as long as they make profit. Traffickers rely on their clients. If the laws on prostitution were strictly enforced in almost every country, then traffickers would probably lose some clients which would cause profit to go down. The great, inhuman demand for modern-day slaves needs to be stopped in order to make the world a safer place for people, their children, and their childrens’ children. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; text-align: center;">** Stop human trafficking, and liberate lives. **

media type="youtube" key="AbtnGfSDTWE" height="344" width="425" align="center"

Top of Page

Facts about Human Trafficking
<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 29px; text-align: right;">[|11 Facts About Human Trafficking] [|Terms you should know]


 * The average cost of a slave around the world in $90.
 * Trafficking primarily involves exploitation which comes in many forms, including:
 * 1) Forcing victims into prostitution
 * 2) Subjecting victims to slavery or involuntary servitude
 * 3) Compelling victims to commit sex acts for the purpose of creating pornography
 * 4) Misleading victims into debt bondage[[image:http://www.stanford.edu/class/humbio129s/cgi-bin/blogs/economiclens/files/2009/05/us_human_trafficking.gif width="431" height="237" caption="(Estimation)"]]
 * According to some estimates, approximately 80% of trafficking involves sexual exploitation, and 19% involves labor exploitation.
 * It is estimated that there are approximately 27 million slaves around the world.
 * Between 2001 and 2005, 140 defendants have been convicted of human trafficking in the U.S. which is a 109% increase from 1996-2000.
 * Around half of trafficking victims in the world are under the age of 18.
 * More than 2/3 of sex trafficked children suffer additional abuse at the hands of their traffickers.
 * Trafficked children are significantly more likely to develop mental health problems, abuse substances, engage in prostitution as adults, and either commit or be victimized by violent crimes later in life.
 * Women who have been trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation experience a significantly higher rate of HIV and other STDs, tuberculosis, and permanent damage to their reproductive systems.
 * There is only one shelter in the U.S. designed specifically to meet the needs of trafficking victims, and it currently only houses a total of seven to nine victims.
 * Trafficking victims normally don't get help because they think that they or their families will be hurt by their traffickers, or that they will be deported.

Top of Page

Recent Public Media
media type="youtube" key="UgkVgD-F91c" height="340" width="560"

Top of Page

= =