Social Justice Ethics
Sex Trafficking is a violation of human rights; according to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that was adopted by the United Nations in 1948. Articles 4 and 5 of this declaration, indicate that all people have a right, not to be held as a slave or in servitude and not to be subjected to torture, or cruel, or degrading treatment. The Declaration of Human Rights is enforced by law to prevent people from carrying out cruel and malicious acts, in attempt to oppress another (Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948). As Social Workers, our decisions and actions are ethically guided by our Core Values, including; The Dignity and Worth of the Person and Social Justice (Code of Ethics, 2018). These Core Values inspire
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That being said, rescued victims have provided some insight into just how devastating it can be. The physical toll on individuals is immense as many victims have reported being subjected to physical or sexual violence and in one study, 90% of participants said they were sexually assaulted while being trafficked. (“An Introduction”, n.d.) In this same study, participants also reported headaches, fatigue, weight loss and gynecological infections. The risk of AIDs is also much higher for individuals who are forced to work in the sex trade industry. Additionally, victims also experience a myriad of psychological disorders related to their situation. Disorders such as anxiety, PTSD, depression and higher rates of suicide are common among these individuals. (“An Introduction”, n.d.) Substance abuse and addiction are rampant among this population as …show more content…
Due to the complex nature of the problem of sex trafficking, it is difficult to estimate the actual number of victims though there is some data on those rescued. The same factors that make data difficult to collect also add to the prevalence of the problem. In 2016 there were 233 individuals who were identified as victims of sex trafficking in the state of Ohio. (“2016 Human Trafficking”, n.d.) This number is likely a small fraction of the total number of victims, and these are only those identified in Ohio. According to the International Labour Organization, in 2016 an estimated 4.6 million people in the world were victims of sexual exploitation. (ILO, n.d.) The fact that the numbers are so high is a clear indicator that demand is an