Human Trafficking Slavery

Human Trafficking: Slavery by a New Name

“If there is a single theme to this year’s Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, it is the conviction that there is nothing inevitable about trafficking in human beings. That conviction is where the process of change really begins-with the realization that just because a certain abuse has taken place in the past doesn’t mean that we have to tolerate that abuse in the future or that we can afford to avert our eyes.” (John F. Kerry, Secretary of State) Human trafficking is an issue that evades discussion among the general population and is often considered uncomfortable within the public eye. Nevertheless, it is a problem that needs to be faced head on as it continues to spread and affect countless innocent

It directly violates the 13th Amendment of the United States Constitution, breaks several other human rights laws, and is far from a victimless crime. The most commonly recognized form is trafficking for sexual exploitation, however it also can be seen in the form of forced labor which is not as frequently detected or reported. Human trafficking is defined as “a form of modern-day slavery where people profit from the control and exploitation of others.” (Polaris) Everyday, susceptible victims are falling prey to the manipulation and false sense of trust developed by traffickers and used as objects to reach a profit or goal, which when not reached often results in physical abuse and threats aimed towards the victims. Out of the total reported cases, 79% relate in someway to sexual abuse or illegal forced prostitution, which primarily affects women and young girls. The other 18% accounts for forced labor cases, where the workers are not paid and are often working in harsh or inhumane conditions. These statistics are only the start, as many cases go undetected or unreported due to fear or the inability to recognize what trafficking situations look like. In a breakdown of the numbers , 27% of victims worldwide are children, and over 50% are women. Men make up almost half of all traffickers, balancing the role played equally between both genders. Contrary to popular belief, 46% knew their captors, and kidnapping is rarely the case. Over 500,000-800,000 people are trafficked over borders every year, with between 20 and 27 million affected at any given time. This high victim count and access to cheap labor allows the human trafficking industry to draw in extremely generous profits of between 30 to 45 billion dollars, making it one of the most lucrative industries in the world. Due to desperation, many inhabitants of