Pros And Cons Of Human Trafficking

Prom queen, a full ride scholarship to Baylor University, she had her life all planned out. But on a vacation to Rome, she was kidnapped and auctioned off into the disgusting, inhumane world of human trafficking. Human trafficking affects millions of people and their families around the world each year; some are sold for free labor, others are sold into prostitution rings, and most are never heard from again. Equivalent to modern day slavery, human trafficking uproots someone from their home and plunges them into, most often times, a life of misery. The organization, Polaris Project, helps victims of human trafficking but this is not enough. Polaris Project, and other organizations like them, should do more to prevent trafficking of all kinds

There are three main types of trafficking: labor, sex, and organ trafficking. Victims of labor trafficking are frequently brought to a new country, or relocated inside their own country, and used as free labor. In the United States, primarily along the southern border, illegal aliens are smuggled into the country to be used as free labor. From a business point of view, this method is very efficient; from a human’s point of view however, this industry is catastrophic. Laura Ezel points out that, “In 2012, the International Labour Office estimated that traffickers held about 10.7 million people in non-domestic labor trafficking, producing an average of $4,000 profit per individual each year” (505). Because of these deplorable business practices, these unfortunate people are paid incredibly low wages, if they are not paid in housing and food. Many times, illegal aliens are desperately trying to support a family back in the country they were smuggled from. As a species, humans have grown to understand the horror of forced labor, but this shameful deed is still running rampant, much like the plague that it

Countries can increase border patrols to capture individuals trafficking illegal “goods”. By implementing stricter regulations along borders, many countries would be able to save thousands of people from slavery. The United States Department of Homeland Security is in the process of hiring ten thousand employees: criminal investigators, border patrol officers, intelligence research specialists and other support personnel, to assist in the detection and deterring of trafficking. These increased resources will help combat the threat of human trafficking by targeting trans-national organizations who are involved in human trafficking. Along with increased border protection, increasing the amount of attention human trafficking gets throughout the media could escalate public awareness. Public opinion about the issue can help sway governments to act more ruthlessly towards traffickers. Due to resounding public demand and American pressure, Israel completely reversed their sex trafficking policies (Efrat 44). With an increase of “…enhanced investigative work, raids on brothels, and a large number of arrests…”, Israel was able to nearly wipe out “…the trafficking of foreign women for prostitution” (Efrat 45). Israel and many other countries have already had success in these areas but more effort is