Human trafficking is a crime of recruiting or transporting a person with the purpose of exploitation. People abuse their control, direction, or influence over a person to exploit them by using physical or psychological coercion, or deception. It is also a representation of a modern form of slavery. Human trafficking is also often mistaken as human smuggling. On the other hand, human smuggling is a movement when a person is carried across the border illegally (without their consent). Subsequently, the exploitation of humans varies from forced labour to prostitute work.
It can happen anywhere at any time. Traffickers can control and manipulate victims with methods such as but not limited to:
Abduction
“A trafficker on the street grabs a child walking home alone and forces him/her into a van,
Emotional Abuse
“A trafficker may call the victim names, yell at them, threaten them, humiliate them, and etc.
Lies and Deceit
“A trafficker may trick someone into telling them that they will provide you with everything you need,
Addiction
“A trafficker may provide a substance that the victim has an addiction to, and may threaten to withdraw said substance, thing or activity from them,
Threats or Use of force
“A trafficker may threaten to inflict pain upon someone or someone’s loved ones if they do not comply,
Taking control of identification, documents, or money
“A trafficker may use their control of the victim's important documents to make the victim feel bonded to them.
Here’s a list for some of the many different reasons for human trafficking:
Sexual exploitation
Forced labor
Selling babies
Forced marriage
Child soldiers
Domestic servitude
Organ theft
Common victims of human trafficking include such as but not limited to:
Women and girls,
Homeless and youth,
Youth who struggle with self-esteem, bullying, discrimination, abuse, and etc.
People with addiction, mental illnesses or disabilities,
Newcomers or immigrants.
Why don’t victims come forward? Why are they silent?
There are many cases where the people who got trafficked are controlled and monitored constantly, rendering them unable to ask for help. Others may fear for their own lives or for the lives of their families and loved ones. They would feel threatened that traffickers may harm them in every way possible if they tried to report their situation or cooperate with law enforcement. In some cases, the victims don’t even realize that they are the victims of human trafficking. They may be manipulated to believe that the trafficker is the only person who genuinely cares about them and can protect them therefore, they are better off staying with their trafficker. Foreign victims may be afraid they would be detained and deported by the government if they reach out for help.
Types of Human Trafficking:
Sex Trafficking:
The exploitation of a person for various sexual services. Traffickers develop a bond with the person they are trafficking and manipulate these people into trusting the trafficker. According to the UNODC report on human trafficking, Sex trafficking is most common, seen at the rate of 79%. The people with most risk of sex trafficking are women and children, but surprisingly, in 30% of the countries which provided information on the gender of traffickers, women were a part of the largest portion of traffickers.
Another misconception is that sex trafficking and sex work are DIFFERENT. However, sex work is where the person must be over 18, and have to legally consent to do the job.
How Trafficking can occurs:
Luring
Traffickers find people who are vulnerable due to those people’s certain circumstances. They will show newfound interest in that person and proceed to get closer to them.
Grooming
Traffickers will identify a victim’s needs and fulfill them: this can vary from emotionally to economically.
Isolation
Traffickers slowly try to cut off or ruin relationships between the victim and its friends and family, leaving the victim to only depend on the trafficker emotionally and economically.
Control and Exploitation
When the victim is isolated, traffickers exercise threats of violence, manipulation of dependency, or blackmail to coerce their victim into performing sexual services.
When someone is being trafficked, the traffickers usually try to control every aspect of their life. Sometimes, it is very unnoticeable and seems difficult to be aware of whether a crime is taking place or not.
Labour Trafficking:
The exploitation of a person is to mainly gain profit. Victims are forced to do hard labour, and work for certain people unwillingly without their consent.
Most common victims of labour trafficking are such as but not limited to:
Migrant workers
Newcomers/ Immigrants
Homeless people
People who do not speak the native language of the country
The exploitation of a forced labor worker:
Underpaid, not paid at all, etc.
Forced to work unpaid overtime,
Manipulated into a situation of debt,
Sold to different employers by recruiters or agents.
Human Trafficking and its roots:
Human Trafficking consists of a long history and its effort to address the issue can be traced back to a century ago. However, it has become a serious global humanitarian crisis over the past decades. As more people started to get involved in the illegal human trafficking activities, the society can become ignorant of these situations and remain as a bystander. However, these kinds of ignorant actions are seriously harmful for the victims and the world itself. In order to make the world a better place, the people should speak up on this matter and show support and the world should lend their hand to each other as a representation of unity against its odds.
Hotlines to Contact for Help:
Australia: 131237
France: 0 825 009 907
Greece: 1109 Ireland: 1800 25 00 25
Italy: 800 290 290 Mexico: 01-800-5533-000 Poland: +48 22 628 01 20 Portugal: 800 202 148 Spain: 900 191 010 Sweden: 020 52 10 10
United Kingdom: 08000 121 700 United States: 888-373-7888
Canada: 1-833-900-1010
Sources:
@soyouwanttotalkabout Human Trafficking post
Written by L. Wang from Canada
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