Traffickers understand their approach and form of recruitment is crucial to lure their victims into their web of lies. Another tactic that is used is to have other victims to assist them in making the life seem glamorous and appealing. Unfortunately, the vicious circle is thus repeated.
As mentioned previously, risk factors play a major role in someone being a target for traffickers to prey on. Risk factors include, “negative family dynamics, lower intellectual functioning, poor school success, inadequate social skills, and histories of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, and neglect” (Hammond & Mcglone, 2014). Their research has shown that there is a correlation between victims who are at risk, have been in the child welfare system and
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the likelihood of them being involved in human trafficking. These victims would have experienced some form of abuse while in the care of state leaving them vulnerable and increasing the likelihood of them seeking an outlet from their situation. According to Hammond and Mcglone, the numbers have shown that, “64 % of women involved in sex trafficking had been in the child welfare system as children, including foster and group homes, often for many years”. In an effort to combat human trafficking, the United States government in cooperation with state legislators has passed new laws that criminalize human trafficking and support the identification and prosecution of human trafficking offenders. The U.S. government has taken a firm stance against fighting and prosecuting human trafficking offenders within its borders. Domestically, human trafficking is regarded to as a federal crime and is outlined under Title 18; Section 1584 of the United States Penal Code Which overviews that it is a punishable crime to force an individual to work against their will or to constrain them to involuntary servitude (Farrell, DeLateur, Owens & Fahy, 2016). Such laws prohibiting human exploitation are strictly enforced at a federal and state level. The U.S government passed the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000, this act called for greater sentences for traffickers while at the same time provided resources, assistance and protection to victims of trafficking. Secondly, the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 also created partnerships between numerous domestic and international agencies in which shared a common goal to fight and limit the growing exploitation empire (Justice.gov, 2017). Furthermore, this particular act also attempted to encourage the fighting efforts to prevent human trafficking internationally. Although the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act benefits of the law, there are limitations that law enforcement officials face when prosecuting offenders. For instance, victims may not want to cooperate entirely because they may fear retaliation from their trafficker or have a distrust of law enforcement officials as well as the justice system. Although, Human trafficking in America is something that most would think is not a major problem, it is becoming a bigger problem and more prevalent throughout society.
Numerous cases of the human trafficking whim the United States often takes place in five major states such as Kansas, Michigan, Texas, New York, and Nevada (Farrell, DeLateur, Owens & Fahy, 2016). Furthermore, these particular states and major cities within tend to be favorable financial contributors to such problem. The exploitation issue within these states tend to be much higher because of the large amounts of tourism, cities that attract a substantial amount of tourism each year tend to have a higher rate of exploited …show more content…
victims. Research have shown that the domestic exploitation problem within the U.S has links to numerous trafficked individuals coming from the Mexican border. The Mexican/ American border currently connects some of the major’s cities that are huge breeding grounds for trafficked individuals, such connection between U.S states and the Mexican border has encouraged the human trafficking problem that is taking place within America (Justice.gov, 2017). Subsequently in some countries, human trafficking is not considered a hidden crime and is generally well-known to the population; however within the U.S, it tends to be kept quiet. Investigators have linked and investigated numerous cases related to exploitation that have been taken place in major cities within brothels, massage parlors and bars. Although the United States passed the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act, human trafficking still remains a very hard crime to prosecute because of the difficulty that comes with detecting victims and offenders. In the recent years many exploited individuals were wrongly identified as prostitutes rather than victims of exploitation. The law also provided maximum penalties for traffickers only if law enforcement officials are able to prove that the victim was forcefully threatened or coerced into their exploitation act, such issues have led to fewer offenders being prosecuted (Andrews, 2004). Furthermore, human trafficking is becoming more prevalent around the world, public awareness and education can be considered as a viable tool in educating society and individuals on the importance of the human exploitation problem as well as laws, support systems and treatment systems that is currently available to the public.
The importance of education and other resources that are available to protect and rehabilitate the victims also works collaboratively with the fighting efforts that are in place to prevent these crimes from expanding within society. Although the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act, provides extraordinary resources and services to trafficked victims, there is still the lonesome few that does not receive any type of assistance or help either because they are still caught up in the lifestyle without any chance nor window of
escaping. Over the years, there have been numerous exploitation cases that have been caught and prosecuted by law enforcement officials; such cases have left a type of un-easy feeling within society one of the biggest cases regarding human exploitation took place in 2005 where one of the biggest human trafficking cases to have ever been uncovered and prosecuted within the U.S. This case involved the mastermind Maximino Mondragon. Mondragon, whom was a middle-aged man from El Salvador, was currently operating a human trafficking ring in Houston, Texas at a Sports Bar that he had owned at the time. It is said that Mondragon lured women to the United States with the promise of giving them good jobs with high wages that would assist them in helping out their families within their homeland as well as a chance to obtain citizenship (Brennan, 2008). However, as the females arrived to they quickly learned that they were not there for better paying jobs but to works as sex slaves. In 2005, after months of investigation law enforcement officials arrested and charged Mondragon as well as numerous individuals with international and domestic trafficking charges, there was over one hundred women that were identified to have been victims of Mondragon sex trafficking ring. Subsequently these females were set free and offered relief services with efforts to assist them in both remaining in the U.S and obtaining T-visas under the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act or offered safe passage back to their country of. Trial proceedings found Mondragon guilty of exploitation charges, he was later on sentenced to thirteen years in federal penitentiary as well as paying over $1.7 million dollars in restitution to the victims (Brennan, 2008).
Trafficking Victims Protection Act clearly defines the terms, communities have struggled in how to address those victims in relation to immunity. According to Dysart (2014), those with the perspective that children who are prostituted are delinquent will inadvertently re-victimize, which is not congruent with federal and state laws that have been put into place to offer protections. This mindset proves to be a barrier to the rehabilitation and progression of child victims. Due to the negative thought processes, the Attorney General has sought distribution to personnel best methods and practices in addressing victims of minor sex trafficking that is directly connected to grants for assistance in strengthening progressive programs (Dysart, 2014).
“Human trafficking coerces and persuades their victims to cross national borders in search of new jobs and better opportunities and after that they are forced into some sort of labor bondage” (At Issue: Human Trafficking 1). Even though trafficking is a problem in almost every country; poorer countries have a bigger problem with it because they are more desperate for work. Just in 2000, the U.S. enacted their first federal anti-trafficking law, called the Victims of Trafficking Protection Act (At Issue: Human Trafficking 1). Trafficking has just begun to receive notice on how big of a problem it actually is. “Proponents of strict anti-trafficking initiatives say that laws and prevention against trafficking are necessary in order to stem the growing tide of large scale organized crime that profits off of smuggling and trafficking” (At Issue: Human Trafficking 1).
If communities work towards this goal, they can brand trafficking as bad and they can work to end it together. Some governments still don’t have any laws that ban this evil and it is not good for people who suffer from it as it runs rampant in those countries. The places that need the government's help with this the most, have governments that are failing to protect them. The UN Chronicle says that the only way to end sexual trafficking and give these victims the closure they deserve is the “prosecution of traffickers and protection of victims”(UN Chronicles).
Human trafficking is an issue that no one really wants to talk about. The media portrays this horrible crime as something that only happens in foreign lands. Americans do not want to believe that something so heinous could happen on our own soil. However when survivors of human trafficking come forward, people are forced to confront the reality that this issue is not that far from home. Some individuals still choose to deny that this is a real issue. However the facts make it extremely hard to deny that human trafficking happens on American soil.
According to the Office for Victims of Crime, crimes committed against human trafficking victims can lead to the destruction of basic life assumptions; that one is safe from harm, one is a good and decent person, and the world is meaningful and just (Office for Victims of Crime, 1998). Working through the psychological trauma experienced by trafficking victims can require long-term, comprehensive mental health therapy (Briere & Scott, 2014). The health care response to trafficking victims in the United States differs greatly from efforts made by governments and health care entities. The health care response to trafficking victims in the United States differs greatly from efforts made by governments and health care entities in developing countries. In many developing countries, governments have allocated no financial support for programs to combat human trafficking, or for programs to provide medical care to victims. Lack of funding, trained medical staff and the stigmatization placed on many victims once back in their home countries can make access to appropriate health care virtually
In 1865 the United States passed the thirteenth amendment of the constitution which formally abolished the practice of slavery in the United States. Over a century has went by since this day, and yet somewhere behind the mask of freedom that our country holds with such pride lingers a hidden trade. This is the trade of modern day slavery that remains prevalent in our country. Despite the freedoms we are granted as a citizen of the United States,- human trafficking is an enormous issue that is often overlooked. In fact very little light is shown on this topic, but the awful reality is there. Every day women, children, and even men are kidnapped, taken from their families, and forced into free labor and sexual exploitation.
Identifying the victims and rescuing them is the main key to preventing human trafficking, which in turn reduces costs to the healthcare system. Human trafficking is a form of organized crime. It involves a hierarchical system, which is similar to that of other criminal organizations. The traffickers represent every social, racial and ethnic group. Some traffickers are involved with local gangs, while others are members are part of nationally recognized gangs and organizations. Some traffickers are independent and do not have any affiliation with other gangs or organizations. Traffickers exist irrespective of gender. There are several women in human trafficking activities along with men. Several young girls living on the streets, engage in prostitution. Some of them are involved in nationwide organized criminal activities where the organizers of crime force these young girls into human trafficking. It is problematic to enforce anti-trafficking laws because in most of these cases, the victims do not tell the identity of the traffickers with the fear of being
The United States is a major port for human trafficking and, “Due to the covert nature of human trafficking, it is difficult to ascertain which countries are the primary source nations for trafficking into the US” (Hepburn). People of all ages and genders are at risk to human trafficking (Hepburn). Women and girls make up about fifty-six percent of the people trafficked for forced labor, while men and boys make up the other forty-four percent; children make up forty to fifty percent of those numbers (Hepburn). Ninety-eight percent of the people trafficked for sexual explorations are women and girls (Hepburn). Children tend to be targeted more than adults because they are much more vulnerable. Human trafficking has different forms, and “While trafficking for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation is more publicized in the media, it is not the only form of trafficking that takes place in the US” (Hepburn). Trafficking for the purposes of forced labor is just as likely to occur as trafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation (Hepburn). Many citizens have never heard of human trafficking for something other than sexual exploitation. Hepburn shows that, “Forty-three percent are trafficked for purposes of...
Summary: We see that there are many different aspects and types of human trafficking that everyone should be made aware of. As a whole human trafficking is a lucrative industry raking in $150 BILLION globally. The impact that this industry has on its victims is
Many people are astounded to hear that human trafficking is not just a complication outside of America’s borders and that it is flattering more of an American drawback as intervals go on. Human trafficking has converted into creation's second leading criminal industry, transforming the individual, their dignity and rights as a human being, and humankind. The United States of America is mainly a transfer for trafficking in persons. It is assessed in The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, “that 14,500 to 17,500 people, primarily women and children, are trafficked to the U.S. annually.” This act augments pre-existing illegal disadvantages, offers new defenses and makes accessible certain welfares and aids to victims of trafficking. The Department’s Annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices estimated that from at least 127 countries have found to be harnessed in 137 states. In the United States, for instance, more than 15,000 individuals are enforced into the present day counterpart of slavery every year. An estimated one hundred thousand to three hundred thousand Americans are forced into this each year, as predicted by the national police department. But the collision of human trafficking goes beyond individual victims; it undermines the safety and security of all nations it touches. The U.S. has aided states to enact anti-trafficking regulation, educated law enforcement officials, DAs, border guards and judicial officers, and impeaching traffickers, and protecting targets.
One of the largest targets for sex traffickers is a child. Since children are considered vulnerable they are easily coerced or kidnapped and made to perform sexual acts for others and live in debt to their owner or pimp. “Sex traffickers frequently target vulnerable people with histories of abuse and then use violence, threats, lies, false promises, debt bondage,
Human trafficking is motivated by demand and supply, as well as money driven. Traffickers will transport their victims wherever necessary, they will pay for all meals, housing, transportation and visas. This leaves victims easier to control through debt bondage. Victims will be forever in debt to their trafficker as the “debt” never decreases. Traffickers will also take victim’s identity, travel documents, locking the victim up, forcing drug use or making threats to the victim’s family to also control them. They don’t have control over their daily lives anymore, all is controlled, when to sleep, eat or rest. Traffickers subject these victims to physical, mental and social distress, like, psychological manipulation, forced drug use, torture, rape, physical and mental abuse, leaving victims too afraid to
Trafficking in humans is a massive underground industry throughout the United States as well as close to home, mainly Chicago and it’s suburbs. “Human Trafficking is the recruiting, harboring,moving or obtaining a person by force, fraud or coercion, for the purposes of involuntary servitude, debt bondage or sexual exploitation( Human Trafficking in Illinois ).” Human Trafficking is one of the largest and is the fastest growing criminal industry in the world. Annually, 9.5 billion dollars of profits are generated from trafficking humans worldwide. “Persons do not have to have been transported internationally to be considered victims of trafficking” (Facts about Human Trafficking).
One cause of human trafficking is vulnerability of grieved criminals.(cite). Most grieving criminals are vulnerable, because of their living conditions. When they see how easy it is to be a trafficker makes this issue much more horrifying for women and young girls to be manipulated...
After researching several of these theories, several could apply but I narrowed my focus down to conflict theory and the family stress theory. The conflict theory is based on wealth and power which can create a market for trafficking. A lot of your trafficking victims are at the mercy of the ruling class. Most of them are uneducated and are illegal and just want to make money for their families but are exploited into labor and sexual markets.