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Sexual trafficking of men, women, and children around the world
Impact of human trafficking
Human trafficking and its effects
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There are an estimated 27 million slaves in the world today. Slavery in the modern scheme is as alive as it ever has been. One major form of slavery is the forced labor and exploitation of an individual by means of violence or the threat of violence – human trafficking. Human trafficking runs rampant in America today, while many don’t blink an eye. Encompassed in human trafficking is transnational and interstate sale of human beings, largely women and girls, for sex. This dehumanizing institution of sex trafficking, unbeknownst to many American citizens, is highly concentrated in major U.S. cities and takes several forms including physical forced bondage and prostitution. One of these major U.S. cities is the Twin Cities (the cities of Minneapolis
As victim count continues to rise, its difficult to see how such great numbers of men, women and children are bought and sold every year. Trafficking can be found in many forms, including: prostitution, slavery, or forced labor (Harf and Lombardi, 2014). It wasn’t until the 1980’s that international human trafficking became globally noticed. With the lack of government intervention and control in several nations, and the free trade market, slavery once again became a profitable industry (Harf and Lombardi, 2014). As previously mentioned, easier movement across nations borders is one of the outcomes of globalization. It is also what makes human trafficking so easy today. It is estimated that about 20.9 million people are victims across the entire globe (United Nations Publications, 2012); trafficking accounts for 32 billion dollars in generated profit globally (Brewer, n.d). 58 percent of all human trafficking was for the purpose of sexual exploitation, and of this 55-60 percent are women (United Nations Publications,
Kotrla, K., & Wommack, B. A. (2011). Sex Trafficking of Minors in the U.S.: Implications for Policy, Prevention and Research. Journal of Applied Research on Children: Informing Policy for Children at Risk: Vol. 2 (Iss. 1), article 5.
Most American citizens, if asked, would say that sex trafficking is an issue that happens on foreign land, not here in America. Many American’s believe that slavery was abolished years ago, but modern day slavery is happening in this country and internationally every day right under our noses. The startling fact, is that sex trafficking happens within our borders, and in our very own towns at a much higher rate than anyone would imagine. Sex trafficking occurs when people, usually women and children, are coerced into the sex trade against their will (TVPA, 2013). Many traffickers target weak, vulnerable people who come from low socioeconomic backgrounds and have a history of abuse; however anyone can potentially be trafficked (The Polaris Project, 2014). Many traffickers lure their prey in with false promises of love, money, or security, and then the victims are instead faced with lies, debt bondage, violence, physical and mental manipulation, and abuse (The Polaris Project, 2014). In today’s world many of our social issues, such as human trafficking, are made worse by the general lack of education, resources, and information available to the public and to victims. I propose a policy that will help 180 Turning Lives Around provide comprehensive and much needed services to victims of sex trafficking, as well as educate the community and law enforcement officials in order to help end modern day slavery in America.
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.
"Sex Trafficking in the U.S." Sex Trafficking in the U.S. | Polaris Project | Combating Human Trafficking and Modern-day Slavery. Polaris Project, n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2013.
Every day women, children, and even men are kidnapped, taken from their families, and forced into free labor and sexual exploitation. According to a new report from the National Human Trafficking Resource Center, as many as 9,298 cases of human trafficking have been reported in the past five years, but these are only the instances in which it has been reported. Furthermore, the report also shows that from December 7th, 2007 to December 31st, 2012, cases of human trafficking were reported in all 50 states. Just how many more are under the radar? One of the definitions given for slavery is the state or condition of being a slave; a civil relationship whereby one person has absolute power over another and controls his life, liberty, and fortune.
Domestic sex trafficking is the vile new innovative business model used in the sex industry to promote prostitution. The myth about sex trafficking is that it is a foreign not a domestic problem. Sex trafficking is a very lucrative business. The “John’s” create a demand and the “pimps” provide the supply. Child abuse, child neglect, pornography, pedophilia and prostitution are all links in the chains that enslaves America’s children for the pleasure of adults.
Sex trafficking generally possesses most of the same characteristics all over the world, although here in the U.S. individuals appear to be working willingly, independently, and out in the open, but in fact they are victims of sex trafficking. They solicit on the streets, hotels and truck stops, and advertise on the i...
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...
Many people are aware of the issue of minor sex trafficking in the United States, but people may not be aware of the extent of the problem or what it is that attracts these “pimps” to children in the sex trafficking business. Sex trafficking is a major issue both in the United States and in foreign countries, although many Americans do not realize that there are more U.S. citizens that make up the victim count of traffickers than foreign nationals, and of these victims, children are the most vulnerable (cite DMST). According to the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000,
Throughout the 21st century, the number of human beings being capture and put into sex trafficking and prostitution has risen. In 2013, about 270,000 young boys, girls, and women were forced into human trafficking in the United States alone and estimated 20.9 million in the world. The UN has also estimated that nearly 4,000,000 are trafficked each year. UNICEF has estimated that as many as 50% of all trafficking victims worldwide are minors and that as many as two thirds of those adolescents are at some point forced into the sex trade. This is a 52 billion dollar industry. Two kids are sold every minute, 120 per hour. In other cases mothers of these children would sell them off for money due to financial reason, which forces these children into this horrible misdemeanor, which no one should be a part of. What is human/sex trafficking per se? It is a version of slavery where of young women and minors being harboured and forced into prostitution. It is a major problem in not only foreign countries, but also in the United States. In the U.S, prostitution/human trafficking is in the top 10 of most common violations, number 1 in countries such as China, Ghana, Haiti, and ect. The numbers are rising, but why isn't anybody trying to stop this heinous crime? Law enforcements are not taking enough action to cease this horrific offense. Instead they are spending more time on (insert different crime). Human trafficking is not only prostitution, it is also kidnapping. Most victims in this felony are kidnapped. Do you think they just voluntarily wanted to be put into this? No, they are being captured and thrown into the streets to have sex for money with random strangers. Also being told to keep their mouth shut or else they...
Sex trafficking is essentially systemic rape for profit. Force, fraud and coercion are used to control the victim’s behavior which may secure the appearance of consent to please the buyer (or john). Behind every transaction is violence or the threat of violence (Axtell par. 4). Just a decade ago, only a third of the countries studied by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime had legislation against human trafficking. (Darker Side, par.1) Women, children, and even men are taken from their homes, and off of the streets and are brought into a life that is almost impossible to get out of. This life is not one of choice, it is in most times by force. UNODC estimates that the total international human trafficking is a $32-billion-per-year business, and that 79% of this activity comprises sexual exploitation. As many as 2 million children a year are victims of commercial sexual exploitation, according the the U.S. State Department.-- Cynthia G. Wagner. (Darker Side, par. 4) The words prostitute, pimp, escort, and stripper tend to be way too common in the American everyday vocabulary. People use these words in a joking manner, but sex trafficking is far from a joke. Everyday, from all different countries, people are bought and sold either by force or false promises. Some are kidnapped and others come to America with dreams of a dream life and job. The buyers involved in the trade will do anything to purchase an innocent life just to sell for their own selfish profit. Many people wouldn’t think of a human body to be something you can buy in the back room of a business or even online. But those plus the streets are where people are sold most often. There are many reasons and causes for sex trafficking. The factors behind sex traffic...
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).
Take a moment to look at our country. From the outside we seem nice. We’re unified, we’re free, we’re protected, and we’re respectful. But if you take a closer look into our society you’ll see that some of those things aren’t true. Our government isn’t who we think they are because the basic human rights for U.S. citizens are absent in our country since our government still practices discrimination to this day. Some is covered up; some is blatant; but it’s here whether you want it to be or not.
Over 27 million people are enslaved in the world today, 600,000 to 800,000 people are trafficked internationally and 14,500 to 17,500 of those are trafficked into the U.S. each year (PBS). Human trafficking is the recruitment, transportation, and sale of persons by use of force, coercion, or abduction for purposes such as labor or sex (UNODC, 2006, p.50). Today 4.5 million people are sexually exploited each year, making about 99 billion dollars globally ("United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime"). In Atlanta alone, sex trafficking generates about 290 million dollars annually ("Estimating the Size and Structure of the Underground Commercial Sex Economy in Eight Major US Cities"). Very few people are aware of this subject, and the laws and policies