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Keviar Baldwin

Coach Stephens

March 6th, 2017

7th Period
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A Background on Human Trafficking

Human trafficking is the third largest international crime

industry (behind illegal drugs and arms trafficking). It

reportedly generates a profit of $32 billion every year. Of that

number, $15.5 billion is made in industrialized countries.

Trafficking of human beings is now the fastest-growing business

of organized crime. Men, women and children are trafficked within

their own countries and across international borders. More than

one person is smuggled across a border every minute which is the

equivalent to ten jumbo jets every single day, and the trade

earns twice as much as a fortune 500 company. 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. In the area of human trafficking, many

falsely believe this includes only victims brought to the US from

other countries. Another common misconception is that children

are not often victims of sex trafficking. Creating a broader

understanding of what human trafficking is and how sex

trafficking affects every region of the United States is

instrumental in bringing about awareness, and most importantly


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change. 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.

How it Affects Everyone

Human trafficking forces millions against their will to beg,

prostitute, or work in sweatshops for the profit of others. It is

a crime against humanity that affects almost every country. The

definition of human trafficking is, the recruitment and

transportation of human beings through deception and coercion for

the purposes of exploitation. Human trafficking has been entwined

into the structure of governments, arms trade, drug trade, and

even spreads as far as terrorism. For many years it has been a

fact that the money that has been made by selling other humans to

the highest bidder. It is also known that the organized crime

operations generate one of the most profitable resources to the

organization. According to the U.S. State Department, 600,000 to

800,000 people are trafficked across international borders every

year, of which 80% are female and half are children. Human

trafficking impacts people of all backgrounds, and people are

trafficked for a variety of purposes. Men are often trafficked

into hard labor jobs, while children are trafficked into labor

positions in textile, agriculture and fishing industries. Women

and girls are typically trafficked into the commercial sex


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industry, i.e. prostitution or other forms of sexual

exploitation. Not all slaves are trafficked, but all trafficking

victims are victims of slavery. Human trafficking is a

particularly cruel type of slavery because it removes the victim

from all that is familiar to them, rendering them completely

isolated and alone, often unable to speak the language of the

captors or fellow victims.

What are Government Agencies are Doing About it?

The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA) called

for the creation of the President's Interagency Task Force to

Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons to coordinate anti-

trafficking efforts among various U.S. Federal government

agencies. The following Federal government agencies are

implementing programs to protect and assist victims of human

trafficking and to capture and prosecute their traffickers. The

United States has also been the leader in forcing others to do

the same. Every year since 2000, the U.S. Department of State has

published the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, which details

the extent of trafficking in the country as well as abroad. The

report also contains a ranking system whereby the Department of

State issues a passing or failing grade to other countries

efforts to stop human trafficking. Using the U.S. law as the

benchmark of excellence, the State Department conducts an


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investigation into every country around the globe that receives

financial or military assistance from the United States.

The Conclusion About Trafficking

An examination of the issues and challenges of trafficking

bring us face to face with the stark reality of the situation.

Hordes of women and children are victims of grave human rights

violation having been trafficked by vested interests using lure,

deceit, compulsion, threat and coercion before being pushed into

the world of a darker humanity. They are subjected to physical

and mental trauma, economic deprivation and violations of their

dignity. Trafficking though not reported from many places happens

everywhere. The situation is worse in underdeveloped regions.

Here come into play the push and pull factors of trafficking and

its interplay with the forces of demand and supply. Because of

the lucrative nature of this crime, some suggest that efforts to

stop human trafficking should focus more on those who supply

victims and those who purchase them. If traffickers contemplate

risks and rewards of engaging in this crime, more should be done

to get them from selling humans.


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Notes

1. Santos, D.H. "Human Trafficking." Outcall

Entertainment. August 08, 2016. Accessed February 7,

2017. http://www.outcallentertainment.com/human-

trafficking/.
2. "Human Trafficking." Criminal Justice. http://criminal-

justice.iresearchnet.com.
3. Rodgers, Lucy, Dominic Bailey, and Gerry Fletcher.

"Human trafficking: The lives bought and sold." BBC

News, July 28, 2015. Accessed February 3, 2017.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-33592634.
4. Cousins, Linwood H., ed. Encyclopedia of Human Services

and Diversity. 1st ed. Vol. 1. Series 1. TLK Editing

Services, 2014.
5. Human trafficking victim: 'Part of me is still dead'.

Performed by Anonymous. Human trafficking victim: 'Part

of me is still dead'. February 17, 2015. Accessed

February 4, 2017. video.foxnews.com/v/4061912588001/.

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