Garita 1

Rick Garita
Instructor Name
Course Number
Date
Human Trafficking: Problem | Solution

Many people are well aware of the topic stated above, what it means and the disgust
behind it. However, there is another name for human trafficking: modern-day slavery. Both
terms describe a horrible reality that many men, women, and children live through daily. This
problem not only occurs within the United States but also internationally and when/where you
least expect it. An epidemic that we as a people must unite together to combat and eradicate.
Within this broad and bleak term are many categories that victims unfortunately may fall
under, such as: sex, labor, and services. Regardless of the many divisions, anyone can fall a
victim to human trafficking. One’s national origin, race, color, disability, religion, age, gender,
sexual orientation, education level, or socioeconomic and citizenship status are not a factor in
determining the ideal characteristic in choosing a victim. The culprits behind this compassionless
way of life do not discriminate. Human trafficking is not only illegal but it negatively affects the
lives of the victims as well as their
Although slavery was abolished in the United States with the passage of the Thirteenth
Amendment in 1865, the practice of selling and exploiting the will of humans continues to occur
(Bales, 2005). In fact, the United States is ranked among the top five countries where human
slaves are sold and exploited for labor or sexual purposes (Mizus, Moody, Privado, & Douglas,
2003).
In 2000, the United States enacted legislation to stop the sale and exploitation of human
beings. The law (Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000) prohibits both sex
trafficking and labor trafficking. The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 was established
with the intention to allow the US to combat human trafficking not just domestically but
worldwide. This incredibly important act was a federal statute that was signed by former
President Bill Clinton in 2000. Since it has been put into action, it has gone through some
changes and improvements so that it may better serve its victims. (Richard, S. (2005). State
legislation and human trafficking)
 Last Name 2

Sex trafficking involves the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or

obtaining of a person for the purpose of a commercial sex act (e.g., a transaction where money or
other items of value are exchanged for sexual services) in which the act is induced by force,
fraud, or coercion, or in which the person forced to perform such an act is under the age of 18.
(Kandathil, R. (2005). Global Sex Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 20000)

In contrast, labor trafficking is the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or

obtaining of a person for labor services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion, for the
purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery (U.S.
Department of State, 2008). While sex trafficking usually involves the forced prostitution of men,
women, or children, labor trafficking can include situations where men, women, or children are
forced into servitude in virtually any type of occupation such as domestic service (e.g., maids),
restaurant work, janitorial work, sweatshop or factory work, and agricultural work.

In simple terms, human trafficking is the sale and enslavement of human beings where,
after being bought and sold multiple times, they are forced to labor against their will. Because
this is such a broad and global problem, there is no quick and easy fix to stop human trafficking.
It takes immense manpower, global unification and dedication. There have been strides in the
fight against this issue.

Foreign Countries: What is being done to help?

All around the world, as well as here in the United States, there are many organizations
and agencies that work around the clock doing their part in combating this widespread nightmare.
A few of these important international organizations are GoodWeave: Focuses on ending child
labor
 Red Carpet Project
 Ploaris Project
 Last Name 3

Today, Indonesia and Cambodia are both undergoing political instability. Both have been
identified by the U.S. Department of State (2008) as hot spots for human trafficking. China has
also been identified as a country with significant threats to human dignity since it experiences a
large influx of refugees from North Korea, Vietnam, and Burma.

Most of the refugees are women and children in search of a better life and easily
deceived into believing that economic prosperity awaits them in their destination country.
Thousands of children are believed to be forced to labor against their will in China, and most are
beaten by their employers to prevent escape. Asia also has been declared as a significant supplier
of victims. Countries such as China and Thailand are considered core providers of trafficking
victims as are countries such as Cambodia, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, the
Philippines, and Vietnam. These countries, however, have also been identified as destination
countries. (Bales, K. (2005). Understanding global slavery.

Thus, Asia is a region of origin and a destination. Central and Southeastern Europe is
predominately an origin subregion. Victims trafficked out of this subregion are sold to Western
Europe. In particular, Albania, Bulgaria, Lithuania, and Romania are considered prime countries
of origin, followed by the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, and Slovakia. On
the other hand, Belgium, Germany, Greece, Italy, and the Netherlands, all countries in Western
Europe, serve as destination sites for victims trafficked from Central and South Eastern Europe.
Latin America and the Caribbean, particularly Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic,
Guatemala, and Mexico, are also regions of origin. (Bales, K. (2005). Understanding global
slavery.

Although all of the above-mentioned countries in Africa, Asia, Central and

Southeastern Europe, as well as South America, are both origin and destination sites, most
trafficking victims are supplied by Belarus, Moldova, the Russian Federation, Ukraine, Armenia,
Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. These countries are rarely places of destination for
victims. (Bales, K. (2005). Understanding global slavery.

These trafficking routes exemplify that countries that supply victims of human
trafficking are generally those undergoing political and economic instability, while the countries
 Last Name 4

that demand the sale of humans are those experiencing modest or considerable wealth and
prosperity.

The U.S Department State formulated some steps that anyone can join in the
fight against human trafficking. Here are just a few ideas to consider.

 Learn the indicators of human trafficking so you can help identify a potential trafficking
victim. Human trafficking awareness training is available for individuals, businesses, first
responders, law enforcement, educators, and federal employees, among others. ( U.S
Department State,2018)
 If you are in the United States and believe someone may be a victim of human trafficking,
report your suspicions to law enforcement by calling 911 or the 24-hour.
Trafficking victims, including undocumented individuals, are eligible for services and
immigration assistance.( U.S Department State,2018)
 Be a conscientious and informed consumer. Discover your slavery footprint, ask who
picked your tomatoes or made your clothes, or check out the Department of Labor’s List
of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor. Encourage companies to take steps
to investigate and prevent human trafficking in their supply chains and publish the
information, including supplier or factory lists, for consumer awareness. ( U.S
Department State,2018)
 Host an awareness-raising event to watch and discuss films about human trafficking. For
example, learn how modern slavery exists today; watch an investigative documentary
about sex trafficking; or discover how human trafficking can affect global food supply
chains. Organize a fundraiser and donate the proceeds to an anti-trafficking organization.
( U.S Department State,2018)
 Encourage your local schools to partner with students and include modern slavery in their
curricula. As a parent, educator, or school administrator, be aware of how
traffickers target school-aged children. ( U.S Department State,2018)
 Be well-informed. Set up a web alert to receive current human trafficking news. Become
familiar with public awareness materials available from the Department of Health and
Human Services or the Department of Homeland Security. ( U.S Department State,2018)
 Last Name 5

 Work with a local religious community or congregation to help stop trafficking by

supporting a victim service provider or spreading awareness of human trafficking.
 Students: Take action on your campus. Join or establish a university club to raise
awareness about human trafficking and initiate action throughout your local community.
Consider doing one of your research papers on a topic concerning human trafficking.
Request that human trafficking be included in university curricula. ( U.S Department
State,2018)
 Health Care Providers: Learn how to identify the indicators of human trafficking and
assist victims. With assistance from anti-trafficking organizations, extend low-cost or free
services to human trafficking victims. ( U.S Department State,2018)
 Journalists: The media plays an enormous role in shaping perceptions and guiding the
public conversation about human trafficking. Here are some media best practices on how
to effectively and responsibly report stories on human trafficking. ( U.S Department
State,2018)
 Attorneys: Offer human trafficking victims legal services, including support for those
seeking benefits or special immigration status. Resources are available for attorneys
representing victims of human trafficking. ( U.S Department State,2018)

Despite this disparagement, the United States has provided monetary assistance to
foreign nations to try to tackle the push factors of human trafficking. Close to $1 billion has been
provided to help other countries raise awareness of the dangers of human trafficking, as well as
establish vocational and technical training for the most vulnerable and provide them with an
education.

Also, the Bureau of Justice Statistics (2006) indicates that 555 cases were
investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office from 2001– 2005. This led to 78 criminal
adjudications with a mean prison sentence of 70 months. Furthermore, the federal government
has been providing more assistance to local, state, and federal authorities in the United States to
better identify and help victims of human trafficking. It has also provided aid to NGOs to help
them better assist trafficking victims
 Last Name 6

Human trafficking is one of the most antiquated and unforgivable crimes. Yet, it is also a
contemporary crime that has been growing exponentially over the past few decades. Millions of
people, including children, fall victim to this crime each year. Although generally a transnational
crime, there is evidence that human trafficking occurs within the borders of most countries,
including the United States. It is also a crime that does not discriminate—victims can be of any
race, ethnicity, age, or gender. However, most victims are women and children. Global
trafficking patterns signify that this global crime is driven by factors such as political and
economic instability in certain parts of the world as well as by globalization, the feminization of
poverty, and culture. In sum, it is driven by push and pull factors or by supply and demand.
Worldwide efforts have been launched to combat the sale and enslavement of humans, with the
United States flexing its power to bring countries into compliance with measures to end this
crime. However, the United States has drawn criticism over its treatment of victims while it is at
the same time praised for its generous monetary donations to help bring awareness of human
trafficking to the most vulnerable places.

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
dissuade them from selling humans. Thus, some suggest that more funding should be used to
train police authorities to identify these criminals, and more should be done to increase the
punishment if offenders are caught trafficking. However, others suggest that efforts to stop
human trafficking would be better placed on those who purchase the human cargo in destination
countries. Currently, according to the U.S. law against trafficking, any person who sells or buys a
human being can receive a sentence of 20 years in prison, or life in prison if the victim dies as a
result of the torture endured at the hands of either the supplier or consumer. As mentioned, in the
78 criminal convictions of human trafficking between the years 2001–2005, the median prison
sentence has been 70 months, or 5.8 years.(Laczko, F., & Gozdziak, E. (2005).Data and
Research on human trafficking). Thus, perhaps the answer to stopping this crime is to tackle
both the suppliers and the consumers, but tougher penalties are needed to deter the sale and
consumption of forced labor.
 Last Name 7

Work Cited

The Chronicle United Nation Organization

http://unchronicle.un.org./article/prevetion-prosection-and-protection-human-trafficking
The United States Department of Justice
http://www.justice.gov./humantrafficking/what is human trafficking
Official Trafficking Victims Protection Act 2000/ www.gpo.gov
http://www.gpo.gov./fdsys/pkg/BILLS-106hrs3244enr/pdf
The Muse www.themuse./com
http://www.themuse.com/advise/the-fight-for-freedom-7-organizations-combatting-human-
trafficking
Aronowitz, A. (2001). Smuggling and trafficking human beings: The phenomenon, the markets
that drive it and the organizations that promote it. European Journal on Criminal Policy and
Research, 9(2), 163–195.
Bales, K. (2005). Understanding global slavery. Los Angeles: University of California Press.
Beeks, K., & Amir, D. (2006) Trafficking and the global sex industry. New York: Rowman &
Littlefield.
Brennan, D. (2005). Methodological challenges in research with trafficked persons: Tales from
the field. In F. Laczko & E. Gozdziak (Eds.), Data and research on human trafficking: A global
survey (pp. 35–55). Geneva, Switzerland: International Organization for Migration.
Bureau of Justice Statistics. (2006). Federal prosecution of human trafficking, 2001–2005.
Retrieved August 21, 2013, from http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/fpht05.pdf
Cohen, L. E., & Felson, M. (1979). Social change and crime rate trends: A routine activity
approach. American Sociological Review, 44, 588–608.
Farley, M. (2003). Prostitution, trafficking, and traumatic stress. Binghamton, NY: Haworth.
Farr, K. (2005). Sex trafficking: The global market in women and children. New York: Worth.
Finckenauer, J. O. (2001). Russian transnational organized crime and human trafficking. In D.
Kyle & R. Koslowski (Eds.), Global human smuggling (pp.166–187). London: Johns Hopkins
University Press.
 Last Name 8

Gozdziak, E., & Collett. E. (2005). Research on human trafficking in North America: A review
of literature. International Migration, 43(1/2), 99–129.
Hughes, D. M., Chon, K. Y., & Ellerman, D. P. (2007). Modern-day comfort women: The U.S.
military, transnational crime, and the trafficking of women. Violence Against Women, 13(9),
901–922.
Kandathil, R. (2005). Global Sex Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000: Legislative
responses to the problem of modern slavery. Michigan Journal of Gender and Law, 12, 87–129.
Kelly, L., & Regan, L. (2000). Stopping traffic: Exploring the extent of, and responses to,
trafficking in women for sexual exploitation in the UK. London: Home Office, Police Research
Series, Paper 125.
Laczko, F. (2002). Human trafficking: The need for better data. Washington, DC: Migration
Policy Institute.
Laczko, F., & Gozdziak, E. (2005). Data and research on human trafficking: A global survey.
Geneva, Switzerland: International Organization for Migration.
, F., & Gramegna, M. (2003). Developing better indicators of human trafficking. Brown
Journal of World Affairs, 19(1), 179–194.
Mizus, M., Moody, M., Privado, C., & Douglas, C. A. (2003). Germany, U.S. receive most
sex-trafficked women. Off Our Backs, 33(7/8), 4.
Pearce, D. (1978). The feminization of poverty: Women, work and welfare. Urban and Social
Change Review, 11, 28–36.
Raymond, J., & Hughes, D. (2001). Sex trafficking of women in the United States:
International and domestic trends. Washington, DC: Coalition Against Trafficking in Women.
Richard, A. (1999). International trafficking in women to the United States: A contemporary
manifestation of slavery and organized crime. Washington, DC: DCI Exceptional Intelligence
Analyst Program, Bureau of Intelligence and Research, U.S. Department of State.
Richard, S. (2005). State legislation and human trafficking: Helpful or harmful? University of
Michigan Journal of Law Reform, 38, 447–477.
Salt, J., & Stein, J. (1997). Migration as a business: The case of trafficking. International
Migration, 35(4), 467–494.
Schauer, E., & Wheaton, E. (2006). Sex trafficking into the United States: A review of
literature. Criminal Justice Review, 31(2), 146–169.
 Last Name 9

Scully, E. (2001). Pre–Cold War traffic in sexual labor and its foes: Some contemporary
lessons. In D. Kyle & R. Koslowski (Eds.), Global human smuggling (pp. 74–107). London:
Johns Hopkins University Press.
Shelley, L. (2003). Trafficking in women: The business model approach. Brown Journal of
World Affairs, 10(1), 119–131.
Shelley, L. (2005). The globalization of crime. In M. Natarajan (Ed.), Introduction to
international criminal justice (pp. 3–10). Boston: McGraw-Hill.
Tyldum, G., Tveit, M., & Brunovskis, A. (2005). Taking stock: A review of existing research
on trafficking for sexual exploitation. Oslo, Norway: Fafo Institute for Applied International
Studies (Report number 493).
United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC). (2009). Trafficking in persons: Global
patterns. Retrieved August 21, 2013, from
http://www.unodc.org/documents/Global_Report_on_TIP.pdf
U.S. Department of State. (2008). Trafficking in persons report. Retrieved August 21, 2013,
from http://www.state.gov/j/tip/rls/tiprpt/2008/
Vago, S. (2006). Law and society (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Wealthy Long Island couple keeps slaves for five years. (2008). Associated content. Retrieved
August 21, 2013, from http://voices.yahoo.com/wealthy-long-island-couple-keeps-slaves-five-
years-347849.html
Wilson, J.M., & Dalton, R. (2008). Human trafficking in the heartland. Journal of
Contemporary Criminal Justice, 24(3), 296–231.
Last Name 10
Last Name 11