Human Trafficking Argumentative

There are four times more slaves in the united states today than in the 1860’s (when slavery was at its peak). This statistic is surprising considering slavery was abolished in 1865. However, the resurgence of slavery has morphed into a different form now called Human Trafficking. Fifty years ago, the abomination of slavery seemed like a thing of the past. But history always seems to repeat itself. Today, we find that human slavery is once again a disturbing reality. At this moment, men, women and children are being trafficked and exploited all over the world.

The Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery stating “neither slavery nor involuntary servitude… shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction” (The United States Constitution) Clearly this wasn’t sufficient. The truth of the matter is human trafficking is now the modern-day slavery and is a problem in countries all over the world. In the 1860’s slavery referred to African American being forced to work in plantations, picking cotton without any human rights what so ever. In today’s world, slavery includes sex trafficking, illegal child labor, illegal immigrant trafficking, organ trafficking and forced labor.

Each year, thousands of women and children fall into the hands of traffickers by their friends, family or loved ones. This sickening reality is often suppressed and the majority are completely oblivious to the staggering impact it has on the lives of victims and the population. That is why Human trafficking is a growing global phenomenon and the government needs to do more to prevent this issue using techniques such as awareness campaigns, assisting victims and strengthening agencies to prosecute the criminals. All nations no matter how large or small are victims to the plague of human trafficking.

Human trafficking is a growing global issue but so many seem oblivious to the severity of it. Some nations are not even familiar with the true definition of what human trafficking is. This leads to the question what is human trafficking? Human trafficking is the action or practice of illegally transporting people from one country or area to another, typically for the purposes of forced labor or commercial sexual exploitation. Bill gates who is said to be the richest man in the world has an estimated net worth of $81 billion. Human trafficking is the third largest international crime industry falling short only to drug and arms trafficking.

It reportedly generates a profit of $32 billion every year. Of that number, $15. 5 billion is made in industrialized countries. This number is staggering and disheartening, with numbers this large you would think more people would aware of this problem. According to Polarisproject. org “no matter where you live, chances are it’s happening nearby. From the girl forced into prostitution at a truck stop, to the man discovered in a restaurant kitchen, stripped of his passport and held against his will.

All trafficking victims share one essential experience: the loss of freedom.” (2017). An estimated 600,000-800,000 women, children and men are bought and sold across international borders per year. Of that around 14,500- 17,500 are trafficked in the U. S per day. Although men, women and children are all victims of trafficking, it is a crime that disproportionately affects women and girls who make up approximately 80% of those trafficked transnationally, most whom are trafficked into commercial sexual exploitation. There are way over 20 million enslaved to day and of these an estimated 11. 4 million are female compared to 9. 5 which are male.

With such staggering numbers, there is no reason the government shouldn’t do more to assist victims of such torture. Many Human trafficking victims are lured into their situation because they were promised a decent job in another country, a false marriage proposal turned into a bondage situation, being sold into the sex trade by parents, husbands, boyfriends, or being kidnapped by traffickers. “Victims can be any age, race, gender or nationality. They can also come from any socioeconomic group. They’re not dirty or sex mad or stupid. They’re victims of a wide network of underground criminals” (Lowery 2017).

Human trafficking can be broken down into many diverse types including: sex trafficking, forced labor (involuntary servitude), debt bondage, organ trafficking, child labor and bonded labor. Sex trafficking is a modern-day form of slavery and its victims are majority women and girls, but can also be men or boys. Trafficking of women is an international industry that generates billions of dollars. Sex Trafficking itself can be broken into several types such as prostitution, pornography, stripping, live-sex shows, mail-order brides, military prostitution and sex tourism.

“These sex slaves are forced to service hundreds, often thousands of men before they are discarded… unlike a drug, a human female does not have to be grown, cultivated, distilled or packaged. Unlike a drug a human female can be used by the customer again and again” (Siddharth preface). There are millions of children whose labor can be considered forced, not only because they are too young to choose to work, but also because they are, in fact, actively coerced into working. These include children whose labor is pledged by parents as payment or collateral on a debt.

As well as, children who are kidnapped or otherwise lured away from their families and imprisoned in sweatshops or brothels. According to Kathryn Cullen-DuPont “The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNIFEC), in contrast, estimates that 1. 2 million children become trafficking victims every year” (4). In addition, millions of children around the world work unseen in domestic service either given or sold at a very early age to another family. Forced child labor is found primarily in informal, unregulated or illegal sectors of the economy.

Children are especially vulnerable to exploitation because their lack of maturity makes them easy to deceive and ensures that they have little, if any, knowledge of their rights. Much like sex trafficking and child labor, most people smuggled are immigrants and non-residents to the county they are being smuggled into. People are promised an excellent job with good pay with room and board provided. They fall for the trap and answer to the ad without knowing it is a trick. When they are brought to the place, traffickers already stole the immigrants’ passports and everything they own, making it impossible for the immigrants to go back home.

Instead of the respectable job and pay they were promised, they end up working 12+ hour shifts, with basically no pay, and have bad living conditions. Men have been overlooked as potential victims of trafficking. Even when signs of exploitation that would sound alarms with women – such as confiscation of travel documents – are clear, immigration officers or assistance groups often classify men as “migrant workers” and send them on their way. Therefore, we need to spread awareness worldwide so we can all help abolish human trafficking.

“Trafficked persons often have limited access to necessities such as safety, food, sleep, hygiene, and medical care… all victims of trafficking may be subject to physical, psychological, and social impacts” (impact 2016). The effects of human trafficking on victims are horrendous and life threatening. “Because women who have been trafficked have been subjected to multiple abuses over an extensive period of time, they may suffer health consequences similar to those of victims of prolonged torture” (The health consequences of human trafficking 2005).

Victims often face many physical ailments such as drug and alcohol addiction, broken bones, concussions and burns. And more serious effects including STD’s, traumatic brain injuries, sterility, miscarriages or forced abortions and TB or Hepatitis. Human trafficking not only effects the body but the mind as well. Physically effects include the separation of the mind from the body and disassociated ego states. Shame, grief, fear, distrust, and self-hatred. Other reoccurring psychological effects are suicidal thoughts, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Stockholm syndrome and eating disorders.

Most victims don’t have access to medical attention and things as minor as scrapes and cuts can turn into life threatening infections. Human traffickers are revolting, malevolent and greedy. Don’t the people who prey on the weak and take away their victims lives; rights and spirit deserve to be punished? Well you would be surprised to know that in the United States on 10 % of all local and state law enforcement agencies have policies or protocols related to human trafficking. “What’s worse? 1. Trafficking more than 100 women and coercing them into sex slavery or 2.

Selling a lot of weed? Well, in U. S. courts often #2 receives much harsher punishments than #1. In the united states a man who grows and sells illegal marijuana will receive a longer prison sentence than a man who runs a prostitution ring” (abcnew. com). Human trafficking survivors do not get the justice they deserve which is why we need to strengthen these agencies to prosecute these heinous criminals. All in all, when it comes to human trafficking the government has a lot to work on. Human trafficking is a global issue and we need to do all we can to raise awareness.

The government needs to create more awareness campaigns, assist victims of trafficking and strengthen agencies to prosecute criminals. We might have thought the thirteenth amendment abolished slavery but it is clear slavery is still around and thriving.

Works Cited

BIBLIOGRAPHY

“<http://abcnews. go. com/ABC_Univision/News/time-sex-trafficker-serve-prison/story? id=19520482>. ” 28 june 2013. abcnews. go. com.article. 13 march 2017. “<http://www. humantraffickingsearch. net/impact/>. ” 2016. polarisproject. org. 13 march 2017.

“<http://www. stopvaw. org/health_consequences_of_trafficking>. ” 1 september 2005. stopvaw. org. 29 march 2017. dupont, kathryn cullen-. human trafficking. New york: Infobase publishing, 2009. Lowery, Tom. “What is human trafficking? ” The huffington post (2017): 1. Siddharth, Kara. Sex Trafficking: Inside the business of modern slavery. New York: Columbia university press, 2009. UNODC. org. 2017. website. 30 march 2017.