'From Huma Trafficking To Human Rights'

Human trafficking is a public health problem within the United States and Internationally. The victims subjected to the lifestyle of human trafficking can have sexually transmitted disease, HIV virus, and AIDS. It is an estimated 30,000 victims of human sex trafficking dying each year from abuse, disease, torture, and neglect. According, to U.S. government an estimates, of 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders annually, and up to 17,500 people are trafficked into the United States each year (Hodge, 2008). “According to United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), over the past 30 years, over 30 million children have been sexually exploited through human trafficking” (Random Facts, 2015, para. 24).

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

Human Trafficking and Slavery universally happens in the world when individuals are placed or maintained in and exploitive situation for economic gain. Women, men and children are trafficked for a range of different purposes; forced and exploitative labour in factories, farms and private households, sexual exploitation, and forced marriage. Trafficking can happen to all people if the circumstances are right.

The recognition and development of human rights has dramatically changed internationally and domestically due to the constant change in societies needs, wants and values. Over the past 20 years many human rights have been implemented and recognized by various legal and non-legal measures to protect, promote and enforce these rights. The world has made great progress in identifying violations of individuals and societies human rights and has provided great efforts through legal and non-legal measures to protect issues that arise. There are a range of contemporary human rights issues that are being addressed domestically and internationally. One of the issues is the development of human trafficking and slavery. The United Nations defines human trafficking as “the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of persons by improper means (such as force, abduction, fraud, or coercion) for an improper purpose including forced labor or sexual exploitation". In order to correctly evaluate the effectiveness of Non- legal and legal measures in addressing these contemporary issues international and domestic efforts must be considered.

In recent years, due to the threat it poses to human security, human trafficking has been identified as one of the major and fast growing transnational problems. It is also perceived as a form of modern slavery and one of the greatest human rights challenges of our times. Therefore, tackling human trafficking is highly prioritized in many countries (European Commission, 2009). In the last 20 years the occurrence of human trafficking has dramatically increased, and trade in human beings has become one large part of the illicit global economy. Many criminals see this type of transnational crime as a low risk- high reward crime, and this may be one of the reasons why they show a preference for it (Lee, 2007). The United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons, also known as the Palermo Protocol, adopted in 2000 defines human trafficking as: “The recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a

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. These organizations use this money for theirs or other’s crime and end up in the hands of drug lords. Drug lords, in order to promote their own business give money to support terrorist groups and activities. Security after September 11, 2001 has recognized human trafficking as a national and international security risk.

Human trafficking has been in existence in several states for many years. It is a form of slavery where people can be transported from one place to another for exploitation in farms, being forced into criminal activities such as terrorism, forced marriages, sexual abuse, prostitution among other forms of illicit activities (Butler, 2015). The trafficked individuals are often oppressed through violence, threats or coercion which forces the individuals to be involved in various things which they could not be willing to conduct. Majorly, members of the African continent have been widely bound to human trafficking. However, the ordeal has expanded even to trafficking within members of the same state.

“…the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Save the Children released a report on their investigation into allegations of sexual abuse of West African refugee children in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Their interviews with 1500 men, women, and children refugees revealed that girls between the ages of 13 and 18 were sexually exploited by male aid workers, many of whom were employed by national and international non-governmental agencies (NGOs) and the UN, and also by UN peacekeepers and community leaders.” (Hynes 2004:

This report will analyze the impacts and assumptions of Djibouti’s human trafficking and forced labor issues. If the United States and NATO were to challenge the procedures on how Djibouti makes their money to sustain the economy, would the effects be positive or negative? Djibouti does not produce enough raw materials to sustain itself without the export of humans to international partners. The United States has constant issues with countries that sell and force labor upon humans. The consensus is that some things are better left un-said for sake of national security. If a country’s only way to make money is by trafficking humans then should the United States step in and do something about it?

In the Smith’s article they discuss the ramifications of United Nations intervention that can happen, though these consequences of action are not intended they can still happen such as by implementation of some new policies on human trafficking in developing countries the UN has cause the human trafficking to not stop but be moved to more dangerous, crisis areas. What the Smith’s suggest in their article is the when the United Nations are working on a solution for human trafficking in a developing country/area they should work on lower the possibility of unwanted effects of their solution and proceed with cautious when trying to make their solution a

The volume and severity of human trafficking has gained significant momentum throughout recent years, especially in regards to children; at any given time, there are an estimated 1.2 million children around the world trapped by the slave trade. A lack of awareness and a stigma toward sexual assault victims has allowed this heinous crime to unnoticed and untreated for decades. It’s a national duty for countries to join the fight against human trafficking, finding ways to increase awareness, prosecute traffickers, and provide aid to victims. One nation in particular that agrees with this assertion is Rwanda, a country that experienced indescribable devastation in 1994 and has since risen from the ashes as a beacon of hope for other developing

Human trafficking is a serious global issue that needs the awareness and attention of the world. The United Nations Office for Drugs and Crimes identifies human trafficking as “an act of recruiting, transporting, transferring, harboring, or receiving a person through a use of force, coercion, or other means, for the purpose of exploiting them” (UNODC). According to the book Trafficking in People by the policy analysts Clare Ribando Seelke and Alison Siskin, this exploitation can include forced prostitution, ”forced labor and services, slavery, servitude, or the removal of organs” (Ribando Seelke and Siskin 4). Human Trafficking is a violation against fundamental human rights. But even 63 years after the United Nations Universal Declaration

In 2007, the U.S. state Department reported, “600,000 to 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders every year,” “1 million is the number of children exploited by the global commercial sex trade every year,” and “161 countries identified as affected by human trafficking” (Polaris Project, DoSomething.org).

This research paper dives into the world of human trafficking looking into key details about the ethical implications of human trafficking as well as proposed solutions. With information such as statistics, methods of trafficking and the ending of trafficking that is found from websites from organizations that are dedicated to ending trafficking, the involvement of all countries are cited as necessary in ending this worldly crime. Information was found through University of South Florida’s library system and websites with information pertaining to their organization’s attempts at ending human trafficking. Articles utilized include Unintended Effects of United Nations Intervention, From Bush to Obama: Rethinking Sex and Religion in the U.S. Initiative to Combat Human Trafficking, Human Trafficking, and Supply and Demand: Human Trafficking in the Global Economy. In addition to these scholarly articles, websites used include the organizational websites of UNODC and UNICEF.

We can all probably think of a time we watched a movie that depicted the ominous and illustrious circle of human trafficking. Movies like the blockbuster hit Taken dramatized the storyline in order focus on Liam Neeson’s character who is a father and a retired CIA agent that utilizes his skills to get his daughter back from the possession of sex traffickers. Although the movie is an exaggeration, the reality is that many victims fall into the vicious circle of human trafficking, which does not just include sexual exploitation. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), human trafficking includes “exploiting the prostitution of others, sexual exploitation, forced labor, slavery or similar practices and the removal of organs.” In an event hosted at the United Nations Headquarters, the president of the General Assembly, Mr. John W. Ashe addressed human trafficking issues in the modern world stating that the,” annual profits as high as $36 billion per year, it ranks as the world’s third most profitable crime after illicit drug and arms trafficking.” The profit made by human trafficking involved not just girl and women but it also involves boys and men as well. Many make generalization that naïve girls are the victims to this organized crime; however, the case is that boys and men make up the population of millions of individuals who are victims to human trafficking.