Human Trafficking : A Global Phenomenon That Does Not Recognize National Borders

Human trafficking is a prominent problem within the United States that is often overlooked. The definition of human trafficking is, “Human trafficking - the illegal practice of procuring or trading in human beings for the purpose of prostitution, forced labor, or other forms of exploitation” (“Human trafficking”). People in the United States believe that human trafficking is a problem that occurs in other less developed countries compared to the United States. What these individuals do not realize is that human trafficking occurs on American soil contrary to popular belief. The United States is one of the top three destination countries of human trafficking and human trafficking is a top criminal enterprise across the world (“WEAVE, Inc.”).

Critically analyze the development of human trafficking and its connections to the legitimate economic sphere. To what extent is this market a result of global structural conditions?

This past year in the United States, there were an estimated 21,431 calls made to authorities concerning potential human trafficking situations and yet, the average American does not know that forced labor and prostitution is even a problem. (Melissa) Second to drug dealing, human trafficking is the largest criminal industry in the world today, and is growing fast. (Human Trafficking – Exploitation…) This modern day form of slavery takes victims captive against their will by using violence, threats, deception and other manipulative tricks. Even though each trafficking target has a different story, they all have similar experiences because they lose their freedom. In the United States, the First amendment protects all people citizens or aliens with basic freedoms. Therefore, human trafficking goes against ones American civil rights; human trafficking is major issue in the USA that needs to be stopped.

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 brings in billions of dollars into the U.S and all around the world. “The prime motive for such outrageous abuse is simple: money. In this $12 billion global business just one woman trafficked into the industrialized world can net her captors an average $67,000 a year” (Baird 2007). The laws around human trafficking are not strict and vary depending on what country it is happening in. Human trafficking is not something that is strictly foreign, it is happening right in front of our faces, in our neighborhoods, and all around us.

Some of the worst nightmares possible to imagine actually happen to women and children across the United States. In this country that americans are so proud of, every single day, including today there are dozens to even hundreds of people that are suffering deeply from being a victim of human trafficking. No one ever thinks that it could happen to them but there are men and even women recruiters for the trade that lure their victims. Since human trafficking is so unknown around us people tend to forget about it and have a tendency to “throw it under the rug”. Human trafficking in the United States must end because the variety of laws from state to state do not encourage a cohesive front against the practice, the victims are completely taken advantage of, and the level of disturbing and detrimental situations that these victims go through warrant an end to human trafficking.

Human trafficking exists in several nations all around us. No nation, including the United States is exempt from human trafficking. There may be factors that create unique anti-trafficking issues and obstacles for each nation, but the characteristics are all the same or very similar worldwide. These characteristics are how the trafficking is conducted, how the victims are kidnapped, the percentage of victims, the gender of the victims, and the percentage of each gender in different trafficking situations. The situations include children, adults, male, and female victims. The situations the victims fall into are pornography, forced labor, sex slaves, prostitution, child sex tourism, and many more. These are the issues and key points made by the authors to persuade the reader to agree with their position.

Although, smuggling and trafficking involve both humans, human trafficking differs from human smuggling because it is “compared to a modern day form of slavery”, involving “the exploitation of unwilling people through force” (Schmalleger, 2012, pg.605). Capturing, arresting and prosecuting human trafficking kingpins wouldn’t eliminate the problem, but rather encourage aspiring cartels to continue a “legacy”. However, fighting human trafficking is perhaps the most dangerous and difficult problem because of drugs and weapons, but nevertheless a rewarding accomplishment because “women and children compromise the largest group of victims” who are “often physically and emotionally abused” (Schmalleger, 2012, pg.607). A solution to this problem would probably be awareness, where the Federal government communicates to states, cities and communities to report suspicious activity. Therefore, proper help can be admitted to the victims by allowing new identities to be assigned; in addition, this would lower fraud and provide

“People were created to be loved; things were created to be used. The reason the world is in chaos is because things are being loved and people are being used.” --John Green. Human Trafficking is a big problem here in the United States and all around the world (Zhai 2). Trafficking is violent, both emotionally and physically (Hummel “Human Smuggling” 1). There are three major forms of human trafficking: forced labor, bonded labor, and forced prostitution (Petriliggieri 1). Forced Labor is the most common type in the U.S. (Haerens 17). About 17,500 people are trafficked to and from the United States every year (Haerens 16), but there were only 3,000 known cases (Zhai 2). Some critics may say that there are organizations and government programs

It’s every human being’s responsibility to help prevent victims from suffering from physical and psychological aguish, one from which they’ll never fully overcome having survived human trafficking. Jones et al. (2007) stated, “political unrest, or (having) weak or corrupt infrastructures combined with widespread poverty, are breeding grounds for international criminal networks” (p. 113). Reducing the amount of corrupt officials and increasing the amount of supervision that goes on in both border crossing and local officials, a decrease in trafficking would follow since they’re vital to keep this business

"We must show new energy in fighting back an old evil. Nearly two centuries after the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade, and more than a century after slavery was officially ended in its last strongholds, the trade in human beings for any purpose must not be allowed to thrive in our time" (George Bush, 2003). Human Trafficking, and other associated evils, have existed since the dawn of time. Today 's human trafficking has become a way of life, a criminal underworld upon whose existence stands crime rings, governments, government agencies and even some businesses. It has grown to a trade of immense dimensions with fingers throughout the entire realm of organized crime. Every aspect can be touched by the it, and it would seem as though there is nothing that can be done that is truly effective. This paper will attempt to analyze what has been done to stop human trafficking and discuss the attempts to stop it.

Human trafficking is a global issue that receives very little attention throughout the modern world; this issue effects every country on the global and all different types of cultures. Hillary Clinton said in 2009 “Trafficking thrives in the shadows, and it can be easy to dismiss it as something that happens to someone else, in somewhere else, but that is not the case. Trafficking is a crime that involves every nation on earth, and that includes our own.” (Behnke, 2015) This report will be focusing on how the different types of human trafficking play a role in different types of societies. I will explore the how economic impact on the western world because of human trafficking for labor to the impact of human trafficking for sexual exploitation in poverty-stricken and industrial countries, while also looking at the different types of individuals that are impacted by human trafficking. I will explain some of the local and global laws in place for human trafficking victims and their traffickers. This will include the laws that the United Nations has put in position to safeguard victims of human trafficking throughout the world. Asking the question, can we do more on a local and global scale to protect victims of trafficking and the prosecution of traffickers and if so what?

Human trafficking is the trade of humans by force, mainly women and female children, for the purposes of sexual slavery, sexual exploitation, and domestic labor. Global human trafficking has often been labeled as modern- day slavery; however the history and causes have been identifiable just as the causes of traditional slavery have been. What causes human trafficking? In this present paper, the hypotheses on the primary causes of global human trafficking will be identified. There are three major themes that cause human trafficking: a nation’s economy, political and legal factors, and social factors that enable the continuance of human trafficking. According to previous research indications of historical influence and social hierarchy have the greatest impact on the causes of human trafficking; these topics will further be elaborated upon during the discussions of political influences and social factors that impact human trafficking.

Human Trafficking is something that goes around all over the world. In this essay I will discuss what human trafficking is, how it is done and give three countries who are mainly known for this kind of inhuman act. The three countries are countries that are vey much known and are known as Bangladesh, Brazil and Ghana. All three countries are known for tourism so human trafficking is expected to be in act, especially if its over populated and having different people from different countries coming in and out. Human Trafficking is not something that should be promoted or celebrated and should be put to a stop. It is not fair for people to be taken against their will from their families and friends. Men, women, and even kids are being taken, so a person should never just think they’re special if not caught they are blessed instead. Human trafficking is sickening and a disgrace to every nation and country possible.

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.