Human Trafficking in the Us

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.”).

The United States has always been known for sticking their nose in places where it does not belong. America has been part of wars that could have been avoided, scandals that had nothing to do with the United States. Millions of lives over the years could have been spared if America would have just simply stayed where they belong. What if though, America feels like they have to get involved in forging affairs if they think it can cause or is causing a problem on American soil or with the Americans themselves? Human trafficking is issues that most people do not necessarily knows about or even really think about. There are several different types of human trafficking and smuggling crimes that are in today's society. The number one kind of human trafficking is sex trafficking. The handlers usually kidnap someone, ninety percent of the time, a girl under the age of eighteen, and sell them to different people all over the world for sexual reasons. The girls they kidnap and sell can be from the area or just passing through and get in the wrong place at the wrong time. Forced labor is the second most common type of human trafficking in the world. This is where a person takes advantage of a worker and changes labor laws to make them work longer hours or harder, more tiring jobs with very little pay. Victims of forced labor most of the time do not even know what is happening to them. Most of the people that get sucked into the forced labor trade are very vulnerable;

Each year about 17,500 individuals are brought into the United States and become victims of human trafficking. Every country has this problem and it has become the 3rd largest illegal industry worldwide.

Rehabilitation for victims is available such as Freedom Place and Dream Center. Joy Friedman, a survivor of 27 years of sex trafficking in the United States, now serves as women’s program manager at Breaking Free, a Minnesota nonprofit group that helps women and children escape that world. On average, sex trafficking victims are between 12 and 14. It is estimated that between 100,000 and 300,000 U.S. children are sex slaves. Providing care for these victims is very important, their self-esteem is completely demolished and don’t know where to begin to fix themselves.

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 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.

There is estimated almost twenty-one million trafficked humans throughout the world. Sixty-eight percent of the trafficked humans are held captive and forced to work. In North and South America, there is more women trafficked than men, human trafficking is one the most traumatizing things in the world, people in this world are more worried about money, then being humane.

Of the 13,325 calls made to the Human Trafficking hotline, 4,546 were made by community members; that is highest amount of calls were made by a single source. By making people aware of the crime, it can help to the spread and vast reach of trafficking. Not only an increase from a decade ago, but also a difference between two years that sees an increase in reported cases and victims. 2016 alone saw 7,572 reported cases of human trafficking, 2015 saw 5,526 cases reported, and 2014 saw 5,042 reported cases. There were 4,293 more reported cases in 2016 than 2012. This data shows an increase in recent years, the data from the human trafficking hotline is as current as for December 31, 2016.(Human Trafficking hotline 1) The recent increase within recent years is putting many people at

When looking at today’s society we look at America as the land of the free, but we forget to recognize the fact that some people such as women, and children are still writhe from brutalization and imprisonment at the hands of others. These victims are becoming commodities, sold to the highest bidder and sometimes for little as pennies. When thinking about the situation it’s a form the presents as slavery, but the act of slavery ended when Lincoln signed in 1863. The Emancipation Proclamation stated that all the people who are held as slaves within the confederate states should be free. Now in modern day human trafficking continues to cultivate in the United States. Millions of women, and children are thrown into the human trafficking market

Up until last semester, I truly had no idea of the magnitude of human trafficking in the United States. Living in the Bible belt, we tend to be sheltered and naive to the corruptions of the world. Last semester, I was required to do some research regarding human trafficking I was appalled at my findings. I even had my husband read an article to bring him insight and awareness. I know Ashton Kutcher is a huge advocate for human trafficking awareness and trying to put an end to this heinous crime. I am aware of the Tennessee website for human trafficking. I received training in identifying human trafficking in the health care setting through my education, here at King University. If I am recalling correctly, we also had a training module through

Also, there is the matter of trust and fear. Victims are often, for example, frightened to believe they can accept help without owing something back. Some survivors are too afraid because they fear their traffickers too much to accept any services. Furthermore, it aggravates victims to find out that the time is takes for cases to be prosecuted and to gain protections is very extensive. Intensifying the existing laws to better defend human trafficking victims is critical.The United States Government, in 2000, certified the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act. This act helps prosecute traffickers and support victims. Since then the number of recognized victims of trafficking has risen as well as trials and social service providers working with survivors. Because of this it gives researchers an opportunity to track and study the issue deeper and come up with new solutions (Family Violence Prevention Fund, 2005).

For example, victims cannot freely leave or return to their living or working environments, is unpaid or paid little or only through tips, works excessively long hours or at around unusual hours, is not not allowed breaks or suffers strange restrictions at work, owes a significantly large amount of debt and cannot pay it off, was recruited underneath a guise of false promises, and obscene amounts of security measures exist at his or her working or living environments, like boarded or barred windows, barbed wires, or security cameras (National Human Trafficking Hotline). In addition, many victims possess poor mental health or display abnormal behavior, like constant fear, anxiety, paranoia, and submissiveness, even continuously avoiding eye contact (National Human Trafficking Hotline). In like manner, many victims get suspicious or anxious after hearing mentions of law enforcement, even in just normal day to day conversations (National Human Trafficking Hotline). For this reason, many victims similarly lack medical care or are denied medical attention, appear malnourished, show serious signs of physical or sexual abuse, and show signs of physical restraint or confinement (National Human Trafficking Hotline). Lastly, many victims lack control of their own possessions, like financial records, bank accounts, passport, ID, or money (National Human Trafficking Hotline). If these trait in victims are not broken, many victims almost always return to their trafficker. It is a sad reality, but it happens nevertheless. This is why rescue is just not enough, especially when trafficker not only physically damage victims, but also mentally. They need places to safely heal, without fearing that their traffickers might find them again, but shelters just cannot take in extra victims. It is not because they do not want to, but because of

“Previous research has shown recommendations for an array of aftercare services for sex trafficking victims…emphasized the need for sustainable medical and psychological support, education, and vocational training after exiting a trafficking situation” (Twigg 2017). Aftercare services are designed to promote recovery, prevent traumatization, and remove barriers against victims

Human and Sex trafficking in the United States is the newest form of slavery. Traffickers use this form of slavery to help with the illegal act of smuggling drugs and selling people to gain money for sexually acts. Sex trafficking has easily been compared to slavery. People are kidnapped from their homes, schools, and work to become a slave to pleasure people. They are forced to work many jobs as they are to be sold to businesses or owners to work for little to no money. Unlike slavery in the 1600’s, race does not matter. The only thing most would care about is the age or sex of a human. This is never a choice among people to sell themselves unless they do not have a “pimp”, this is force. There are many types of sex trafficking which is very

The impact of human trafficking can be felt all throughout the United States in all 50 state including Washington, D.C. There is no identifiable pattern for human trafficking victims; the victims can be adult and minor from rural, suburban, or urban communities. According to the national human trafficking resource center (NHTRC) the most vulnerable victim of these human trafficking rings are usually runaway and homeless youth. Even individuals who experienced violence and trauma in the past are more susceptible to being primed into human trafficking. Since human trafficking is so diverse the impact is felt across the board and the manipulation of adults and minors no matter their socio-economic background or education they are still being