Not For Sale Short Story

Human trafficking has been identified as a profitable illicit business. Sexual exploiters have profited off the sexual exploitation of women and minors, while businesses have profited from nonconsensual labor from minors who cannot express their own interest. (Marcus, et.al, 2002, p.47). The regional director of “Not for Sale” makes a valid point about profitable gains of human trafficking. “You can sell a bag of drugs once, but you can sell a person multiple times,” (Marcus, et.al, 2002, p.47). That quote is basically the mindset of traffickers who look forward to making a profit and decide partake in this illicit business. In regards to sexual exploiters and minors, there are only a handful of

On average 300,000 children are trafficked in the United States every year. Personally, I feel that Human Trafficking is something everyone should be informed about because it is a worldwide dilemma that could happen to anyone no matter, age. In Portland Oregon, August 1st 2017 a woman was charged for connection to trafficking a teen.

How would you feel if you were bought, sold and used around the world? Child/ human trafficking is one of the fastest growing crimes and violations in the world. It is estimated that thirty thousand victims of sex trafficking die each year from abuse, disease, torture, and neglect. Eighty percent of those sold into slavery are under twenty four, and some are as young as six years old. There have been twenty point nine million human trafficking victims worldwide as of twenty thirteen. Females and children have a greater risk for sexual exploitation. There are several physical and mental consequences for trafficking victims.

Human Trafficking is a form of organized crime, in which people of all ages are taken from their homes to be exploited for sexual or labor purposes. The traffickers use fear and violence to get these people to come with them, and all they really want out of it is money. I will be using four main sources to gather my information. First I will give a general overview of two websites giving great depth into the topic of human trafficking. I will then summarize three case studies on human trafficking. Finally, I will give my views on the issue, and tell why it is such any important topic for the public to hear about.

I want to have 4 children one day. Two girls and two boys. My children could be vulnerable to sex trafficking if I don’t teach them the dangers of what a conniving, charming, and manipulative person could do by turning them no longer into a friend but a product that is bought and sold for sex. According to Equality Now about 18,000 people in the US and 20.9 million people worldwide adults and children are bought and sold due to sex trafficking. That means one out of forty-three people will be bought and sold into sex trafficking in the US alone and I do not want that one to be any of you. Slavery in any form makes me sick to think about. Sex trafficking is one that upsets me the most. The buying and selling of humans for a sexual and torturous purpose should without a doubt looked upon in a stricter light. Together we need to shed light on this dark topic and know the warning signs of a pimp and of a victim so we can stop something that to the subject seems impossible to stop.

Globally, about 20 to 30 million people are involved in the human trafficking system, and of those, 14,500 to 17,500 people are trafficked in the United States every year. Human trafficking is more prevalent today then ever before. It is the third largest crime internationally. People are abused and taken advantage of. According to the article, “11 Facts About Human Trafficking,” on average, a person is forced into the system around age 9, and the majority of victims are women and girls, with a small percentage of men and boys. In addition, the human trafficking system is a $32 billion dollar industry. Human trafficking can be defined as the selling and trade of human beings, ranging anywhere from children to adults, for the purpose of

Human Trafficking is the exploitation of men, women, and children in order to gain a monetary benefit from the involuntary sex acts the victims are forced to commit. Trafficking rings are usually run by one pimp or a family of pimps that charm the victim by offering them a better future of love and promise. However, this life does not consist of those charming promises. As the testimonies below will show, human trafficking may be stated as a good monetary business and life choice, but instead, trafficking violates human rights and leaves victims isolated from those who love them, and rejected by the world that does little to protect them.

Human trafficking, or the selling and buying of people, is a well-hidden yet prominent issue within today’s society. It is both an immoral and horrific topic that needs brought to attention and dealt with. When human beings are manipulated into work, sexual servitude, or economic hardship, human trafficking is occurring. In the year of 2006, only one individual is convicted of human trafficking per 800 victims (UNGIFT). By looking at straight statistics, reasons human trafficking happens, and the toll it has on people, it is very clear that this is a major issue that is happening in our world.

Sex Trafficking has been a key component in “ degradation of human and women's rights” because they believe that these people are only good for sex (Deshpande Para 1). Often victims who come back, if they ever can, have a hard time adjusting back to normal life. These girls have trust issues towards men, and sometimes even women. They also could have numerous health problems ranging from STD’s to unplanned pregnancy or even worse “ broken bones, concussions, bruises and burns” can all be found on these victims of sexual assault. These girls could also have mental issues, such as anxiety toward older men and women, fear of going outside ever again and social issues. The saddest thing about this is not only are these victims going through a horrible amount of sexual abuse, they also have been ripped away from what they know and may love. Some people believe that women and some men are just objects and they are the ones that are often pimps in the sex trafficking, but this is a completely skewed way of thinking of people.

So what exactly is the problem? Well according to the US department of health and human services, human trafficking is second largest criminal industry making $12 billion per year off of a staggering 1.2 million child victims, all from the ages 5 to 17. Unlike other criminal industries children can be sold over and over again. The

Human trafficking doesn’t happen in third world countries only. It doesn’t just happen to poor people and it certainly doesn’t solely happen to women. It is present here in the USA but it is hidden, and even worse, so are their victims. They are everywhere yet invisible. They are silently crying for our help through their eyes and smiles. According to Polaris, “…the prevalence of sex trafficking in the United States is still unknown, we do know that women, children, and men are being sold for sex against their will in cities and towns in all 50 states”. Human trafficking can happen to anyone even to Theresa Flores, the author of “The slave across the street”(“Sex trafficking” 2015). An average 15 year old American girl, coming from a privileged background and a respected family became a victim of sex trafficking and through her book, she convinces us that human trafficking doesn’t have a specific demographic.

She’s the girl who’s running away from her abusive past, the one who is impoverished and looking for a way to make ends meet, or perhaps, she’s the girl who naively fell in love with the wrong man. Regardless of the reasons, there are nearly 30 million victims of human trafficking globally. There are more slaves now than ever before. Trafficking of persons is not a subject that should be ignored or taken lightly. In order to fully understand the enormity of this crisis, we will examine the root causes, facts, and the impact of human trafficking throughout the world.

The children are enslaved as free labor and are of the victims of sexual abuse as well. According to Andrea Bertone and Christina Arnold, founders of the organization Prevent Human Trafficking, “Work for trafficked victims consists of exploitation, debt bondage, low to no wages, excessive hours, unsafe conditions. Often victims see themselves as being no worse off than if they had stayed home” (Arnold 31). Despite the horrible conditions most victims don’t even realize the gravity of their situation and fall into a sense of appeasement.

Human trafficking is one of the most dangerous crimes touching humanity. Because it violates the basic human rights to life and liberty of a significant proportion of the world’s population, of whom are socially, economically and politically vulnerable. It makes the processes of recruiting, transporting, hiding and holding, and finally receiving a person through a use of force, coercion, false promise, and monies for the purpose of exploiting them. In the article human trafficking: preventing, protecting prosecuting by Susie Johnson on page 3 there is a fact that states “through out the world 27 million people are trafficked”. These victims are used for a number of different purposing including, but not limited to prostitution, pornography,

Different age groups fall victim to trafficking as well. Not only adults, but also children, are trafficked worldwide. Child trafficking is defined as "the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring, or receipt of children for the purpose of exploitation" (Child Protection from Violence, Exploitation and Abuse). Children make up almost twenty percent of trafficking victims around the world. "However, in some parts of Africa and the Mekong region, children are the majority (up to 100% in parts of West