The Issue Of Human Trafficking

Human trafficking is defined as a recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, of receipt of persons, by means of coercion, abduction, fraud, deception, or abuse of power of a position of vulnerability for the purpose of exploitation (Human Trafficking Information). Today human trafficking, also known as modern-day slavery, has been one of the controversial issues in the United States and nationwide. In fact, it is now considered as the fastest growing multi-billion-dollar business form of organized crime. Also, Human trafficking is affecting the lives of millions around the globe and robbing the victims of their pride. As a matter of fact, Traffickers deceive men, women, and young children from around the world to force them into unspeakable

Human trafficking “shall mean the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the 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 minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs” (Protocol To Prevent, 2).

“EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVNESS OF LEGAL AND NON-LEGAL MEASURES IN ADDRESSING HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND SLAVERY INTERNATIONALLY AND DOMESTICALLY”

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 is “considered a form of modern slavery” involving the recruitment, transportation, transfer and/or harboring the receipt of a person by either the means of force or coercion that is affecting thousands of men, women and children per year both abroad and locally. This is a crime in violation of human rights (“Human Trafficking/What is Human Trafficking”, 2015). Human trafficking is an umbrella term that is not quite defined and/or recognized by law.

The Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons is an internationally recognised protocol partially effective in its promotion and enforcement of human rights relating to human trafficking. As referenced above, Article 3 of this Protocol specifies the offences of human trafficking, whilst Article 5 requires that such conduct is criminalised under domestic legislation. By carefully detailing the offences arbitrary to the rights of humans, this Protocol effectively promotes the illegalities of such crimes, strengthening its enforceability through the widespread legislative response instigated by its introduction. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNDOC), 134 countries have criminalised human trafficking by establishing a specific offence in line with the Protocol, including Australia’s Criminal Code Amendment (Trafficking in Persons Offences) Act 2005 (Cth). The responsiveness of nation states to

Human Trafficking, also referred to as modern-day slave trade, has been defined by the United Nations Palermo Protocol as, “the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of persons, by means of threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of abuse of power or of position of vulnerability or of the giving and 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 minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labor or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs

In 1949, once trafficking had become a big enough issue and the UN was ready, the “Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others” Act was passed. This gave the world its first legal document against human trafficking. It established restrictions and punishments against human trafficking; and also sparked the movement of other countries to create laws of their own (Stephenson, 2014).

The illicit trafficking of humans for purposes of slavery continues to be a global issue and clear violation of fundamental Human Rights. Article 4 of The UDHR states; “No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms”. Human trafficking is defined as the commercial trade of human beings for the purpose of some form of slavery or exploitation, a clear violation of individual human rights. It is hard to quantify the extent of the issue, however the UN has estimated that there are over 2.5 million victims of human trafficking across state boarders. As an international issue, human trafficking requires international attention - however for international laws to be most effective they

The Council crafted the following operational definition to guide policy development on trafficking in persons: Trafficking is all acts involved in the recruitment, abduction, transfer, harboring, auction or acceptance of a person or persons; within national or across global limits. These types of recruitments are done through force, fraud or trickery; to place persons in a circumstance of slavery or slavery-like conditions, forced labor or services, such as prostitution or sexual services, domestic servitude, bonded sweatshop labor or other debt bondage (E.M. Gozdziak, 2005)

Article 3, paragraph (a) of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons defines Trafficking in Persons as the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use

There are many definitions of trafficking in human beings. “The United Nations Convention on Transnational Organized Crime included a Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children (hereafter the Trafficking Protocol) in order to create an internationally agreed upon definition

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

According to estimates, more than 700,000 people are trafficked every year for the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labour. They are transported across borders and sold into modern-day slavery. Over the past decade, trafficking in human beings has reached epidemic proportions. No country is immune. Clawson (2009) discusses how the search for

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.