The Role Of Human Trafficking In The United States

In 2010, there were almost 30,000 Latino immigrants in Durham, ninety percent of which were undocumented immigrants (Johnson). Initially, most Latino immigrants arrived in the southwest, but since the turn of the century, more have settled in new destinations, such as Durham, and other parts of the Southeast, due to opportunities to work in low-skilled jobs.

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).

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.

Human trafficking is an issue that no one really wants to talk about. The media portrays this horrible crime as something that only happens in foreign lands. Americans do not want to believe that something so heinous could happen on our own soil. However when survivors of human trafficking come forward, people are forced to confront the reality that this issue is not that far from home. Some individuals still choose to deny that this is a real issue. However the facts make it extremely hard to deny that human trafficking happens on American soil.

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.

Freedom is an undeniable right that this Country was founded upon. Yet even today, the ongoing practice of human trafficking continues on a disturbingly large scale. Well said by the President, “It ought to concern every person, because it’s a debasement of our common humanity. It ought to concern every community, because it tears at the social fabric. It ought to concern every business, because it distorts markets. It ought to concern every nation, because it endangers public health and fuels violence and organized crime. I’m talking about the injustice, the outrage, of

The reason why I pick to write about human trafficking is, because this is something not everyone talks about. Human trafficking is when some buy or sale someone as property. In order for this to happen it needs a buyer and it also needs a seller. In order for human trafficking to be control they would need a study buyer and a study seller. When you think of the word slavery you think it wouldn't be anything that come in the present day everyone think of this word as in being in the passed or don't exist anymore. Humans being force to do work with no freedom, no choice, also no pay. There are still slavery going on in this world today just because this is not the type of slavery we are used to, but we need to be aware about. Human trafficking and undocumented immigration is on a greater scale of slavery within this day of age.

As we separated our pubescent selves from the clutches of overbearing Britain we promised our civilians liberty in apparent abundance. We went so far as to build our country off of the foundation of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Unfortunately, the constant question remains, are we actually granted these three rights? Are all Americans subject to complete freedom? If one answered yes they would be sadly mistaken. Underground in our united land we face a severe issue that questions one’s liberties. We have slavery in this country, the most prominent type being sexual slavery, enforced through prostitution and human trafficking. Human trafficking and prostitution are severe undercurrents that surge rapidly in the United States despite common belief.

People who are in deep poverty often have few options which pushes them to take risks which in turn puts them at a higher risk of being trafficked. In such cases, impoverished migrants become dependent on brokers to find them jobs abroad and assist in their migration. However, during such a process causes them to drown in debt which locks them into their job. In countries where many people in a population have lost land due to factors such as political discord, crime, natural disasters, etc., human trafficking is a very tangible risk, as landless people are left vulnerable to exploitation.

How often do you think teenage girls or boys are sex trafficked? Sure we hear about it all of the time in other countries like Paris or Japan, but how often does it happen right here in America? Too often. Globally 2.4 million people are trafficked for labor, 80% of them are used as sex slaves. Another common question would be what is human trafficking? “trafficking has been defined most often as the trade in women and children for prostitution or other immoral purposes.” “ It has been further clarified that victims do not need to be transported across international or other boundaries in order for trafficking to exist.” (Clawson J Heather, Dutch Nicole, Solomon Amy, and Grace Goldblatt Lisa. Aspe. Human Trafficking Into and Within the United States: A Review of the Literature Aspe 30, Aug 2009.)

Human Trafficking involves illegal use of force, fraud, and coercion that pimps use to control children and adults for sex purposes (Blue Campaign). The people that take young children and adults are called pimps. The pimps will find out young children and women’s weaknesses and use it against them by telling them all of the things that make them feel better about their life (Frundt). Human Trafficking generates many billions of dollars per year. The victims of human trafficking will hardly ever come forward to receive help because they may not be able to speak the language of the country that they are in or they may think that they will get in trouble with the law because they're pimp has been making them do drugs (Blue Campaign). Every

Since the mid 1990's the Unites States has assumed a main part in placing trafficking face to face on the worldwide group's radar and in tending to trafficking in the United States. In any case, preceding 2000 there was no extensive Federal Law that secured casualties of trafficking or to empower arraignment of their traffickers. The TVPA (Trafficking Victims Protection Act) go in 2000 and resulting reauthorizations made it illicit to acquire or keep up people for business sexual action by utilizing misrepresentation, power, or pressure for those 18 years old or more established. Confirmation of power, misrepresentation, or intimidation isn't required for those casualties younger than 18. The law additionally criminalizes the utilization of

Sex trafficking within the United States is a threat to homeland security and as a community, we need to find a solution to reduce it. “Sex trafficking involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to exploit human beings for commercial sex purpose” (Department of Homeland Security). A federal policy is needed because every year, millions of men, women, and children worldwide are victims of sex trafficking (Department of Homeland Security). “Many of these victims are lured with false promises of financial or emotional security; and they are forced or coerced into commercial sex” (Department of Homeland Security). To reduce sex trafficking in the United States, there should be educational programs in the public schools, educating students on