Human Trafficking—A Global Problem

By Gabie Hart

Human trafficking is not restricted to any one particular region, as incidences of human trafficking occur globally. Whether it is Asia, Europe, Africa or the Americas, human trafficking is an international problem which needs to be addressed by every level of government. Human trafficking usually involves incidences of forced labor or sexual slavery.

There are a variety of ways in which people end up victims of trafficking—physical abuse, coercion, fraud, duress, all can play a part in the trafficking of people.

It is said that approximately 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders annually. That number could be significantly higher since victims may be reluctant to report their experience as some victims do not identify themselves as being victim, or some victims are too scared to report their perpetrators. The UN reports that it could be as high as 2 million.

Women often are targeted by the traffickers. Some women find themselves entangled in the web of human trafficking by being too trustworthy of those who portray themselves as recruiters. This often occurs in countries where women are oppressed and are treated as if they are second-class citizens. These women may be lured by the recruiters who appear to be providing them with the opportunity of a brighter future, an opportunity to provide a better life for their families.

While many may believe that human trafficking is something that occurs mostly in “developing countries,” countries such as the United States and Canada are not immune from human trafficking.

As was recently discovered this past year, a New York couple “enslaved and tortured” two Indonesian women in their home. The women were “beaten, slashed, burned with cigarettes and scalding water, and forced to choke down hot chili peppers and vomit.” The couple was recently convicted of enslaving and torturing these women.

In Canada, a woman who had been brought to Canada after answering an internet ad for modeling, found herself in the middle of a sex slave ring, and was forced into sexual slavery. Three people are now behind bars and are facing charges. The authorities do not believe this is the end of the situation, as there will be an international investigation, which may lead to more incidences of human trafficking.

It is only recently that New York and Canada have enacted anti-trafficking laws, and these laws are clearly playing a role in allowing the perpetrators of these horrific acts to not receive impunity. Canada’s anti-human trafficking laws only came into effect in November of 2005, and New York’s anti-trafficking law was enacted in 2007.

States and countries who have recently enacted legislation, and are actually enforcing the laws, play an important role in curbing human trafficking and ensuring that perpetrators are brought to justice. It is important that all countries and nations come together in order to stop the trafficking of people.

Sources:

New York Times—Opening Our Eyes to Slavery—23 December 2007.

Toronto Sun—3 Held in Sex Slavery: Cops Women Lured From Overseas—13 January 2008.